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Sikkim is the state in northeastern side of India. In northeast side of Sikkim is Tibet , east side is Bhutan, in the west is Nepal and in south its border touches to West Bengal. Capital of Sikkim is Gangtok. Total area of Sikkim is 7096 sqkm. Highest elevation of Sikkim is Mt Kanchenjunga 8586 m.  Population of Sikkim around 6 lakhs. Languages spoken here is Nepali, Sikkimese, Lepcha, English.

Sikkim has four districts known as East Sikkim capital Gangtok , North Sikkim capital Mangan, South Sikkim capital Namchi and west Sikkim capital Gyalshing . Major city and biggest of state is Gangtok .

Flora And Fauna of Sikkim :

• Sikkim is home of more than 5000 spices of flower plants. Among them 515 are rare orchids,36 spices of rhododendron, 11 spices of Oak, 60 spices of Primula, 23 spices of Bamboo, 362 varieties of Ferns and over 900 medicinal plants.
• Official flower of Sikkim is Noble Dendrobium.
• State tree of Sikkim is Rhododendron.
• On other side of Sikkim fauna there is a lots of wildlife found here.
• Major Attractions in wildlife in Sikkim is Red Panda, Snow leopard, Himalayan Marmot, Himalayan Tahr, Asian Black Bear , Leopard Cat, Tibetan Wolf, Comon Langur, Himalayan Jungle Cat, Dhole, Himalayan Serow, Himalayan Goral and Yaks.
• Also Sikkim is heaven for Birds too like Crimson horned Pheasant , Impeyan Pheasant, Tibetan Snowcock, Griffon Vulture, Golden Eagles, Quails, Plovers, Pigeons, Flycatchers and many more. Total more than 550 spices of birds found here.
• In Sikkim also butterflies found more than 1400 spices.
• Red Panda is the State animal of Sikkim.
• Singalila National Park is most favorite place for trekker and wildlife photographers.

The earliest inhabitants of Sikkim are Lepchas. Sikkim is almost in a hilly area. State elevation from 280m to 8586m.  Lowest elevation at West side at west Bengal border and highest is Mt. Kanchenjunga  summit. Kanchenjunga Mountain is the 3rd highest mountain in the World. It is Situated on the border of Sikkim and Nepal. Mt. Kanchenjunga can be seen from Darjeeling early in the morning also if you want to see Kanchenjunga very closely then visit Sandakphu at Singalila National park where you can see a clear Mount Kanchenjunga and also Mt Everest if weather is clear.

In Sikkim Tour we planned for North Sikkim, East Sikkim and South Sikkim places. Most tour visit Gangtok – Darjeeling – Pelling  or Gangtok – Lachen- Lachung – Darjeeling- Namchi . If you want to go pelling then Lachen and Lachung you have to skip or you have to add more 3-4 days in your tour to complete all of these. We done in our tour Gangtok-Lachen-Lachung-Gangtok-Darjeeling . Our tour Itinerary as below.

Best Time for Visit Sikkim :

The best season for traveling to North Sikkim is Mid February to Mid-June  & Mid-September to Mid December. 

Sikkim Tour Itinerary :

For Sikkim you can go via flight to Bagdogra then from Bagdogra (IXB) to Gangtok via road. Also a New Jalpaiguri Railway Station ( NJP ) overnight train from Kolkata reach in the morning and then via road to Gangtok.

Day 1

IXB Airport / NJP Railway Station to Gangtok 125kms in 4hrs  and drive to Gangtok (Capital of Sikkim). Gangtok is also a resting ground for people traveling to North Sikkim. Check in at Hotel. Evening we go for Gangtok city tour and shopping. We stay at Lemon Tree hotel Gangtok. A very nice property and good Hospitality.

Day 2

Early Morning leave to  Tsongmo Lake (12,400 ft.) & Baba Harbhajan Singh Memorial (13200 ft) 52 kms from Gangtok city. Tsongmo Lake freezes completely during the winter and is much revered by the locals.

Optional tour to Nathula Pass (Alt 14000Ft / 4200M) on China Border can also be arranged (Except Mon, Tue) for Indian Nationals on advance request at an additional cost. I must say to visit Nathula Pass cost around 3000-4000 INR per car. At Nthula pass you must go early in the morning otherwise traffic  jam on afternoon. Also weather changes after 12 pm so reach early. At Nathula Pass if you stuck in traffic and if heavy snow fall then you will stuck for overnight and after BRO clear the roads you can not go back. So plan early morning if possible and listen to your driver and follow their guidance.

Day 3

Gangtok to Lachen (125 Kms / 6 hrs) Morning drive to Lachen in North Sikkim (8660 ft). In between  visit Singhik View point, Seven Sisters Water Fall, Naga Water Falls, and Chungthang Confluence. Arrive at Lachen in the evening. We stay at Khenkhim Hotel in Lachen.

Day 4

Lachen – Chopta Valley (13,200 ft.) – Gurudongmar Lake (17,100 ft.) – Lachung Early Morning drive to Chopta Valley to get some breathtaking view of alpine valley of frozen rives. Then procede further 30 Kms in 1.5 hrs to Gurudongmar Lake. The Highest and the biggest fresh water lakes in Sikkim, and it is very close to Tibet Border. After Lunch drive to Lachung.  We Stay at Etho Metho hotel in Lachung. Also a good and finest property.

Day 5

Early Morning Leave to Yumthang (Valley of Flowers) at 1200ft. It is a summer grazing ground of Yaks and winter playgrounds of Yetis. Back to Lachung. After lunch drive back to Gangtok. Kala Patthar or Zero Point is optional for visit around 3000-4000 per car. At Zero point or kala patthar you can see lots of snow and beautiful snow mountain view of Himalayas. Also on the way to kala patthar you can visit valley of flowers. In April to May month you can see beautiful rhododendrons are in full bloom and the entire route that leads to Zero Point looks almost like a painting. But when we were visit lots of snow fall during those days so flowers was not so many on that day but its worth to visit. You never disappoint with the entire route scenery. 

Day 6

Gangtok Half day sight-seeing- to Darjeeling (Alt 7100Ft/2100M), 95km in 3 hrs. Breakfast at the hotel, check out & visit Bakthang Falls, Enchey Monastery, Flower Show, Sikkim Research Institute of Tibetology, Dodurl Chorten and Handicraft Centre and drive to Darjeeling. We stay at Sterling Holiday Resort at Darjeeling. Resort is very good.

Day 7

Darjeeling local sightseeing Visit Himalayan Mountaineering Institute, Padmaja Naidu Zoological Park (Thursday closed), Tenzing Rock, Ropeway, Tibetan Refugee self-help Centre (Sunday closed), Tea Garden (outer view), Japanese Temple, Ghoom Monastery, Batasia loop, Tiger hill (8,400 ft.). Evening free at leisure. you can go for shopping at Darjeeling market .

Day 8

Darjeeling to IXB Airport / NJP Railway Station – 90kms in 3hrs. In morning  drive to NJP/Bagdogra.

Casinos In Gangtok : 

There are many casinos in Gangtok if you are interested like Deltin Denzong, Ramada Casino, Big Bull Casino etc. We went to Ramada casino and had a great fun. Entry Ticket for Ramada Casino is 2000 per person ( rates may change ) which includes 2 drinks, 2 starters, buffet dinner and 1000 INR token chip. Also they have more package for entry for unlimited drinks and food may be.

IMPORTANT THINGS TO KNOW  ABOUT DARJEELING: 

Due to the recent changes in the Traffic Management System in Darjeeling there would be a lot of restrictions for visiting the Sight Seeing Points mentioned in the itinerary.  300 vehicles would be allowed to visit Tiger hill in a day with Coupon, which would be issued the previous  day by the Authorities. 

Batasia Loop, which was a part of the early morning sightseeing, would now open from 10 am instead of  06:00am. You will have to walk minimum 500 mtrs from the gate (Depending upon the rush)and the place where the car is parked.  No car would be allowed to pick-up or drop passengers in from of HMI ZOO and the same can only be done  at a designated area 100 mtrs away from the gate.  The cars would be allowed to pick-up or drop passengers only from the designated areas and not as per the convenience or wish of the guests

North Sikkim travel Guide (Lachung - Lachen):  Must Know Things while visit North Sikkim

• Guest Traveling to North Sikkim (Lachung / Lachen) requires 02-04 copies of passport size photograph, original photo ID proof with photo copy (identity card – Voter ID card / Pass-port / Driving License) for processing the permit. Aadhar Card / PAN Card - not acceptable for issuance of the Permit  In Lachen and Lachung . But when we go some places may accept Adhar Card too. Most of the hotels are offering Vegetarian food . Food quality is very good. 
• All guests are requested to carry minimum luggage when travelling to North Sikkim and keep the extra  luggage at the hotel in Gangtok because of bad road conditions of North Sikkim especially during transshipment due to landslides and road blockages. We carry only 1 bag for 1 family.
• Child below 10 yrs. and Senior Citizen is not suggestible to visit Gurudongmar Lake (17,100 Ft.) in Lachen  due to high Altitude and low Oxygen Level 
• Hotels of Lachen and Lachung have only with basic amenities  & simple food cooked by the locals and not by hotel Chef.  In maximum hotels there is no geyser in the bathroom – hot water is supplied by buckets by the hotelier. Also during Gangtok to Lachung there is a very few vegetarian food restaurant and you must take a lunch at their. Other wise there is no restaurant after that. Same at return to Gangtok. So plan some snakes and packed food from Gangtok.
• Lachen and Lachung hotels rooms are also small so you must adjust in it.
• No room heating systems are provided in the room in maximum hotels due to shortage of power, instead the hotelier provides hot water bags. At some hotels they provide heaters too depend on your hotel.
• Airtel, Vodafone  & BSNL operates better in Lachen and Lachung. After leaving hotels and city you can not get signal during sight scenes. So if you are travelling in group with 2-3 cars then plan close all cars or make a point where you can all meet if someone left alone.  Best way to keep walkie talkie for minimum 2-5 km range to contact each other.   
• Due to shortage of power the guest sometimes may have to bear with candle light. 
• Due to winter season (heavy snow) vehicle will be able to drive till Snow point on the way to Yumthang Valley. 
• Zero point(must visit place )  (Yumesamdong) is kept optional which the guest can avail with an extra cost. Approx. cost is Rs. 3500 per vehicle. 
• Mineral Water bottles are not available in North Sikkim. You need  to carry a bottle at all times. They can be refilled at hotels. Littering will attract fine. Cigarette smoking or tobacco / tobacco product consumption is banned in public places.

After all sikkim is must visit place where you can find a high himalayan range mountains with greenery. Here you can find greenery , snow, high altitude lakes and enjoy beautiful weather with nature. Also in Darjeeling zoo we can see rarest and endangered Red Panda and many more birds and animals.

Where is Spiti Valley ? : Before some years ago no one knows about Spiti Valley only bikers and trekkers go their but now a days it is most popular destination in Himachal Pradesh. Spiti valley  located in Himachal Pradesh India. It is near to indo Tibet (china ) border. Spiti means the middle land. Spiti valley is cold desert mountain valley of Himalayas. Spiti valley distributes in two parts one is Lahaul and other is Spiti district. Kaza is sub divisional headquarter of spiti district . Kaza is situated at 12500 ft from sea level and on spiti river. Spiti valley is one of the best place in Himachal Pradesh to visit in summer.

Spiti Valley Circuit  Tour :

Spiti valley tour is managed easily. It’s a round tour starts from Delhi or Chandigarh. The route to spiti valley is Delhi- Chandigarh- Kalpa- Tabo- Kaza and return back to same route and second route is Delhi – Chandigarh – Kalpa – Tabo – Kaza – Manali – kullu – sundarnagar – Chandigarh –Delhi

How many days need for Spiti valley Tour :

Well depends on your how many days you want to spend. I spend Total 7 days to spiti vally tour from Chandigarh. And also 2 days in Chandigarh before and after. If you want to explore more areas during Spiti valley tour you need at least 10-15 days . In this you can explore each and every places which come on route of Spiti Valley from Delhi or Spiti Valley from Chandigarh. The best explore of Spiti Valley i had seen in youtube is visatoexplore but i had not much days to explore that much. So if you go for 7-9 days then follow my itinerary so you can easily manage your trip.

Spiti Valley Package cost :

Well I would recommend you not to book any package for spiti valley. We also search for spiti valley package from Chandigarh with Innova car and it bit expensive. I suggest if you are from near by destination like Delhi , Chandigarh etc then go with your own car (SUV ) its cost you very cheap for your trip. We do our trip by own not a single hotel booking. We just book a car from Chandigarh to Chandigarh for 7 days.  Our total package with Car, Hotel rent, Food and other expenses cost around 21k Per person. We start from Chandigarh to Kaza via kinnaur , Kalpa , Nako, Tabo , Kaza and return from Kaza , Manali, Sundarnagar, Chandigarh. In winter return route from kaza to manali may not open. It open during summer after mid may or end of may. That route cost extra 7k of our car because its very bad road condition.

Chandigarh to Spiti Valley Tour Itinerary:

Day 1 : Arrive at Chandigarh and stay at Chandigarh 

Day 2 : Early morning leave to Kalpa or Reckong Peo . ( 307 Km almost 13 hours drive )

Day 3 : Kalpa to Tabo Via Nako sight scene ( 200 km approx including nako sight scene and take almost 8 hours)

Day 4 : Tabo To Kaza via Dhankar ( approx 50 km but if you go Dhankar lake then it will take almost 4 hours in Dhankar , So total it will take almost 6-8 hours depends on you where you stay more  time or not )

Day 5 : Stay at Kaza ( local sight scene )

Day 6 : Kaza to Manali or Kullu ( Total 182 km approx and it will take almost 10 hours or more , Google shows only 4 hours but road condition is very bad after Losar village so it will take more time to reach manali )

Day 7 : Manali to  Sundarnagar ( 130 km approx but you can do river rafting and paragliding at kullu in between and after noon drive to sundarnagar it will take almost 4-5 hours depends on traffic )

Day 8 : Sundarnagar to Chandigarh . Stay at Chandigarh (176 km almost 4-5 hours drive )

Day 9 : Leave to your Destination

From Kaza to Manali via Kumzum Pass Chandratal Lake is famous but it open only after mid may or end of may. If you drive from Delhi then you have to add more days before and after it around 300 km distance Delhi to Chandigarh .

Where to Stay in Spiti Valley : Accommodation In Spiti Valley 

• Chandigarh you can stay lots of hotels near airport and outer airport but i suggest you to book hotel near zirakpur so next day you can go direct to the kalpa route via kinnaur valley
• Kalpa : we stay at Alpine Nest hotel in kalpa or Rekong Pio. Hotel is very good and rooms were very neat and clean. Also it is on height so in the morning you can see beautiful view of Himalayas.
• Tabo : At tabo we stay at Green tara homestay and its a good homestay with good hospitality. Also cheaper than hotels.
• Kaza : We stayed at Kunga Hotel in kaza which is on the road after kaza city to kumzumpass route. It is also a good hotel with good rates.
• Manali : We stay at Gezelling Hill Tree hill cottages . It was amazing cottage with spacious rooms and a sitting area. 

This itinerary is managed by us by own. We do not book any hotel and any package for travel and sight scene. There is no need to book any package for Spiti Valley from Delhi . You can go by own with book of Car or by own car. As per your capacity you can drive car. We travel a lot almost every day. 

Spiti Valley Tour can managed from Delhi , Chandigarh, Manali too. But Manali route may open in mid of May so best route for Spiti Valley is from Chandigarh to Kinnour via sarahan, Kalpa, Chitkul.

Best Time to Visit Spiti Valley :

Best time to visit Spiti Valley is in Summer during May to July. All route and roads are open during this season. Also return route from Kaza to Manali via Kumzum pass is open after mid may and it is one of the best route for nature lovers. Chandratal Lake is open after end of May so you can visit in Jun. Also some peoples visit Spiti Valley in Winter too. During winter its very very cold and if you can control extreme cold condition.

Temperature in Spiti Valley :

During winter Spiti Valley temperature fall down up to -20 to -30 degree. Also roads are not clear due to snow fall. BRO ( Border Road Organization ) maintain roads in all seasons. Weather in summer is pleasant and temperature in Spiti Valley in summer is around 5-15 degree in day time and at night it 0-10 degree. Weather is not sure so temperature may different during entire season. But one more thing here UV index in spiti valley  is High  .

How to reach Spiti Valley : 

Best route for Spiti Valley is from Kinnaur side and return from manali side. The road condition from Kinnaur side is excellent so you can choose that route and also visit Chitkul, Kalpa, Nako, Tabo from that route. Return route if kumzum pass route is open then you can come back from manali side and visit Chandratal lake. Otherwise come back from same route of Kinnaur side.

Spiti Valley from Manali :

Most peoples take Manali route in Return from spiti valley. Also that route is open during summer. Road condition of that route from Losar Village to Spiti Cut - Koksar is very bad and you can take atleast full day for it. Google shows Kaza to Manali 4 hours but it won't. From Losar to Koksar you find only one Dhaba for lunch or something to eat like meggy. No other services if your car/bike has some issue then you have to go either koksar or Losar. So plan early morning leave for this route. The route has awesome scenery to see so you may take lots of break during this route. In summer at kumzum pass feel very cold. We found some bikers and cars they came from manali to visit chandratal at 3-4 pm. So i suggest if you will go from Manali to Kaza then leave early morning around 6-7 am from Manali. 

Panorama View Spiti Valley :

Here some panorama images taken with mobile and also from dslr camera which mearged after gives you better ideas about spiti valley landscapes. 

Spiti Valley Drone Images :

Himalayan Mountains are really beautiful if you shoot them from Drone. Here my cousine came with Drone and get memorable moments capture from drone. Below image is way to kalpa from Chandigarh.

Above and below image of Tabo village Himachal Pradesh. We stay one night at Tabo at Green tara homestay taken good night starts and at morning we shoot from drone. Tabo Village is near to river so we try to capture whole village and river in one frame.

Dhankar Lake in below image looks amazing from drone image. Dhankar lake is at around 11500 ft height and approx 3-4 km from Dhankar Village and Dhankar monestery. Trek route is moderate if you aclamite weather. Wind is strong blowing here so do not prove yourself infront of weather that you are so strong. Because you are travelling by car and then go for trek at 11000 ft height may be difficult for anyone. My cousine also get low level oxygen problem when we come back from trek. So be safe .

Kaza to Kumzum Pass : One of the best route during Spiti Valley Tour is Kaza to Kumzum pass to Manali. Weather changes every hour do not pridicted. But definately you will get thrill during route. We face snowfall during the way and the feel was amazing. But The road is too bad that you will travel whole day around 10-12 hours. Also i would suggest 4 x 4 cars for this route. Low ground level cars may damaged during route. Also there is no service during 50 km in between.

For Places to visit During Spiti Valley i will make new post with photos. 

If you need any assistence about spiti valley tour feel free to ask nirajhack@gmail.com

The Time of the day between Daylight and Night or Darkness is Twilight. Simply means after sunset or before sunrise time you can see beautiful tri color sky with diffused and sometimes pinkish sky. At this moment The Sun is below the horizons but sunrays are disordered due to atmosphere of Earth and it make color of twilight.

Difference between Twilight And Dusk : 

Time between Sunset and Dusk is called Twilight. At twilight moment there is little bit light in the sky. When the Sun is at 18 degree below the horizon that point is called Dusk. There is no sunlight at Dusk point. 

Types of Twilight :

There are three types of Twilight

1.  Civil Twilight ( nearest to the Horizon ) 
2. Astronomical Twilight ( fareast from Horizon )
3. Nautical Twilight (  Fareast from Horizon )

About Thol Bird Sanctuary :

Thol Bird Sanctuary is located near Thol Village in Kadi in Mehsana District Gujarat. It was made in 1912 for irrigation tank. Later on the winter visitor birds and also lots of migratory birds came here it was declared as an Sanctuary in 1988. Thol Lake or Thol Bird Sanctuary is one of most favorite place for bird watchers. Here you can find lots of resident birds, Migratory Birds, Waders , Water birds, Serpents, Tortoies, Squirrels, Monitor Lizards etc. The different kinds of birds is the beauty of Thol Lake. 

Twilight Sky At Thol Lake :

I oftenly visit Thol Lake for birding. During winter season i went for flemingos and pelicans specially. Winter is best time for Thol Lake. When my cousine came from USA we visited Thol Sanctuary. Generally i went early morning at 7 AM but my cousine was very exited to visit thol so we came early 5 AM at Thol Lake. There was a darkness at Thol Lake and also The gate open at 6 AM. so we wait for open the gate. When the gate was open and we just enter the lake we saw Twilight sky . A tri color sky looks amazing. I had never seen that type of sky before. Different shade of sky before 10 minutes of sunrise. That was experienced that we are in heaven. My cousine was very happy to see Twilight sky. 

Gear Used : Canon 6 D camera, Canon 50 mm lens

How to Reach Thol Lake : Thol lake is near to Ahmedabad. Distance from Ahmedabad is around 25-30 km. So nearest Airport is Ahmedabad and Railway Station is Ahmedabad. You can go by road from Ahmedabad. 

Mt Kanchenjunga or Mt Kangchenjunga both spellings right and whatever you say located in west Bengal India. When i was on my Singalila National park trek i visit it. It was really gesture to see Mt Kanchenjunga from own eyes. A beautiful Mountain surrounded by snow and little bit clouds looks like you are in Heaven. The view i capture makes me very happy to see first time snow mountain in my life. When i was at my last location of my trek at Sandakphu we go for birding and v had a clear mountain view of Kanchenjunga. Kanchenjunga is also spelled Kangchenjunga. Height of Mt. Kanchenjunga/Kangchenjunga is 8586 m . The view of Mt Kanchenjunga from India is amazing as you can see in photos. This Mountain range in wide angle as shown above image looks like Sleeping Budda so this mountain range also known as Sleeping Buddha Mountain Range too.

The name Kanchenjunga is derived from sanskrit kanchana ganga . Kanchana means gold and ganga is the river which flows in the region. The river shines like gold and hence the name Kanchana Ganga was given to this mountain. 

Things to know About Mt. Kanchenjunga/ Mt. Kangchenjunga :

• Kanchenjunga Mountain is about 28,169 ft height and located along the Nepal-India border in the Himalayas.
• It is the third highest mountain in the world.
• It contains 5 peaks and four of them above 27,700 ft of heights.
• Kanchenjunga is also name of surrounding section of Himalayas and means THE FIVE TREASURES OF SNOWS .
• Joe Brown and George Band was the first climber of Kanchenjunga mountain on 25 may 1955.
• Kanchenjunga mountain boundry shared by Nepal, India, China and Bhutan.
• Total 5 peaks of Kanchenjunga are Kanchenjunga Main ( 28169 ft ), Kanchenjunga West ( 27904 ft ), Kanchenjunga Central ( 27828 ft ), Kanchenjunga South ( 27867 ft ), Kangbachen ( 25928 ft ).
• Kanchenjunga Main is the highest elevation of Brahmaputra River.
• There are four climbing route for Kanchenjunga among them 3 are from Nepal and one from Sikkim India.
• It is also known as Sleeping Buddha Mountain range.

When i was on a tour to Singalila National Park we have a terrific view of Kanchenjunga mountains and also other Himalayan mountains. The best view of Kanchenjunga i saw from Sandakphu located at India-Nepal border. I also saw Mt. Everest from here. Everest is on a long distance but if weather is clear you can see it very clearly.

In above picture the mountain shows in left side ( Triangle 3 peaks ) of Mt Kanchenjunga is Kumbhakarna Mountain.

Sandakphu trek is one of the beautiful trek among India and also of Himalayas. During summer lots of trekkers go for these trek and also Phalut trek. At Sandakphu you can stay a night and just see at night the sky is full of stars. I was never seen such stars in my life. A milky way you can see and it was amazing experience of star gazing at Sandakphu. Also after dark a sunrise is beautiful as enough. At 4 or 4:30 am sunrise time and we were ready to see first light of sun rays on Himalayan mountains. The color of rays are red orange color looks beautiful on snow mountain of Kanchenjunga. Thats the beauty of Himalayas.

For climbing Mt. Kanchenjunga you can go from Nepal only because Indian Government has been closed Northeastern Sikkim route of Kanchenjunga since 2000. To See Mt. Kanchenjunga from India Sandakphu is the best place. You can go to Sandakphu via Trek or via Range Rover car hire at manebhanjan village. Nearest airport is Bagdogra or you can go to Kolkata and go for overnight train from Kolkata.

Gear used : Canon 1000 D body, Canon 18-55 mm lens, Canon 55-250 mm lens.