[gurha]

Good travelogue, some pictures reminds me of my travel to Darjeeling early this year.

Originally Posted by ampere

Its a pedestrian only section I presume?

Yes Sir, its only for pedestrians now.

[motomaverick]

Nice family vacation, for the taxi rates you could have checked around before agreeing to someone in particular but I guess you had paucity of time. Somehow I felt the rates were higher for the distances.

[Ddrive]

Originally Posted by saket77

Very well written sir, ans some striking pictures too. The thread will prove informative for the travelers to the region, such are the details.
Saket

Thank you Saket.

Originally Posted by ampere

I remember walking on MG road in Gangtok, when they were re-laying the section. Its a pedestrian only section I presume?
Great write up.

Thank you ampere, for the kind words.
Yes, it is a 'Pedestrian only' area for about 200 meters.

Originally Posted by gurha

Good travelogue, some pictures reminds me of my travel to Darjeeling early this year.

Thank you Gurha. Post some pics if you wish

Originally Posted by motomaverick

Nice family vacation, for the taxi rates you could have checked around before agreeing to someone in particular but I guess you had paucity of time. Somehow I felt the rates were higher for the distances.

Thank you motomavrick. Taxi expenses ended up high ofcourse, but it became inevitable as we give priority for the comfort of family. If I gone alone or with some other friends, I would opted for shared taxis in most cases.

[Samba]

Lovely pictures and a very nice narration! Being from Kolkata this travelogue is more than enough to instigate me to drive to Sikkim yet once again!

Originally Posted by Ddrive

Taxi expenses ended up high ofcourse, but it became inevitable as we give priority for the comfort of family. If I gone alone or with some other friends, I would opted for shared taxis in most cases.

Though a bit more expensive but still hiring a full cab rather than sharing with others, give you more privacy and peace of mind. I support your decision as you took the whole cab rather than sharing as you were with your family. With friends or going alone it could have been a different scenario.

But what motomaverick told is also true as in these regions bargaining with cab drivers are very common. Even Sikkim and West Bengal should follow what Kashmir has done. They have given fixed Taxi rates from the government and every cab driver more or less follows it.

[girishglg]

Originally Posted by Ddrive

Thank you Gearhead_mait. Sure would love to visit all these places someday.
Anytime if you plan a drive to these places with your friends, do call me too.
I will fly in/out Kolkata and join you

Ddrive a wonderful thread which brought back my memories of our visit to Sikkim three years back. This was just after the earthquake and we were happy that we still continued the journey instead of cancelling it. How we enjoyed the sights and natural beauty is something one has to experience first hand.

Originally Posted by gearhead_mait

A nicely crafted and a very detailed travelogue! Wonderful pictures to complement the writing.

Gangtok and Darjeeling are evergreen tourist destinations. But next time I would recommend you to check out some of the other beautiful places in these regions like Rishap, Lava (WB) , Ravangla, Pelling Kaluk (W Sikkim) and some exotic North Sikkim destinations.

Totally agree with you . If Gangtok and Nathula are this good, North Sikkim including Gurudongmar is just mesmerizing. We were sad that North Sikkim was total closed due to the total devastation and hence could not make it there but we vowed that "We will be back "

Just a quick link in the wiki about the surreal Gurudongmar Lake!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gurudongmar_Lake


Even East Sikkim such as Peling is very beautiful. Incidentally we did a Bangalore - Kolkatta - New Jalpaigudi - Darjeeling - Peling - Gangtok and back trip.

Next time whenever that happens would surely cover North Sikkim and Kalimpong among others. This destinations is surely another heavenly place on earth!

[gearhead_mait]

Originally Posted by girishglg

Even East Sikkim such as Peling is very beautiful.

A small correction. Peling is in West Sikkim.
But your information is absolutely correct in another way. East Sikkim is equally good eg. places like rishi khola, zuluk, padamchen, kupup, nathang valley etc are some of the beautiful places in East Sikkim. I have never been there though.

Originally Posted by girishglg

Incidentally we did a Bangalore - Kolkatta - New Jalpaigudi - Darjeeling - Peling - Gangtok and back trip.

That's great! Please share your TLog link, if you have compiled it yet.

Originally Posted by girishglg

Next time whenever that happens would surely cover North Sikkim and Kalimpong among others. This destinations is surely another heavenly place on earth!

Absolutely!

[mpksuhas]

Great travelogue Ddrive.
Looks like they have spruced up MG road in Gangtok, I remember walking there when one side of the road was reserved for pedestrians and other for vehicles.

Hope the roads in border areas are upgraded soon. A friend of mine who works in army and was posted near Tawang used to ruefully tell about how on Chinese side commanders come blazing in their SUV's through superb roads while our side has to do with almost no roads.

[Ddrive]

Originally Posted by girishglg

Ddrive a wonderful thread which brought back my memories of our visit to Sikkim three years back..

Thank you for the compliments girishglg

Originally Posted by mpksuhas

Great travelogue Ddrive.
Looks like they have spruced up MG road in Gangtok, I remember walking there when one side of the road was reserved for pedestrians and other for vehicles.

Thank you mpksuhas.
You are right. I was wrong in my earlier reply to ampere.
The MG Road is not straight but tilted, the first 100 meters is fully for pedestrians. The next 100 meters is one way for vehicles , and the other side for pedestrians.

Originally Posted by mpksuhas

Hope the roads in border areas are upgraded soon. A friend of mine who works in army and was posted near Tawang used to ruefully tell about how on Chinese side commanders come blazing in their SUV's through superb roads while our side has to do with almost no roads.

mpksuhas, What your friend says is absolutely right. Take a look at the below pictures clicked while driving down from Nathula. I took the front seat while driving down, and the views were straight for my camera, and the roads looked trickier than while going up. The fog was also denser and it was raining all the way down.. pounding hard in many places. But you can also see in some of the pictures that the roads are being relaid, and being widened in many stretches.

Here are some pictures clicked while driving down:





Some football anyone?


We visited Babamandhir only on the way back from Nathula


The Agarwals paying a visit.


Tsomgo Lake in vicinity. The locals pronounce it as Changu lake.


The Agarwals at Tsomgo lake.


Tourists being taken out on a Yak ride.


We continue.


This is my home, in life and death.


Road widening work is in progress at many places though.




I can see the lights.


At Kyongmosla Water falls, 10375 feet.


Hot Bajjis and Hot Chai, at Kyongnosla waterfalls.


Further down..
















We reach lower altitudes.


A landslide prone area.


With streams running across the road.


Count your landslides.


Nearing Gangtok.



We reached back Gangtok around 5 Pm. For us it proved to be another exciting day.

[Ddrive]

A back to back post, please pardon me. I'll just close this TL with these pictures we took on Day 5.

Day - 5 - 28.7.2014 Monday.

The plan was to leave Gangtok and reach Siliguri before evening. Since our flight next day was around 2 pm, we wanted to set aside the whole day for flying back, ie, stay in Siliguri wake up anytime and just go to the airport. Because a start from Gangtok on the morning of the last day could end up wrong if there happens a landslide or traffic jams etc.

Another morning on MG Road - Looked down from the 4th floor of the lodge.


There was a taxi (an Alto) waiting for somebody at the lodge entrance. Went down and inquired the Alto driver about local-sight-seeing places in Gangtok. He told about some 10 places and quoted Rs.1300 and then 1200. I nodded and then asked him about the taxi fares to Siliguri, he said it is Rs.2500 and said it is normal here with whomever I asked. I just asked him for a 2 in 1, a quick sight seeing cum a Siliguri-drop, for Rs.3000. To my surprise he quietly agreed and the local-sight-seeing began.

Hanuman Tok


Ganesh Tok


A view of Gangtok from Ganesh Tok


We had our Breakfast here at a Cafeteria, by the Ganesh Tok.


This window looked beautiful, at the Flower Exhibition Center.


Lhasa Falls.


Tashi View Point. They said Kanchenjunga was seen this morning also.


Bakthang Falls.


Namgyal Institute of Tibetology.


And Do Drul Chorten, a monastery which we didn't go in.


Way to Do-Drul-Chorten.


Young monks at a Canteen near the monastery.


A folk musician, by the Monastery.


Young monks at Rumtek Monastery


Another monk


Lamps at the Monastery


After completing local sight seeing, the alto-man drove us towards another taxi stand looking his elder brother. He met his elder brother who owned a Sumo and asked him whether he is willing to take us to Siliguri. The Sumo-brother agreed. We three.. Me, the Alto driver, and his Sumo brother had a stand-up meeting and came to a conclusion on how to disperse the payments. The Altoman took a 1000 and left., he told me to pay 2000 to his Sumo-bro on reaching Siliguri.

So around 2 Pm, we left Gangtok.


And safely reached Siliguri by the evening.



On 29.7.2014 Tuesday, we took our flight back to Chennai.

[jayanth_k]

Hi BHPians,

I have a Honda Jazz CVT. I plan to go from Chennai to Pelling and return. I am the only driver. Drive will be with my family. Can you suggest/provide advice how to go about the same?

[thirugata]

Originally Posted by jayanth_k

Hi BHPians,

I have a Honda Jazz CVT. I plan to go from Chennai to Pelling and return. I am the only driver. Drive will be with my family. Can you suggest/provide advice how to go about the same?

My suggestion would be to understand what your comfort is in terms of how much distance you can cover per day and plan your breaks accordingly.
Look for a safe place/town for pitstops.
Try to cover the maximum distance in broad day light.
Add 2 - 3 buffer days to your plan so that you dont have to travel additional distance outside your comfort zone.

[jayanth_k]

Thanks for the reply. Since I’m a rookie I need to know what are the parameters I need to check, whether I can go with AC on in the month of summer, what’s the air pressure I need to check, etc. Can you please help?

[Need_for_Slow]

@jayanth_k Did you do the trip?
If yes please share your experience. I also am planning to do a similar trip to Pelling, Gangtok, Lachung and back in a Honda Jazz CVT with family. I am familiar with the Bhubaneswar to Kolkata stretch as I am a native of North Odisha. My starting point will be from Hyderabad and I am planning to start on 20th May with 15 days in hand to explore the places in Sikkim.

Here is my tentative plan.
20th May: Hyderabad -> Visakhapatanam
21st May: Visakhapatnam -> Bhubaneswar
22nd May: Bhubaneswar -> Kolkata
23rd May: Kolkata -> Siliguri
24th May: Siliguri -> Pelling
25th May: Pelling-> Gangtok
26th May: Gangtok-> Lachung
27th May: Lachung->Yamthang-> Zero point-> Lachung
28th May: Lachung-> Gangtok
29th May: Gangtok->Nathula Pass-> Tsomogo Lake->Gangtok
30th May: Gangtok->Siliguri
31st May: Siliguri->Kolkata
1st June: Kolkata-> Baripada
3rd June: Baripada->BBSR
4th June:BBSR->Visakhapatnam
5th June: Visakhapatnam-> Hyderabad


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[Samfromindia]

Originally Posted by Need_for_Slow

@jayanth_k Did you do the trip?
If yes please share your experience. I also am planning to do a similar trip to Pelling, Gangtok, Lachung and back in a Honda Jazz CVT with family. I am familiar with the Bhubaneswar to Kolkata stretch as I am a native of North Odisha. My starting point will be from Hyderabad and I am planning to start on 20th May with 15 days in hand to explore the places in Sikkim.

Get in touch with our Darjeeling experts for more details:

Samba
https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/trave...uster-awd.html (Darjeeling->Rishop->Kolakham->Samabeong->Dooars in a Duster AWD)

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/trave...-snowfall.html (A road-trip to Darjeeling & some unexpected snowfall!)

ABHI_1512
https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/trave...hotologue.html (Kaluk, Borong and Yuksom Diaries - A Photologue)

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/trave...-ecosport.html (Gurudongmar and the British Bungalow | Enchanting North Sikkim in an EcoSport)


I frequently travel Kolkata - Pune via Vizag and I feel 1N halt between Hyderabad - Kolkata is enough unless you want to waste 1N x2 and take it slow. Here are the details of my Kolkata -> Pune run last year with night halt at Vijaywada.

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route...ml#post5442476 (Pune to Kolkata and Back)

[hsprabhu]

Originally Posted by Need_for_Slow

@jayanth_k Did you do the trip?
If yes please share your experience. I also am planning to do a similar trip to Pelling, Gangtok, Lachung and back in a Honda Jazz CVT with family. I am familiar with the Bhubaneswar to Kolkata stretch as I am a native of North Odisha. My starting point will be from Hyderabad and I am planning to start on 20th May with 15 days in hand to explore the places in Sikkim.

Here is my tentative plan.
20th May: Hyderabad -> Visakhapatanam
21st May: Visakhapatnam -> Bhubaneswar
22nd May: Bhubaneswar -> Kolkata
23rd May: Kolkata -> Siliguri
24th May: Siliguri -> Pelling
25th May: Pelling-> Gangtok
26th May: Gangtok-> Lachung
27th May: Lachung->Yamthang-> Zero point-> Lachung
28th May: Lachung-> Gangtok
29th May: Gangtok->Nathula Pass-> Tsomogo Lake->Gangtok
30th May: Gangtok->Siliguri
31st May: Siliguri->Kolkata
1st June: Kolkata-> Baripada
3rd June: Baripada->BBSR
4th June:BBSR->Visakhapatnam
5th June: Visakhapatnam-> Hyderabad


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Going forward, do keep in mind that it's best to type directly into Team-BHP.

Thanks

Completed Bangalore-Sikkim-Bangalore in the first half of May. Route was the same from Visakhapatnam onwards. Why have you left out Lachen? You can visit Lachen, Kala Patthar and Gurudongmar.
Also hope you know that you cant take your car to Nathu La. You can go upto Baba Mandir. Army wouldnt allow private vehicles for the last 3-4 kms to Nathu La, unless you have contacts in Army and get their permit.