[AJ-got-BHP]

Hey Pawan !!

Brilliant travelogue with some very good pictures. What amazes me is that your trip was as crisp as your travelogue. You managed to cover and do lots in just a span of 4 days. If I was to do that, I would need another holiday immediately after such one

The homecoming of the Duster for you has indeed changed you as a person as well; definitely for the good. I remember you saying how difficult it was for you to write travelogues. Now, you seem to travel and write travelogues more frequently than before and each time it's better than the last one !!

Good to see the 4WD being put to good use on this trip. Gives one that exclusivity to explore the less inhabited places. Good to see HULK and it's owner enjoying to the core in the frozen pastures.

Loved every bit of your travelogue ! Rated 5*

[Red Panda]

Brilliant travelogue PapaBravo. Liked the way you have written it. Wonderful pictures too. Rated 5 stars.

Cheers
Avishek

[speed_edge]

Originally Posted by PapaBravo

4-5 kms ahead Changu Lake we encountered another Jam.

Hey, What the lovely pics, kudos to you and the hulk Way to go AWD.
One Qs though. I have a Sikkim trip coming up this 1-May onward but without own car. I'll using flight + Taxi combo. Do I get a chance to see so much of snow? I have a plan for Nathula trip, does it cover the route which you mentioned here. I'm really excited to see snow but not aware if I get similar sight at Nathula. Need some more details if I need to discuss with Taxi guys to cover this places.

Regards
SE

[pduttaghy]

Great travelogue PapaBravo. Thoroughly enjoyed your writing as well as clicking skills. Very helpful informations as well. Thanks

[varsin]

I am absolutely thrilled to read this well-written, info-packed travelogue. It has brought me a step closer to go for the Duster. Also, made me realise, how much can be packed in a four-day break!

[PapaBravo]

Originally Posted by Uprasenjit

Lovely thread Pavan....Hulk seems to be enjoying. How did Hulk performed in the snow ? Surely you had to engage the 4L I can see.

Thanks Prasenjit !! Hulk performed wonderfully in the snow. I had to engage 4Lock numerous times especially where the snow wasn't cleared.

Originally Posted by AJ-got-BHP

Hey Pawan !!

Brilliant travelogue with some very good pictures. What amazes me is that your trip was as crisp as your travelogue. You managed to cover and do lots in just a span of 4 days. If I was to do that, I would need another holiday immediately after such one

The homecoming of the Duster for you has indeed changed you as a person as well; definitely for the good. I remember you saying how difficult it was for you to write travelogues. Now, you seem to travel and write travelogues more frequently than before and each time it's better than the last one !!

Good to see the 4WD being put to good use on this trip. Gives one that exclusivity to explore the less inhabited places. Good to see HULK and it's owner enjoying to the core in the frozen pastures.

Loved every bit of your travelogue ! Rated 5*

Thanks a lot Arav. Getting compliment from you for the pictures is really great. I completely agree that at one point of time I was very uncomfortable writing a travelogue. But I believe I have slowly started enjoying it.

Originally Posted by Red Panda

Brilliant travelogue PapaBravo. Liked the way you have written it. Wonderful pictures too. Rated 5 stars.

Cheers
Avishek

Thanks Avishek.

Originally Posted by speed_edge

Hey, What the lovely pics, kudos to you and the hulk Way to go AWD.
One Qs though. I have a Sikkim trip coming up this 1-May onward but without own car. I'll using flight + Taxi combo. Do I get a chance to see so much of snow? I have a plan for Nathula trip, does it cover the route which you mentioned here. I'm really excited to see snow but not aware if I get similar sight at Nathula. Need some more details if I need to discuss with Taxi guys to cover this places.

Regards
SE

Hi SE. Not really sure if there would be much snow in May, but you never know when the mountains change their mood. The route covered in the TL is indeed of Nathula. You will pass thru Changu & Thegu on your way to Nathula

Originally Posted by pduttaghy

Great travelogue PapaBravo. Thoroughly enjoyed your writing as well as clicking skills. Very helpful informations as well. Thanks

Thanks a lot pduttaghy !!

Originally Posted by varsin

I am absolutely thrilled to read this well-written, info-packed travelogue. It has brought me a step closer to go for the Duster. Also, made me realise, how much can be packed in a four-day break!

Thanks varsin. Duster is a great vehicle. It suits my needs. It was indeed a adrenaline packed 4 day break.

Regards,

Pawan

[Dr_MNC_SK]

Greetings from Gangtok. Wonderful photographs and well put up travelogue. Its nice to see someone drive all the way from Kolkata and drive to Tshangu Kupup. This reminds me of my recent trip , i was perhaps lucky in being able to proceed further ahead to Ngathang and hold up in Zuluk although the fog prevented me from clicking anything worthwhile there. Have read many a travelogues on Sikkim here on tbhp but not having a membership until now was not able to respond to any. The weather at present is wonderful with occasional downpour and perhaps one of the best times to visit. If anyone need any ground reality info on Sikkim kindly do let me know. Will try my best to my capacity for the same. Lots of wonderful unexplored places in waiting for travel heads to come. And save for situations like this, one doesnt need a awd for Sikkim, any tall clearance would do, an awd would save time nevertheless. Heres a picture of my humble salute to the Mighty Himalayas.

[divyankar]

Hey Pawan,
Awesome Travelogue and superb pictures.
That 4x4 incident kept me thinking if my two wheel drive duster can handle steep climb in snow.
Although I have combed uttarakhand hills in my maruti 800 so may be sometimes its all about driving skills. But still have to test my beast.

[gearhead_mait]

Beautiful pictures and narration. Wonderful to see all-snowy Sikkim. Moreover, feels great to see places that lies beyond till where I went during my East Sikkim trip (I went till Memencho lake from the Rongpo side).

Keep traveling and posting such wonderful travelogues.

Rated 5*.

[DriveTrain]

Lip smacking pictures Pawan , adorning a crispy travelogue , rated a well deserved 5 stars.

[speed_edge]

Originally Posted by PapaBravo

Hi SE. Not really sure if there would be much snow in May, but you never know when the mountains change their mood. The route covered in the TL is indeed of Nathula. You will pass thru Changu & Thegu on your way to Nathula

Thanks Pawan. I see that you visited in 14-Apr, and what I'm planning is around 3-4May. Do you mean so much of snow meltdown in just 20 days?

[Swapnil_Alto]

Lovely review Pawan Da with some breathtaking pictures. I've always wanted to visit the Himalayas, but for some reason or the other plans get dropped. And these pictures makes me want to visit the Himalayas even more. Hope to conquer them soon.

[PapaBravo]

Originally Posted by Dr_MNC_SK

Greetings from Gangtok. Wonderful photographs and well put up travelogue. Its nice to see someone drive all the way from Kolkata and drive to Tshangu Kupup.

Thanks a lot Mohonish !!

If anyone need any ground reality info on Sikkim kindly do let me know. Will try my best to my capacity for the same. Lots of wonderful unexplored places in waiting for travel heads to come.

That will be very nice of you. Will get a ground check from you from next time for sure !!

And save for situations like this, one doesnt need a awd for Sikkim, any tall clearance would do, an awd would save time nevertheless. Heres a picture of my humble salute to the Mighty Himalayas.

Thats a great pic. But trust me there are many places in Sikkim where you need 4WDs. Some of them are listed in this thread.

Originally Posted by divyankar

Hey Pawan,
Awesome Travelogue and superb pictures.
That 4x4 incident kept me thinking if my two wheel drive duster can handle steep climb in snow.
Although I have combed uttarakhand hills in my maruti 800 so may be sometimes its all about driving skills. But still have to test my beast.

Thank you Divyankar. What I have heard is that 2WD duster is very capable. But steep climb in snow can be problem since front wheels will have less traction due to weight distribution.

Originally Posted by gearhead_mait

Beautiful pictures and narration. Wonderful to see all-snowy Sikkim. Moreover, feels great to see places that lies beyond till where I went during my East Sikkim trip (I went till Memencho lake from the Rongpo side).

Keep traveling and posting such wonderful travelogues.

Rated 5*.

Thank you Soumyajit. I may do that route soon. We are waiting for your Kashmir travelogue as well.

Originally Posted by DriveTrain

Lip smacking pictures Pawan , adorning a crispy travelogue , rated a well deserved 5 stars.

Thank you Angshuman Da.

Originally Posted by speed_edge

Thanks Pawan. I see that you visited in 14-Apr, and what I'm planning is around 3-4May. Do you mean so much of snow meltdown in just 20 days?

Snow meltdown is quite fast SE. Infact on the day we made this trip, the point where we had first spotted snow while going up was not the same while going down. Snow point had actually gone up. But I think you have chances of finding snow at Thegu Top & Nathula.

Originally Posted by Swapnil_Alto

Lovely review Pawan Da with some breathtaking pictures. I've always wanted to visit the Himalayas, but for some reason or the other plans get dropped. And these pictures makes me want to visit the Himalayas even more. Hope to conquer them soon.

Thanks a lot Swapnil. Do make a trip soon. You already have so many people around with Himalayan experience.

Regards,

Pawan

[Dr_MNC_SK]

Originally Posted by PapaBravo

Thanks a lot Mohonish !!
Thats a great pic. But trust me there are many places in Sikkim where you need 4WDs. Some of them are listed in this thread.

Thank you for the appreciation. I did go through the post and I am sorry I beg to differ. That there is no trail mentioned there about Sikkim that requires a 4WD for the trail. I am not talking of being able to engage 4 WD at occasion for a landslide or for better traction but for the trail as such. Darjeeling in fact does have the Sangdakpu trail where 4 WD is a necessity. All major Roads to North Sikkim to Gurudongmar via Lachen on one side to Yumthang Zero Via Lachung to the other to the Silk Route Zuluk Kupup Tshangu Nathula to the mentioned Zoom Kaluk Hilley Hillary Park to the Phadamchen one are absolutely doable on a 4x2 with adequate clearance and good tyres. For all the travel heads planning to visit Sikkim, a 4 WD is not an neccessity but adequate ground clearance is. So Skoda Yeti probably may not make it but a Xylo will.

Yes having a 4WD is always desirable in case you get stuck up or want to do a bit of offroading off the roads or want to travel faster with the high gear. If you want to do real snow travel i guess its the tyres or tyre preparation which will be more important than an all wheel drive, though yes an awd scores better than a fwd or a rwd with similiar tyres. But be assured that when the snow is deep enough for 4x2 to not tread the government/ army here closes the road. this is because all (say 99 %) taxis that ply are 4x2s (Xylos, Boleros, Scorpios) and thats the majority of the traffic going there.

[Sutripta]

Originally Posted by Dr_MNC_SK

Thank you for the appreciation. I did go through the post and I am sorry I beg to differ. That there is no trail mentioned there about Sikkim that requires a 4WD for the trail.

Hi,
I agree with you, but let me tell you that you are going to be the subject of a lot of behind closed doors discussions, mostly critical! Be prepared!

Anyway, welcome to our forum.

Regards
Sutripta