[Samba]

The sole purpose of the trip was paying a visit to Gurudongmar lake. But there is no better case of 'Man Proposes, God Disposes'! Three cars that started out with a resolve to reach Gurudongmar eventually ended up rolling in snow, ice and Heidi-like hamlets somewhere in North Sikkim.

The day we reached Gangtok, news came in that it was snowing heavily in North Sikkim & most of the roads to Gurudongmar were non-operational. It was closed off by the Army.

This forced us to look at other options. I had a talk with my permit guy and he assured me that we can go further from Lachung towards Yumthang or Katao & we will get loads of snow on the way. All of us were thrilled to explore the possibility of a snow drive!

The Itinerary-

1st April Start by 4 pm & reach Gangtok on 2nd April morning
2nd April - Stay at Gangtok
3rd April - Gangtok to Lachung
4th April - Lachung to a drive on Katao road & drive back to Siliguri
5th April - Siliguri to Kolkata

The Team -

Team Pajero SFX- Bhpian dip27in, Bhpian mi2n, Bhpian Scorpio25



Team Nexon - Bhpian arindam_xeta, Mr. Debarshi Chakraborty



Team Duster AWD- Yours truly with Bhpian Mountain_Deep



The whole team (Bhpian Scorpio25 missing from the pic) -

From left to right - Bhpian dip27in, Mr.Debarshi Chakraborty, yours truly, Bhpian mi2n, Bhpian arindam_xeta, Bhpian Mountain_Deep



Few teaser pics to begin with -

Pic courtesy- Bhpian Mountain_Deep





















& a couple of teaser videos -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izbhsBONcYo

Video courtesy - Bhpian Mountain_Deep

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YApFCRvH9c

Things we carried for the trip-

For us -

Medicines
Thermometer
Pulse oximeter
Oxygen cans
Sanitizers and surface disinfectants

For the vehicles -

Jumpstart cable
Tow rope
Extra fluids like coolant, engine oil, brake oil, etc.
Few sealants
Tool kit
Tire inflators
Air filter

[Samba]

Day 1 (Kolkata to Gangtok, 15 hours, 700 km)

Three cars met at the Dankuni toll at 4 pm on 1st April. The date being the 1st April, I was relieved to see that the rest of the cars were waiting and the trip was actually on!

It was smooth sailing through Burdwan, SH7 and we reached Moregram BP by 8 pm. We took a tea break for about an hour, since having dinner by 8 pm would have been too early.
So we decided to have dinner at the Pardesi Dhaba, in Malda. Reached the Pardesi Dhaba by 10-45 pm and their piping hot Chicken Biriyani managed our hunger.
By the time we left Malda it was 11-45 pm. Instead of taking Botolbari Road we decided to take the Dalkhola Bypass which is still under construction.

A couple of kilometres before reaching the entry of the Dalkhola Bypass the traffic was stranded through lines of trucks. Small cars were able to squeeze through the gaps. We managed to evade the traffic snarl in about 10 mins and enter the bypass.

Google maps was not our best friend. By standard definition, what it understands by roads, the Dalkhola bypass was far from it. The three cars lost each other completely. It was an interesting drive all the same with fields of paddy and sugarcane on both sides and not a car or soul in sight. Finally, all three cars managed to reach NH31 through three different exits!

All the three cars were split, we decided to catch up at the Reliance petrol bunk in Bagdogra. Even after taking a 2-hour break we were running ahead of our estimated time. All cars met at the petrol bunk around 3-30 am.

After an hour of chit chat, we resumed our journey by 4-30 am. From here we drove straight up to Gangtok. We checked in at the Hotel Eulophia by 7-30 am.
This hotel is located at Indira bypass before the Gangtok city and has proper parking with comfortable rooms and good view.

In the evening we got the information that it was snowing heavily in North Sikkim and most of the roads were closed. Bhpian mi2n confirmed the same from his friend who is in the Army.
After talking to the person who got our permits, we zeroed in on Lachung and our target was to head out for a snow drive on the very next day morning towards Yumthang or Katao.

Day 2 (Gangtok to Lachung, 7 hours, 105 km)

By the time we started, it was already 10-30 am.

Pic courtesy- Bhpian Mountain_Deep



Our first target was to reach Mangan and collect the permits for entering north Sikkim.
We reached Mangan by 12 pm refueled our cars, as post Mangan there wont be any fuel station.
I met the permit guy at around 1 pm. After collecting our permits, I walked towards the Pajero, parked behind my car to hand over their permits to them.
Callous on my part to have forgotten my face mask. Sikkim police came in and asked for a fine of Rs 300 for not wearing a mask. They had a friendly, stern and logical conversation about missing the mask. It was my fault, so without arguing, I paid them the fine and got a money receipt for it.

The entry gate to North Sikkim.



View from Mangan.



A picturesque drive from Mangan to Lachung -



























Is it snowing? Oh yes, it's indeed snowing - as I realized! Though I have driven many a time through inches of snow, sleet, ice, and black ice, this was definitely a first - driving when the snowflakes were actually dancing on my windshield! In that little play of light and shadow, my heart literally jumped with joy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbPkc1DoHV0

We checked in at the Hotel Himalayan Residency. The hotel offers an amazing view with good food, proper parking with nice & cosy rooms. But anyone going to Lachung expecting hot chicken momos will face disappointment. The food is vegetarian but delectable by all means. Powercut is another issue. After 10 PM, you will be left with dimly lit rooms and no heating. But when I looked out of the window and saw the snowcapped mountains changing colours and the stream next door gushing and gurgling in a live concert, I did not mind the food or electricity much!

Few night shots from the balcony.







My dual-tone hot and cold Duster!



The dual-tone Nexon parked opposite my Duster.

[Samba]

Day 3 (Lachung to Siliguri, feat. Katao snow-drive, 13 hours, 210 km)

The alarm was set for 5 am. I lazily went near the window, pulled the curtain & wow! What a view!
Lachung was covered in sheets of white snow.

While everyone was still fast asleep, I decided to walk up to the stream and enjoy the sunrise.



























Came back and got ready for the drive towards Katao. Katao was chosen based on the recommendations of the local drivers. According to them, many cabs went towards Yumthang, but due to snow, they were not able to proceed further, which resulted in a traffic snarl. So relatively Katao road was experiencing much lesser traffic.

I got a call from another Bhpian, Dr.Sayak Paul who was at Lachung too, with his brand new Trailhawk. He wanted to join us for the drive to Katao. So this time it was four cars that headed together to have some fun in the snow.

[Samba]

Continuation of day 3

Within 5 km from our hotel, we were driving on pure snow. I was grinning as the pictures may tell you the story. After a certain point, the 2WD vehicles had to stop, and the road was all ours.

I was a bit skeptical with the 34,000 km worn-out HT tyres on the snow.
But the electronics of the Duster worked like a charm. On hairpin bends the ESP worked perfectly to cut the power and stop wheel-spins and in deep snow, when I put off the ESP the BTC made sure it gave power to the other wheel when the wheel stuck in the snow was not getting enough traction.

The Nexon was parked at the point, till where the 2WD cars managed to come. My car was the first car and I could feel, the skidplate was breaking the snow ruts, made by the army trucks earlier in the day. Army trucks on this road were using snow chains along with the 4wd mechanism. The Trailhawk was right behind my Duster. These two cars covered the max distance that day, till the bridge, 18 km before Katao.
The Pajero joined the party a bit late, as they were stopping frequently to take pictures.

35 km of snow drive was pure delight!

Pics from the drive-



The point till where the 2WD vehicles managed to come. A video from the onward journey-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgElExaoh40

Pic courtesy- Mr Debarshi Chakraborty







Rhododendrons.




By 1 pm we reached back to our hotel, had a quick but scrumptious lunch, and headed towards Siliguri by 2 pm. It was a comfortable descent with moderate to sparse traffic. We followed the route via Mangan - Singtam - Rongpo- Melli - Siliguri. The level crossing at Sevoke is where I always bid a final adieu to the hills. We went into a restaurant (Chashum) to have dinner by 7 PM. The food was awesome and made up for all the vegetarian food that we had to put up with in Lachung. It was more or less a nonstop drive from Lachung to Sevoke.

Post dinner we drove till Siliguri town and checked in at Marriott Siliguri. It's located beside Hotel Mainak and offered comfortable rooms with basement parking and good food.

[Samba]

Day 4 (Siliguri to Kolkata, 14 hours, 573 km)

Checkout time was 12 pm. So we took full advantage of that to wake up late!
View from our room which is quite an anti-climax from the previous day!



The main attraction was supposed to be the breakfast, which by all means was average. We left Siliguri at around 12-40 pm.

Clicked few pics around the tea gardens, while crossing Bagdogra.











While returning we took the Botolbari road, instead of the Dalkhola bypass. The tarmac was smooth and hassle-free till Raiganj. Had a late lunch at a roadside eatery (Bonophool) at Gazol. Arrangements were shacky, but the mutton was really yummy.

Farakka was as usual unpredictable and delayed us by at least 40 minutes. The Pajero and the Nexon managed to get out faster by taking the opposite flank, which all the small cars were doing. By not taking the opposite flank, I lost at least another 10-15 minutes. Post Farakka they drove a bit slower and I drove a bit faster to catch up at Moregram.

Refueling at Reliance Moregram -



This time we decided to explore Nh34 via Baharampur- Krishnagar - Badkulla - Kalyani expressway to reach Kolkata.
This route is fine but, my preference will be SH7 over this route. Had to steer through few traffic snarls and quite a few level crossings.

Reached home by 2-30 am with nearly 1600 km of wonderful memories and a much-yearned-for break, as we head for another coronavirus-driven confinement and social embargo or so it seems! Till the next time when we manage to sneak out again.

[BlackPearl]

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line to the Travelogues section. Thanks for sharing Samba!

[speedmiester]

Wonderful travelogue.
Blessed to be closer to the snow capped mountains.
It takes a whole lot of effort to pull off a drive to such heavenly places from Bangalore.

Definitely want to plan a snowy vacation by end of this year.

[DriveTrain]

Looks straight out of a fairy tale ! It seems that Lalmohan is eagerly awaiting a quartet of brand new shoes and the adventure to Winter Spiti !

The landscape of North Sikkim is magical , but a white mattress below and blue skies above makes it ethereal and sublime. Packaged with your narration and snaps , this is one more blockbuster

[Travelmania]

Wonderful Travelogue as usual. Your travelogue gives the picture of your power-packed enjoyment and joy. Your Duster proved the superiority as usual.Specially the snow drive was certainly outstanding. Nothing to say more about the photos, as I am enjoying a virtual walkthrough with you.

[ultimatechamp]

Wonderful travelogue Samba as usual and read it in one go !

The first time I went to Lachung and Yumthang was way back in 1996 when lot of people hadn't even heard about these places. Fond memories I have

Two things intrigued me - One, Lachung seems to be quite a busy place these days,as evident from your images with countless buildings ( hotels probably ) etc. How have the north Sikkim highway evolved over the years post Mangan, which is the gate to North Sikkim ?
Secondly, Why did you guys have vegetarian food in Lachung ? AFAIR, Lachung did serve us poultry and eggs on every time we have been there. I admit its been a long time now, but why ONLY veg these days ? Or is it specific to the hotel which you stayed at ?

[turboNath]

What a stunning travelogue Samba ! The most beautiful part of your travelogue has to be the way you take your readers for a drive behind your red beast as you unleash those 110 horses on roads (and no roads ) I literally ‘drove’ through that amazing snow laden road thanks to your brilliant account.The road to Katao looks stunning in the pictures ! I had dearly missed Katao during my summer ride to North and East Sikkim in 2018 due to the Doklam incident. I remember we were waiting infront of the Lachung Police Station for the permit but they repeatedly said no. Looks like I again have to plan for Katao real soon. Thanks for sharing this with us Samba ! Absolutely five star blockbuster of a TL

[majumon]

Fantastic and very refreshing to read your travelogue, we at south have no scope of the snow so even more exciting to see and read about your escapade. Is Lachung more or less vegetarian, unlikely that in tourist places you get veg only hotel so asked.

[arjab]

Originally Posted by Samba

Day 4 (Siliguri to Kolkata, 14 hours, 573 km)

While returning we took the Botolbari road, instead of the Dalkhola bypass.

Have they repaired the Rudel to Botolbari stretch? Or did you exit via Domohona?

Fantastic travelogue.
I've to start putting more Vitamin M in my piggy bank to get that elusive AWD.

Drive safe!

[haisaikat]

Another 5 star venture of the Duster and this time you conquered snow driving with ease. The Pajero was outstanding too. The photos are stunning. Seeing the video of heavy snowing, I was afraid if it would crack the windshield, visibility was also reduced greatly. Congratulations to the you and all the BHPians for gifting us a super adventure.

Also Kolkata-Gangtok in 15 hours is that a all time record. Lots of useful information too, did you have to use any of the oxygen cans eventually.

[Carpainter]

Excellent travelogue once again. Enjoyed reading it like always. Really nice to see your cars getting a taste of snow. All the more reason why there is a surge of SUV sales in India. Not that every one does trips like you guys.