[UD2021]

As usual, excellent travelogue with superb images.
I plan to drive with family to Pelling from Guwahati with a break at Sinclairs Chalsa in end December. After the November rains, I am a bit apprehensive about the road conditions. Could you throw some light on road conditions beyond Sevoke.

[saket77]

We, readers are in for a treat. Yesterday I went through beautifully crafted Sayak's travelogue and today this masterpiece pops up.

Awe-inspiring photos of some breathtaking views of the mighty Himalayas! No wonder, they come through your lens. You guys seem to have immensely enjoyed this 'guy's-only' trip and the mouth watering dishes. Millet momo is also a first for me. Overall, a lovely & informative travelogue sprinkled with great pictures of the vista and the fiesta!

Deserves nothing less than 5 stars!

Regards,
Saket.

[Kanglasha]

A wonderful travelogue with very nice and vivid pictures.

Originally Posted by Samba

Day 3 continued

Few pics from the top.

Attachment 2236287

BTW, how do you managed to take pictures this like one (I mean with direct sun in the frame, writing it down as well just in case my quote does not contain the picture)? Does it not damaged the camera sensor? They look fabulous!

[MadSnapper]

Thanks so much for the pics! I always wanted to see if a Duster can take this kind of travel loads.... Good to know it can! Thanks again!!

[Samba]

Originally Posted by H0RSEPOWER

Could you please elaborate the procedure to obtain the driving permit for North Sikkim.

Try to get it from Mangan, instead of Gangtok. You can get hold of some agents in Mangan, who can make the process easier & faster.

Originally Posted by sayakc

Dear Samba,
The stays at Mayfair Kalimpong and Sinclairs Chalsa are excellent - and the ladies of the house wouldn't mind a bit of hardship in the upper Himalayas given the superb stays in the hill stations.

Thanks dada. You being an ardent nature lover, am sure you will love Dzongu.

Originally Posted by UD2021

As usual, excellent travelogue with superb images.
I plan to drive with family to Pelling from Guwahati with a break at Sinclairs Chalsa in end December. After the November rains, I am a bit apprehensive about the road conditions. Could you throw some light on road conditions beyond Sevoke.

Thanks.
From Coronation bridge to Rongpo the drive will be slow. There are many broken stretches and road repair work is going on. The broken roads can be tackled by any cars. It will just make the progress slow. The repair work at some places are leading to one way release of traffic. So do except some traffic jams. Covering this stretch in very early morning will be good! If you can cross Rongpo by 8 or 8-30 am, things should be good! For that you need to check out from Chalsa by 6 am.
Letting go the yummy breakfast of Chalsa Sinclairs to avoid the traffic congestion will be a tough choice.

Originally Posted by saket77

Overall, a lovely & informative travelogue sprinkled with great pictures of the vista and the fiesta!
Deserves nothing less than 5 stars!

Thanks a lot dada.

Originally Posted by Kanglasha

BTW, how do you managed to take pictures this like one (I mean with direct sun in the frame, writing it down as well just in case my quote does not contain the picture)? Does it not damaged the camera sensor? They look fabulous!

Thanks a ton.
I used an UV filter, plus by keeping the aperture at 22, with the ISO at lowest level you will give the starry effect of the sun.

Taking sun pics wont damage the camera unless you keep the shutter open for a long time.

Originally Posted by MadSnapper

Thanks so much for the pics! I always wanted to see if a Duster can take this kind of travel loads.... Good to know it can! Thanks again!!

Thanks.
The Duster can cover these terrains effortlessly by keeping the passengers in utmost comfort.

[DriveTrain]

North Sikkim is magical and your masterclass with the lens and the keyboard has truly brought that magic to the fore

It brings back fond memories of my trip in 2018 (The enchanting allure of North Sikkim), incidentally I met Sayata in person on the shores of Gurudongmar for the first time !

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/attac...t-17800-ft.jpg

[GhostRider28]

Fantastic travelogue, Samba, and mind blowing pictures. Some good tips to stay at Sinclairs, Chalsa while coming down. I have never stayed in this property. The route via Gajoldoba and Falakata is something new for me as well. Quite an adventure in an otherwise standard tourist circuit. Rated a well deserved 5 stars.

[Neversaygbye]

Your TLs are in a league of their own, Samba, and this one is no different!

Am bowled over by the pics and the detailed description - for someone like me who is always planning some trip or the other, your TLs are pure gold for the amount of detailed information they offer from a trip planning perspective.

You guys look like you had a whale of a time! It must have been really great to test the mettle of those magnificent machines in such rugged but pristine surroundings! "Make your own road" must be the motto of the three of you since the pics with the cars in the water reminded me completely of the old Safari ad. While the AWD Duster is a very capable vehicle, am impressed with the Ecosport handling such terrain with aplomb. The episode with low oxygen saturation and AMS must have been really scary. Glad that all of you were prepared and everything worked out fine in the end.

Road trips with friends and like minded people are always great. It's unfortunate that with the onset of middle age my friends have become quite lazy now and prefer cushy trips by flights these days (in Bengali, ora lyadh kheye gyache), else this trip is something that I would have loved to do with them. Maybe I can cajole my better half into accompanying me. She's usually up for this kind of thing. I will have to wait for my next car or go in a friend's car, though, since the Vista neither has high ground clearance nor is it registered in my name - it's registered in my mother's name and she won't be going with us considering how strenuous it will be for her.

[cp171185]

Samba da, as usual great log with excellent pictures. Eye pleasing!

"The dog is 4wd while I am 2wd, hence the struggle while climbing up on the black ice." - This is hilarious

Those photos of BHPian Avi is just pure class. Reminds me famous bengali frictional characters Feluda or byomkesh!

Lovely read as usual. Rating it well deserved 5*

[nibedk]

Exhaustive thread Samba Da. Rated 5 star

Me too planning a trip to Sikkim. Let c what all can I cover?

But your reading your TLog it felt like I was there with you guys

[Safedriver76]

Dear Samba,

Excellent all Men's mountain getaway. Loved reading every bit of it. Pictures and videos of north Sikkim are breath-taking. Rating a well deserved 5stars.

[Samba]

Originally Posted by DriveTrain

North Sikkim is magical and your masterclass with the lens and the keyboard has truly brought that magic to the fore

I met Sayata in person on the shores of Gurudongmar for the first time !

Thanks dada. Your travelogue to Gurudongmar was an inspiration. My Duster followed the tyremarks of your Duster to MP too last year!

Originally Posted by GhostRider28

Fantastic travelogue, Samba, and mind blowing pictures. Some good tips to stay at Sinclairs, Chalsa while coming down. I have never stayed in this property. The route via Gajoldoba and Falakata is something new for me as well. Quite an adventure in an otherwise standard tourist circuit. Rated a well deserved 5 stars.

Thanks Sayantan. On the return leg, I find Chalsa a better option to stay rather than Siliguri. Siliguri to Ghoshpukur in peak hours take around 1 hour to 1 hour 30 mins and from Chalsa to Ghoshpukur it takes roughly 1 hour 30 mins too!
The later being a much more scenic route with another stay admist nature is any-day more preferable for us!

Originally Posted by Neversaygbye

Your TLs are in a league of their own, Samba, and this one is no different!

Am bowled over by the pics and the detailed description - for someone like me who is always planning some trip or the other, your TLs are pure gold for the amount of detailed information they offer from a trip planning perspective.


since the Vista neither has high ground clearance nor is it registered in my name - it's registered in my mother's name and she won't be going with us considering how strenuous it will be for her.

Thanks dada.
During our first road-trip to North Sikkim in 2014, there was a white Indica Vista MJD in our group and it performed flawlessly! The RC being not in your name can be a problem to obtain the permit.

Originally Posted by cp171185

"The dog is 4wd while I am 2wd, hence the struggle while climbing up on the black ice." - This is hilarious

Thanks a ton. I was actually struggling for traction, where the dog effortlessly went up! The evil me was actually happy thinking, if I find black ice on road ahead, the AWD will be quite handy.

Originally Posted by nibedk

Exhaustive thread Samba Da. Rated 5 star

Me too planning a trip to Sikkim. Let c what all can I cover?

But your reading your TLog it felt like I was there with you guys

Thanks a ton.

Originally Posted by Safedriver76

Dear Samba,

Excellent all Men's mountain getaway. Loved reading every bit of it. Pictures and videos of north Sikkim are breath-taking. Rating a well deserved 5stars.

Thanks dada.

Sharing few more pics from my other camera.

On the way to Lachen









Somewhere near Kalimpong, with the Kanchanjungha in the backdrop.

[meetarin]

Originally Posted by Samba

Somewhere near Kalimpong, with the Kanchanjungha in the backdrop.

Attachment 2239436

As always, brilliant travelogue Samba da!

[AviC93]

Adding to this already majestic write up from bhpian Samba will be my footnote. "A thing of beauty is a joy forever" - all throughout our trip we were made spellbound by the sheer beauty of the mighty Himalays , heavenly sight of the gurudongmar lake and serenity that prevailed all along dzongu.
Lets take a sneak peek into my gallery..
















United by a common cause of exploring the nature on wheels , the three of us created some memories which we will cherish for the rest of our lives.
Cheers to life!

[Sayata]

I have nothing more to add, the details have already been shared by Samba.
We enjoyed this trip to the core like there is no tomorrow.
But deep inside, I missed my wife and 2 years old son, Aahan. Aahan is too young to take a trip to such an unforgiving terrain.
Came back and promised myself to be back here again with Aahan soon, the father son duo pics awaits.

Another thing I want to mention is, the limit of my Ecosport was tested in these harsh conditions.
Am happy to say am quite satisfied with the Ecosport and the bonding with my car has gone a level up. It proved to be a reliable companion. I had that assurance from my car, that whatever the terrain may be, Brownie (my Ecosport Tdci) is there with me.

Sharing the pics from my camera-