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Old 13th May 2022, 12:07   #1
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Gurudongmar and the British Bungalow | Enchanting North Sikkim in an EcoSport

There are some places that demand your attention and then, there are some which have enough pulling power to entice you into the same. Gurudongmar Lake is one such beauty which commands such attention from every traveler. Now, for someone who lives in Calcutta, Gurudongmar was in the bucket list for quite some time but somehow the place always alluded us. There were plans made for Gurudongmar before as well but didn't materialize for reasons that cropped up without any rhyme or reason. I have been hearing stories of a very difficult drive, severe lack of oxygen, people having breathing problems and that cars often struggle to reach Gurudongmar and which are galore over the internet. I somehow found the claims to be little exaggerated since many notable BHPians have done the drive over the years and have conveniently broken the myth and most recently BHPian TurboNath and Mile-Breaker.

Sikkim is a wonderland, the topography of the state is to be seen to be believed. Having been to most of the places in the western side of the state, somehow the urge to explore the North side awakened after better half mentioned something about seeing snow laden peaks. Looked around and North Sikkim is the closest where one gets to see snow laden peaks in the month of May. By now, most people know that a visit to North Sikkim requires permit-both for the car and their occupants. I didn't have the luxury of time in my hand to plan and somehow found the last weekend of April to be put to good use.

I somehow was reluctant to even write this travelogue up since it's been raining logs on Gurudongmar since the last month or so. But then, every travel is different and so is the perspective. In addition to North Sikkim, I also found a lovely heritage British Bungalow near Darjeeling and thought of spending few days there as well. So, here was the plan :

Day 1- Calcutta-Dzongu
Day 2- Dzongu- Lachen
Day 3- Lachen- Gurudongmar-Lachung
Day 4- Lachung- Yumthang-Zero point- Takdah
Day 5- Takdah
Day 6- Takdah- Calcutta

Permits were arranged by a person who was very highly recommended by TurboNath as well as my contact in the Army. In my eagerness for the permits, I ended up with two permits but there was a twist in the permits as well. More on that in the next post, let's make a start, shall we ?

Oh, before that, some pictures :

Baahon posing royally at Gurudongmar Lake.
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Baahon on its way down from Kalapathar near Chopta Valley.
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On the way to Gurudongmar Lake.
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Chopta Valley on the right.
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The road from Gaigaon to Gurudongmar is a race track surface.
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Fireplace at the Lachung hotel, to keep us warm.
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En route Zero point after Yumthang.
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The entire route is lined up for pictures like this !!
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Baahon posing at Zero Point.
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View of the Kurseong valley from Margaret's Deck.
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The zig zag roads as seen from the upper reaches of Yumthang.
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Teesta river seen from Chungthang.
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Takdah Club Bungalow along with Baahon, glowing in the night.
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Corrected picture of the mighty Kanchenjunga, pardon the quality.
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Clicking duties have been shared by my better half and I can't be more thankful, since I was the one who was engrossed in driving most of the time !!

Last edited by Gannu_1 : 21st May 2022 at 08:04. Reason: Gurudongmer > Gurudongmar
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Old 13th May 2022, 21:13   #2
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re: Gurudongmar and the British Bungalow | Enchanting North Sikkim in an EcoSport

As is the norm for me, started in the evening from Calcutta after the usual day humdrum was over. It was around 9 when we left home and soon we were on the old Delhi road, the default route for Siliguri these days and details of which can be found at the NH 34 thread. Normally I don't get the chance to have dinner en route because of late night timings but this time, it was the perfect time to grab some Tandoori rotis and some Chicken Bharta at the wonderful place aptly named Kitchen Sutra and which falls right on the road with ample parking space. This place is surely turning out to be a favorite joint for many amongst us. The service is little on the slower side but the chef makes sure that the wait is worth the food. The place itself is tastefully done and features top notch facilities.

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Quick dinner over and soon we were on our way to Siliguri. I will not bore the readers with the same mundane details of the route but will surely mention that, with the opening of one flank of Dalkhola Bypass and the Rail Over Bridge, a major impediment for smooth journey towards Siliguri is surely on it's way out permanently.

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With the ongoing work of Raigunj bypass (which should be completed very soon) and Baharampur bypass, the dreaded days of NH 34 are soon going to be over. I expect that the Bengal to Bengal route bypassing Dalkhola is soon going to be reduced to the memory list of travelers who have had the good fortune of taking it. On a related note though, for folks who have taken the Botolbaari-Dhantola route in the past, the last 100 meters at the end towards Dhantola which we avoided like plaque due to moon like craters has now been repaired and it's a smooth surface now. While looking around, found that the craters are gone, something that we all hoped all these years. I guess, since we are not taking the route anymore, someone thought to repair the stretch out of sheer boredom

Nevertheless, reached Siliguri by around 8 in the morning and had our breakfast at a small joint near the Siliguri Monastery. The shop is a non descript one but serves some delectable home made food. The Sevoke road is always a delight to drive and this time was no different. The surface is brilliant and the scenic beauty is even better. It's when you cross the Coronation Bridge junction, the road surface starts to disappear slowly and it completely transforms into a dirt track.

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Rains have had a pretty bad effect on this stretch and has resulted in complete disappearance of what was once a very good road. The road surface improves somewhat before Teesta Bazar and it continues till Melli. After Melli and crossing the Bhalukop Forest, one gets to Rongpo and this is where the Sikkim rendezvous starts.

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Our destination was Dzongu and which is a restricted area just around Mangan and needs permit to enter. The road to Mangan which passes through the sleepy little town of Singtam is just like the usual hill road in Sikkim. Small water falls dotting the road and some landslides prone areas as well. We got stuck in one such landslide clearing zone for some time before we finally reached Mangan around 3 in the evening.

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Dzongu comes before Mangan but then we had to collect our permits as well, just to enter Dzongu along with the usual North Sikkim circuit. Now, this permit collection is another story. Somehow, there was a mix up and the guy who was to handover our permits went away for some work. But not before handing the permit to some other guy. To be fair, he called me beforehand and gave the phone number of the guy from whom I was supposed to take the permits. Funny thing, after reaching Mangan, the guy went incommunicado. Lastly, some talking with the original guy and I finally managed to get the permits. He was profusely sorry for the situation and there was no reason for me not trust him. In all these, precious time was lost and by the time we were at the entry gate of Dzongu, it was slowly starting to get dark.

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The Check post at Dzongu is where the real drama unfolded. The officer at the check post firstly asked us about our stay in Dzongu. After getting a satisfactory answer, he politely asked me about the permit and from where I had got it done. I was curious but answered him to his satisfaction, when he pointed me to something. The permit was dated wrongly and instead of 01/05/2022, it was dated 01/04/2022

The entry date was correct but the exit date was wrongly put. It was a silly mistake from the official who entered the details but it was rightly pointed out by the official at the check post. He okayed our entry to Dzongu and told us to again go to Mangan to get a corrected permit, the next day. I subsequently called up the guy who made the permits at the first place and he readily agreed to get the new permits on the next day itself and told us to collect the same while moving towards Lachen. So after all this, we finally managed to reach Munlom Nature Resort while talking to the caretaker of the lodge all the while. It had rained very heavily the other night and he told me to park the car just before the final 500 meters since the road was slushy and boulder laden. Upon reaching the place, I understood the situation pretty fine. So, we parked the car and went along with Mahindra Marshall which bumped and jumped before finally reaching Munlom.

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As soon as we got ourselves inside the cottage, heavy rainfall started along with hailstorm. It was quite an event for around one hour or so. But the rains also gave us a chance to sample some delightful snacks. I even had the good fortune of tasting a local drink named ‘Chii’ which is just warm water with fermented millet

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Dinner was served with love and consisted of local produce and country chicken. All the ingredients were grown in the property itself organically. This brought the end of the very eventful second day of the trip but not before we had an amazing evening with NORDEN and the boys amidst the rains.

Last edited by ABHI_1512 : 16th May 2022 at 16:29.
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Old 16th May 2022, 18:48   #3
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re: Gurudongmar and the British Bungalow | Enchanting North Sikkim in an EcoSport

After a spell of heavy rain the other night, the morning at Dzongu was bright and sunny. The sound of birds chirping was music to the ears, first thing in the morning. The place is a modern day enigma, more so for city folks like us. Munlom instantly reminded my childhood days in Naharlagun, Arunachal Pradesh. It can be safely described as a sanctuary where the chirping of sunbirds is a way of life just as the rains. Nestled amidst the blanket of green with occasional riot of color breaking the monotony. The lovely people- the Lepchas, who call Dzongu home are the warmest people one will encounter in their lives. The food at Munlom is simple yet fulfilling.

I wanted to explore Dzongu a little, wanted to visit the Monastery but the rains had damaged the portion of the road to it. Norden meanwhile was calling us for the breakfast. The morning was a walk around Munlom and the surrounding areas. We were the only inmates for the night and the cottage was all for ourselves only.

Some pictures from the morning stroll :

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The breakfast was a local affaire again. The lovely guys made us some homemade pasta, locally known as KAWRI and which was quite heavy, although it didn't looked that way at the first glance. Along with an omelette, the dish seriously packed some punch. Tea tasted just as nice under such delightful weather and I was already ruing the fact that we were to move towards Lachen the same day. Munlom demanded a day or two more for sure and I did promise myself to get back to this paradise soon.

That was our morning breakfast sitting area.
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The amazingly tasty local dish- KAWRI
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That I couldn't go around the place much had another reason as well. I had to collect my new and amended permit from Mangan for my onwards travel to Lachen. Before leaving Munlom, I tried my hands with the Mahindra Marshall, it was one super workhorse for sure.

Norden and Ming along with the Marshall gracefully posed with me.
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Left Munlom with a heavy heart by around noon, the hospitality and warmth that we received was such a joy. I would believe that we have certainly made a bond with the place and which should last our lifetime. Next up was Mangan and then towards Lachen, but not before making our exit marked at the check post and collecting our original permit.

Baahon near the Hee Gyathang milestone, just nearby Munlom.
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Once at Mangan, collected the amended permit and made a move towards Lachen. Also got to know that there was road closure block timings at Toong village and hence thought of beating it. But every calculation went down the Teesta because of the scenic roads. The route is dotted with water falls of various shapes and sizes, besides the obvious mountain peaks that is and hence various photo stops were made every now and then.

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Invariably, we drove straight into the road closure time and were stuck for close to 50 minutes. It was around 3.30 in the evening that the road opened up and soon we were at the first check post towards North Sikkim at Toong Police Outpost.

The row of vehicles waiting for the road closure block to open.
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There was this huge rush to get the permits stamped since there were too many cars that were heading towards the circuit. The queue at the police counter was getting longer with each passing second and luckily, the stamping didn't take much time. Most of the driver's were little circumspect to see a non local among themselves but they were not exactly frowning either. Tourism is huge in Sikkim and the sheer number of yellow plate cars bear testimony about the hegemony of the local Sikkim cars and why they resist people from driving their own cars to the state, specially the restricted areas !!

Can someone spot the row of vehicles right across the hills?
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This is how the parked vehicles looked like before the Toong post.
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Queue at the Toong check post for the stamping of permits.
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And soon enough, we were entering the small little town named Lachen. There is a small check gate at the entry of the town from the local administration of the town where they take a conservation fee and which apparently goes towards a fund for preservation of the Gurudongmar Lake. The place itself is a stopover en route Gurudongmar and most traveler's halt here for the night. Hotels and home stays adorn both sides of the road and it does looks clumsy. Most of the hotels are on the road itself and only few hotels have dedicated parking spaces.

No matter where you go, India Post will be there for you.
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We stayed at a place named Khenkim Regency which had the most precious thing for someone travelling with their own cars- dedicated parking. The place is good for a night stay with just about adequate facilities. Food is nothing to write home about but the almost homemade food arrangement can be improved although they claim to be a homestay as well.

That's our hotel at Lachen-Khenkim Regency
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The evening was spent around with a little stroll across the main road. The high point of the trip being on the next day and which necessitated an early morning start, we slept off after an early dinner. During the evening though, we met a bunch of enthusiastic ladies from Bangalore and who were on a whirlwind tour of Sikkim. As it happens during any conversation, we got to know that one amongst them is a national level badminton player and who also likes to take road trips along with her husband. The husband, as she mentioned, is a regular follower of TEAM BHP too

For the love of Momos in the hills
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Street of Lachen in the evening after the rains.
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We exchanged numbers and promised to keep in touch. They have promised to visit the North East again and I do hope that they get to see the hidden treasures. Meanwhile, slept amidst the rains and temperature hovering around 6 degrees. Gurudongmar beckoned the next morning..

Last edited by Gannu_1 : 21st May 2022 at 08:07. Reason: Gurudongmer > Gurudongmar
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Old 18th May 2022, 01:02   #4
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re: Gurudongmar and the British Bungalow | Enchanting North Sikkim in an EcoSport

Big day and the alarm rang at 4 in the early morning. We already had decided to leave the hotel by 5 in the morning and hence the early morning madness. The water was freezing cold but thankfully the Geyser was working to the fullest and yet it took some time get hot water for the bath, resulting in a little delay of sorts. The hotel staff were fast asleep when I had to open the main gate of the hotel to let ourselves out.

View from the hotel early morning, Interesting enough?
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Empty Lachen road towards Gurudongmar when we started.
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On a related note, the manager of the hotel had requested me to clear the room (check out) and keep the keys as it is since, apparently they had to clean up before the next round of guests check in !! They have a set parameter among themselves that guests don't return before 3 in the evening and hence the request. I flatly refused and told him that we will be back for lunch by 1.30, to which the manager gave me some weird looks. Although I kept my luggage in the room, I did keep the keys at the reception. Didn't make any difference to me anyways

When our alarms rang at the day break, it was raining slightly and the temperature was down to 4 degrees. By the time we were ready to move, the rains had subsided. Baahon started at the first crank, I was skeptical due to a three year old battery though. Little bit of warming up after, we finally made our way towards Gurudongmar and it was just about 5.10 in my watch.

This was the road after Lachen, full of green.
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Mountain rivers flowing in full force.
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The early start helped us reach our first check point at Thangu by 6.45 and where only a handful of vehicles were waiting. The road from Lachen to Thangu is bad in patches but mostly good. The check post was to open at around 7.30 and that was the time when the vehicles would be allowed to move towards Gurudongmar. Thangu also has a Army food joint which proudly announces itself as the World's Highest Dosa Point.

One of the numerous water fall of the region.
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The first view of the heights we were about to transcend.
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As per rules, no vehicles are allowed towards the lake after 10.30 and that was the last cut off time, at least this was on paper and the notice was duly pasted on the police check post. So the wait for the police personnel to arrive started and it was around 7.15 that the stamping of the permits started. One needs to deposit a copy of the original permit at each of the post and get the original one stamped. All this stamping process reminded me of the Bhutan travel that we did some years back and had the same system. The process over, we made the move towards the holy lake.

Some pictures of the route, as good as they can come in the lense!

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It was after Thangu that the road surface disappears completely and it becomes a boulder laden track. The road needs to be negotiated carefully so as to not damage the tyres since the chances of a sidewall cut looms large with sharp stones jutting around. Anyways, the road is under construction and hence one has to bear that in mind. The bad section ends after one reaches the final check post at GAIGAON and which is manned by the Army. Here, the original permit is taken and allotted a number against it. The number has to be quoted on return and the permit taken back. There is also a refreshment joint here which serves tea and some snacks. Nevertheless, we were finally towards Gurudongmar now.

The surface after Gaigaon, a SENNA would have loved it.

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The road surface changes dramatically after the Gaigaon post and turns into a race track like surface. The scenic beauty changes just as well and soon we were surrounded by snow laden peaks all around us. The next 12-15 kilometres (forgot the actual figure) was pure delight of blissful drive. It was just the final climb which came as a bolt from the blue. The road ends just before the final climb to the lake. Now, there is no particular road to take and various vehicles have made their own way in making upto the lake and one just needs to follow anyone of those. I did the same but soon got stuck mid way since Baahon suffered total power loss at those heights while on the ascend and while negotiating the sharp stones. Stayed put, regained some thrust and with one swift movement, finally was on the top

Some pictures of Baahon at the summit :

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The temperature gauge !!
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Gurudongmar overwhelms you, the serenity of the place has to be felt. The details of the lake are found all over the internet and so I will skip the description part. Lack of oxygen at that height is certainly a factor to look out for though. The awful roads leading up to the lake is also responsible for motion sickness among the travelers and I did found many suffering from it during my stay at the lake. We were among the first few cars to reach the top and hence, got ample opportunity for some photos without the cacophony of the usual tourist crowd. That the lake is pristine is an understatement, it makes you believe in nature despite what we humans have done to it !!

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I consider myself fit enough despite the post covid complications but I can tell that climbing around 10-12 steps back from the lake, felt like an eternity. I am used to taking stairs daily but those steps from the base of the lake were the hardest of my life yet. Gurudongmar is a heavenly destination to reach but worthy of every effort if one can ignore the road conditions.

The smile was there alright, despite feeling the chill !!
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If serenity and calmness had a common name..
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Spent time around the lake while taking a walk around, a part of the lake was still frozen. Around one hour later, we were on our way to Chopta valley and Kalapathar since the wind was getting stronger and flakes of snow started to dart around in front. Now, we already had our share of the fun going upto Gurudongmar, going towards Kalapathar was no less interesting either. As it turned out, there was nothing but snow filled block of mountain which has come to be known as Kalapathar in the local parlance. There was not much that we didn't see already and hence, there was no point in driving further. We returned back just before the row of vehicles jostling for space for parking.

Pictures from Chopta valley and before Kalapathar :

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Chopta valley was a nice experience, the view from the point where the valley can be seen, is beautiful. I am sure, the valley presents itself in colors when the snow finally melts. Returned to our hotel in Lachen by around 1.30 in the afternoon, much to the surprise of the manager. Had our lunch which was just as basic as it can get. Finally checked out of the hotel to move towards Lachung- our next stop for the night.

Last edited by Gannu_1 : 21st May 2022 at 08:08. Reason: Gurudongmer > Gurudongmar
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re: Gurudongmar and the British Bungalow | Enchanting North Sikkim in an EcoSport

Lachung is the other end of the North Sikkim circuit. When I started from Lachen around 3.30 after lunch, it was kind of drizzling. The drive was good since very few vehicles were on the road at that point of time till Chungthang. It is from here that the road bifurcates and one goes towards Lachen and the other towards Lachung. The Teesta looks beautiful from the vantage point here because of the power project.

Teesta as seen from the upper reaches of Chungthang :

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The Y Fork at Chungthang
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It started to rain cats and dogs once we started our journey towards Lachung leaving Chungthang behind. Visibility came down but nevertheless, enjoyed the drive through pouring rain. By the time we reached Lachung, it was already evening. Some pictures en route :

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Reaching our hotel at Lachung was another story. Since it was raining, I called up the Manager of Etho Metho-the name of the hotel, about the location. Firstly, he wanted to talk to the driver. After knowing that I am the one who is driving the car, he simply told me to follow Google. Now, the funny part, Google was clueless about the exact location and since it was raining heavily, I couldn't go out to ask anyone either, not that anyone was visible anyways !!

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Thankfully, the roads were great despite the low visibility..

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Amidst blinding rain, finally at the Lachung entry gate ..
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Waited for some time before the rain subsided a little, asked a gentleman who was passing by, turned out I was very near to the hotel and a simple turn was all that I needed to take. Finally reached the hotel and my better half gave a mouthful to the manager. It was his job to tell the patrons about the location of the hotel and not the Google. Turned out over the evening and the subsequent morning, the entire hotel was pretty good along with the staff and the only non performing cog was the manager of the hotel !!

Some pictures of the hotel, which was fantastic despite the Manager..

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Evening was spent at the hotel amidst pouring rains and after the dinner, it was a prayer on our lips that wanted a rain free day next morning

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re: Gurudongmar and the British Bungalow | Enchanting North Sikkim in an EcoSport

North Sikkim weather baffled us no end. Each of the places, it rained heavily in the evening and night but it will always be bright and sunny every morning !! Lachung was no different and presented us a glorious morning. Lachung is the base point from where one can make a trip to the Yumthang valley on one side and Katao valley on the other side. We were in Lachung for the Yumthang Valley and Yumesamdong (better known as Zero Point) valley. Mt Katao and the valley was kept aside for another time.

Hotel Etho Metho and the views in the morning..

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The hotel was abuzz right from early hours of the morning. We took it easy and decided to leave around 8 in the morning. It should have been little early as I realised later in the day. The hotel was gracious enough to pack our breakfast. By the time we started from the hotel, we were the last ones to leave. The roads were in good condition with occasional bad patches. In terms of scenic beauty, I found Lachung much better then Lachen. Lachung has it's own charm and that can be seen vividly.

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Now, the route to Yumthang passes through Shingba Rhododendron Sanctuary but not before you are charged a cleanliness fee by the Owner's and Driver's association of North Sikkim !! They check for plastics and bottles inside the car and which is good but I would still have wanted that from a government agency and not some private one. Moving on, we were soon at the gates of the Sanctuary. Yumthang Valley is also known as Valley of Flowers and is a very pretty sight when all you can see is rhododendrons in full bloom everywhere. Despite being the end of April, we did see a fair amount of flowers around. Some of the stretches were lined up with various kinds of Rhododendrons and it was indeed beautiful.

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The end of the sanctuary is where Yumthang starts and soon we were passing through a slew of shops who were selling anything from a battery to woolen caps and sweaters and what not. Almost every shop was selling tea and coffee and the eternal favourite of the hills- Maggi. There is a government owned rest stop as well and which has a proper restaurant as well. With the crowd already immersed in the valley specific activities, we quickly moved onwards to Zero Point after a stop for some pictures.

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The road from Yumthang towards Zero Point is fully tarred and the surface is really good. The BRO guys have worked very hard on this stretch and it shows. Proper guard rails, bailey bridges over water streams and immaculate condition of the road surface, they did what was expected and the results are indeed very good. That these are border areas mean that communication channels need to be in top shape. The final Police Check Post came in a jiffy and the permit was stamped duly. Little climbing after, we were soon passing through snow covered hills, a sight for the sore eyes. Imagine a dish of vanilla cookie crumble ice cream and we were passing through it.

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Reaching Zero Point was a task though, the area was teeming with people and the tourist cars were blocking the road with hap hazard parking because of ice. After getting stuck for around 15 minutes or so, few good souls took upon themselves to clear the mess and soon I was at the end point beyond which civilian vehicles are not allowed. A board announcing the place as Zero Point is seen and so were the vendors who were selling Tea, Coffee, Alcohol, Maggi and Momos at exorbitant prices. I was carrying my own coffee but couldn't resist the lure of Maggi

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People were seen going up the hills with the hired boots and having a good time with the snow filled mountains. We spent around an hour or so, having a cup of coffee up on those heights tasted heavenly for once and of course, shot some pictures.

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It was already 1 in the afternoon and we quickly made our return back to Lachung since we had to reach Takdah- a drive of around 5 hours from Lachung. Had our lunch at the hotel and started for Takdah by around 3.30 in the evening. It was pretty late by hill standards but I was confident of reaching Takdah by 8 in the evening, what I didn't factor in was, the rain !!

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re: Gurudongmar and the British Bungalow | Enchanting North Sikkim in an EcoSport

So, the chapter of North Sikkim was over for now and we were on our way towards Takdah- a small hamlet known for heritage British Bungalows near Darjeeling. The plan was to just enjoy the atmosphere in the lap of nature but before that, the journey from Lachung had to be completed.

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By the time, I was at Chungthang, it started raining again. With the expectation of no further jolt, reached the Tung Police Outpost to deposit the original permit and it was smooth affair. It was after Mangan that we ended up getting stuck in a humongous jam, not once but twice.

The root cause cascading from a height..

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First jam was because of some overzealous tourists who were on the roads thinking that it's okay to block a single lane highway for clicking pictures of a waterfall by wrongly parked cars It was only after good sense prevailed and one lane of the road started running. Second jam was a result of incessant rainfall. The JCB's were made to work to clear off a landslide and that took another half an hour.

People were stopping cars to click pictures and even had the gall to wash their feet !
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The jam had a tail of around 2-3 kms !
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The road just after clearing of the landslide..
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Reached Singtam in the evening and had a chai break at Rongpo. Filled up the tank since fuel is little cheaper in Sikkim and finally entered Bengal. Now, the road I took for Takdah was the Peshok road after crossing Teesta Bazar. Initially, crossed the right turn and went ahead due to very low visibility amidst the rains. Made a U-turn and then was on the Peshok Road. It was quite an adventure while going uphill towards 11th mile from where we had to again climb up and reach Takdah through Tinchuley. People who are familiar with Peshok road will understand what I mean by the word adventure, that too in the night amidst the rains !! The blinding rain was making sure that visibility was extremely poor and I had to rely on the white marking on the outer section to move forward. After 11th Mile, one has to take a left turn to go uphill, the road passes through beautiful tea gardens but alas, I was only concentrating on the road !!

Only picture I managed to click while on Peshok Road..
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Finally reached the Takdah Club and found the gates of the property locked. The security man was fast asleep when the horns form the car jolted him out of the bed. It was around 9 in the night when we reached the bungalow. Thankfully, the dinner was ordered before hand and the staff were extremely courteous in attending to us despite the late hours.

Some night shots of the Bungalow..
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Had a simple but tasty dinner in a setting that reminded the glory days of yesteryears. The rains continued and our tired bodies just had the perfect excuse to go to sleep peacefully.

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re: Gurudongmar and the British Bungalow | Enchanting North Sikkim in an EcoSport

Next morning was the day for which I was waiting all this while. A day of doing nothing and just lazing around. Woke up to heavy rainfall and the little idea of visiting Darjeeling for some good ol sausages at Keventer's went into the back burner. The tea was served in the room and it woke us up from the warmth of the blankets. Enjoyed the rains sipping some lovely Darjeeling tea- a match made in heaven.

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The rains stopped after a while and we had a good walk and the breakfast beaconed. The most glorious thing about the place was the food on offer. Simple homemade food served with love and tasted fantastic. The breakfast was just the kind that we love at home on a rainy morning

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The folks asked about our preference for lunch and the bengali's in us yearned for the only thing missing from the last few days-Fish curry. The order for lunch done and dusted, it was time for some stroll outside the bungalow. The bungalow is just beside the orchid center and hence we had to beat a hasty retreat after seeing the number of cars and people outside !!

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The weather was playing hide and seek pretty well. The sun was out one moment and the next moment it was completely foggy. Rains stopped completely though and it soon became pleasant soon after. Seeing the sun out, made a quick plan to visit the queen of the hills-Darjeeling after lunch.

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We had a fabulous lunch and the in house cook just completely rocked the fish curry. The care that the staff at the bungalow show towards the patrons is simply heartwarming. With our stomach full and hearts filled, we were in two minds about visiting Darjeeling.

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Turned out, the sausages at Keventer's and the goodies at Glenary's had some pull then we thought they had And so, we were on our way to the hill town after 3 in the evening. The roads were devoid of much traffic and we soon made it to the mall area.

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Parked my car in the usual zone and soon walked through the mall. Keventer's welcomed us without much ado and soon we were sipping the good ol coffee with some sausages to munch around. But Keventer's didn't happen before buying some goodies from Glenary's. Both the age old places have reinvented themselves with each passing year. The change looks better with Glenary's then with Keventer's, although to be fair, they have tried with their limited space.

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Gurudongmar and the British Bungalow | Enchanting North Sikkim in an EcoSport-48b849cd72864f529b68e321f40862d1.jpeg

Some time after, we were walking back to our car as it was already getting dark. By the time we left Darjeeling, it was dark and super foggy. I took the Jalpahar cantonment route to get back to the main road and was instantly sucked into the dense fog. So much fog that I missed a turn and landed up at the cantonment gate. I don't know how many times I have taken the route and yet, I missed a turn !!

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Gurudongmar and the British Bungalow | Enchanting North Sikkim in an EcoSport-c148f611debe4354bd497865194f247b.jpeg

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Anyways, finally made it too the main road and took the left turn at Jorebunglow to get back to Takdah. The caretaker at the bungalow was surprised when he heard that we will be going to Darjeeling after lunch, he was even more surprised to find us return at 8 in the evening, just in time for another round of tea.

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Gurudongmar and the British Bungalow | Enchanting North Sikkim in an EcoSport-088527180e624e318484e7ccaaa61802.jpeg

Dinner was another highpoint of the stay, the set menu consisted of fresh vegetables, some fries and the choice of rice and rotis. We had asked for simple egg curry and the chef didn't disappoint at nall. The last night of our little holiday was about to be over and it was indeed surreal after gaining the heights of around 18000 ft and reminiscing about it at Takdah. We went to sleep with the aim of leaving Takdah by 8 in the morning.

Last edited by ABHI_1512 : 21st May 2022 at 02:12.
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Old 21st May 2022, 01:36   #9
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re: Gurudongmar and the British Bungalow | Enchanting North Sikkim in an EcoSport

Finally, the day to get back to the humdrum of cacophony, back to the race of city life. It's often the last day of any trip that the also happens to be the germination ground of the future trips and we did have some plans going in our head. A way of pacifying the sad feeling mind which is about to get back to home at the end of a holiday.

The tea was served at the set time and I was amazed by the punctuality of the staff. We skipped the breakfast here since we had planned to do that at Margaret's Deck Kurseong. Clicked some pictures with the staff and left with an intention to be back, just for the hospitality.

The wonderful Chef at Takdah ..
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Roads were empty at the early hour's and soon we reached our intended stop. Before that, we did get a glimpse of the mighty Kanchenjunga range from Jorebunglow.

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Gurudongmar and the British Bungalow | Enchanting North Sikkim in an EcoSport-cf0b203aa990424d8823645e94ad0c66.jpeg

Gurudongmar and the British Bungalow | Enchanting North Sikkim in an EcoSport-16f24ce8b97c4ca98f79c1dc5b6c636a.jpeg

Margaret's Deck is a wonderful place to get some nice food and some delectable tea's. Spent some time and had the tastiest chicken sandwiches found this side of Kanchenjunga and the Castleton single estate tea brought some early morning colour to the proceedings. Breakfast done and we were on the cruise mode from here onwards. Took the Rohini route to exit the hills and were soon crossing Bagdogra.

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Gurudongmar and the British Bungalow | Enchanting North Sikkim in an EcoSport-67ff68950fac4d068c5aabc7c7d34ea9.jpeg

Stopped for lunch at Gazol Banophool Dhaba to have the famed Mutton curry while the better half devoured the plateful of HILSA.

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Gurudongmar and the British Bungalow | Enchanting North Sikkim in an EcoSport-9433daca321c4fc487e66c10a93807bb.jpeg

The last meal of the highway run was enough for us to take the next stop just outside Calcutta for a tea break and soon we were home by around 9.30 in the evening. An eventful journey came to an end and one more place ticked off the bucket list with BAAHON.

Gurudongmar and the British Bungalow | Enchanting North Sikkim in an EcoSport-9cb2f924cca14feaa23055e363ea966a.jpeg

Till the next one, stay well and stay safe.

Last edited by ABHI_1512 : 21st May 2022 at 02:35.
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Old 21st May 2022, 05:43   #10
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re: Gurudongmar and the British Bungalow | Enchanting North Sikkim in an EcoSport

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line. Thanks for sharing!
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Old 21st May 2022, 10:07   #11
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Re: Gurudongmar and the British Bungalow | Enchanting North Sikkim in an EcoSport

Amazing clicks!!

This one makes me long for my trip to the mountains.

Mod Note: Please avoid typing like... this...

Last edited by ampere : 21st May 2022 at 10:59.
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Old 21st May 2022, 13:15   #12
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Re: Gurudongmar and the British Bungalow | Enchanting North Sikkim in an EcoSport

Amazing Travelogue and Droolworthy Pics Abhi_1512. Was able to rekindle my memories of my Sikkim Trip from last Dec. North Sikkim was the only part of Sikkim i did not cover due to unfavorable climate in Dec., and your Travelogue just makes my desire stronger to visit this heavenly part of Sikkim sometime soon.
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Old 21st May 2022, 14:53   #13
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Re: Gurudongmar and the British Bungalow | Enchanting North Sikkim in an EcoSport

Quote:
Originally Posted by ABHI_1512 View Post
Finally, the day to get back to the humdrum of cacophony, back to the race of city life.
I am living this monotonous humdrum without a break for more than one year now. I am currently going through a vacationless phase in life (I do not know if that word even exists, maybe I invented it). Last non-work related travel was more than a year back. These virtual travels are the ones that I have been doing recently. They have been helping me take a virtual break.

I have to admit, I look forward to your travelogues eagerly. Not because of my predicament, but because your travelogues are always a good read.

Edit: Also, it helps if the costs of travel is mentioned. (cost of stay, fuel, passes, fees etc.)

Last edited by BhaskarG : 21st May 2022 at 14:59.
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Old 21st May 2022, 15:07   #14
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Re: Gurudongmar and the British Bungalow | Enchanting North Sikkim in an EcoSport

Nice travelogue. Read it at one go. Just curious, how did you manage to keep your car so clean after driving through rain late night.
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Old 21st May 2022, 16:25   #15
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Re: Gurudongmar and the British Bungalow | Enchanting North Sikkim in an EcoSport

Splendid storytelling accompanied with perfect pics. You took your readers with you all the way. You are a champion indeed. Hope to listen to your story in person sometime.

Already looking forward to your next travelogue.
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