Sikkim is a backpacker dream. We consider ourselves top of that chain(like everyone else) thus we planned our trip to this north eastern heaven. Like most other backpackers of our age group, we are still learning how to manage our finances. We had a pretty goofy month in January and we were pumped up enough to plan out something for ourselves in February.
We were in a hurry and Sikkim was in our mind for sometime but we didn't want to repeat the Kasol experience( For ref: Humorous Kasol ) we did our research.Its been a while we are marketing and selling products in the north(Our products), we wanted our user and customers to have curated experience in the north-east with the best of the local operators.
How we reached there:
Killing two birds with an arrow, we booked our train tickets. Our journey started from Jaipur. The place where we boarded our train. The train tickets from Jaipur cost around 700/- per person(Sleeper) and the nearest train station to the state is NJP(New Jalpaiguri).
Alternatively, you can book the flights to Bagdogra(the nearest airport to Sikkim).
Time to reach there(from Jaipur):
By Train: 30-38 hours.
By Plan: 2-3 hours
We reached there late at night(we were supposed to reach in the noon!) our train was late. If you haven't arranged or pre-booked your pick-up you can either hire a private cab or a shared cab to Gangtok or Rangpo(depends upon where you are staying).
Price(Silliguri to Gangtok):
Time: 3-3.5 hours
Private Cab: 3000-4500/- for a cab
Shared Cab: 300-400/- per person
Silliguri(NJP is the train station) is a safe town to stay and if you reach late like us its better to stay here for a night and start in the morning.
Places to stay in Silliguri:
We reached late at night around 11.00 pm and luckily got a cab at 2 in the morning, but there are loads of guesthouses and even Indian railways restrooms offering good bed and place to rest for backpackers and otherwise, quality is good.
Cost per night: 300/- per night per person.
Places to see and how to travel:
We reached Rangpo, one of the first border town of Sikkim on the border of Sikkimese and West Bengal border. We saw the bridge joining the two states early in the morning around 4.30 am and view was perfect! Cold mountain air was flowing, there was Rangpo river flowing just below the bridge. People of the town were just waking up from sleep and taking care of there early morning chores. Lights from the homes were shimmering.
We were fascinated with the view. Crossing the bridge, we checked in into our guest house for the coming two days(we had already missed a night because of the train.). By the time we rested and got up it was already noon.
The first place we chose to see was Aritar Lake.
The place is near to Rangpo. You can take a private cab to the lake or take a shared one to Renok and then hire a private one from there. We hired a shared cab to Renok, the small town's food is worth eating and the market is interesting.
Price(From Rangpo):
Private cab to Aritar: 800-1000/- for one side.
Shared: 50 per person to Renok. And from Renok its 300/- for one way in a private cab.
Aritar Lake and nearby regions:
Unlike the most of Sikkim, this area is pretty isolated from the rest of the state, bounded by Mt. Kanchendzonga, the region has lush green forest and steady flowing rivers nearby. The Aritar Lake (Ghati-Tso) is a local attraction, as are traditional villages and monasteries like Lingsay.
The lake is green and If you are lucky enough you will get a chance to sit and drink the local beer with the nature(yes we were lucky!).
Back to Rangpo. I would suggest you to take a cab back to Rongli. The town is small and beautiful but like all the mountain town the market and nearby areas are worth exploring. Alternatively you can take the same route back to Rangpo.
Way to Rangpo(From Aritar):
Trek to Rongli(4 Kms)
Cab to Rangpo:
Shared: 50/- per person
Private: 300/- one way.
After 5 pm its hard to get shared cabs in the region because the area gets dark soon.
In the coming next post I will describe how we covered rest of the state on a low backpacker budget. There is no sense in making this post long and boring.
Till next post...!!
We were in a hurry and Sikkim was in our mind for sometime but we didn't want to repeat the Kasol experience( For ref: Humorous Kasol ) we did our research.Its been a while we are marketing and selling products in the north(Our products), we wanted our user and customers to have curated experience in the north-east with the best of the local operators.
How we reached there:
Killing two birds with an arrow, we booked our train tickets. Our journey started from Jaipur. The place where we boarded our train. The train tickets from Jaipur cost around 700/- per person(Sleeper) and the nearest train station to the state is NJP(New Jalpaiguri).
 |
"Jaipur Railway Station" |
 |
"Jaipur to NJP" |
By Train: 30-38 hours.
By Plan: 2-3 hours
We reached there late at night(we were supposed to reach in the noon!) our train was late. If you haven't arranged or pre-booked your pick-up you can either hire a private cab or a shared cab to Gangtok or Rangpo(depends upon where you are staying).
Price(Silliguri to Gangtok):
Time: 3-3.5 hours
Private Cab: 3000-4500/- for a cab
Shared Cab: 300-400/- per person
Silliguri(NJP is the train station) is a safe town to stay and if you reach late like us its better to stay here for a night and start in the morning.
 |
"NJP Railway Station" |
Places to stay in Silliguri:
We reached late at night around 11.00 pm and luckily got a cab at 2 in the morning, but there are loads of guesthouses and even Indian railways restrooms offering good bed and place to rest for backpackers and otherwise, quality is good.
Cost per night: 300/- per night per person.
Places to see and how to travel:
We reached Rangpo, one of the first border town of Sikkim on the border of Sikkimese and West Bengal border. We saw the bridge joining the two states early in the morning around 4.30 am and view was perfect! Cold mountain air was flowing, there was Rangpo river flowing just below the bridge. People of the town were just waking up from sleep and taking care of there early morning chores. Lights from the homes were shimmering.
We were fascinated with the view. Crossing the bridge, we checked in into our guest house for the coming two days(we had already missed a night because of the train.). By the time we rested and got up it was already noon.
 |
"Front of our guest house" |
The place is near to Rangpo. You can take a private cab to the lake or take a shared one to Renok and then hire a private one from there. We hired a shared cab to Renok, the small town's food is worth eating and the market is interesting.
Price(From Rangpo):
Private cab to Aritar: 800-1000/- for one side.
Shared: 50 per person to Renok. And from Renok its 300/- for one way in a private cab.
Aritar Lake and nearby regions:
Unlike the most of Sikkim, this area is pretty isolated from the rest of the state, bounded by Mt. Kanchendzonga, the region has lush green forest and steady flowing rivers nearby. The Aritar Lake (Ghati-Tso) is a local attraction, as are traditional villages and monasteries like Lingsay.
The lake is green and If you are lucky enough you will get a chance to sit and drink the local beer with the nature(yes we were lucky!).
 |
"Way to Aritar" |
 |
"Aritar Lake" |
 |
"Wayback from Aritar" |
Back to Rangpo. I would suggest you to take a cab back to Rongli. The town is small and beautiful but like all the mountain town the market and nearby areas are worth exploring. Alternatively you can take the same route back to Rangpo.
Way to Rangpo(From Aritar):
Trek to Rongli(4 Kms)
Cab to Rangpo:
Shared: 50/- per person
Private: 300/- one way.
After 5 pm its hard to get shared cabs in the region because the area gets dark soon.
In the coming next post I will describe how we covered rest of the state on a low backpacker budget. There is no sense in making this post long and boring.
Till next post...!!
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