Sikkim Travelogue-Part 1

 

Our trip to Sikkim began with a fair amount of scepticism—mainly about how we would manage small kids in cold weather and high altitudes. Advice poured in from family and friends, followed by extensive shopping to prepare for every possible weather scenario. At one point, it truly felt less like a vacation and more like a well-planned mission.

The journey to Bagdogra was smooth, with a delightful surprise along the way—we caught a glimpse of Mt. Kanchenjunga on the horizon from the flight, setting the tone for the days ahead. We began our drive to Pelling soon after landing around 1:30 pm. The road, however, was under construction, leading to long traffic jams and kept getting steeper as we were getting closer to. The drive alongside the Teesta River was scenic and calming. But the increasing hairpin turns plus the tiredness was making my head spin. By the time we reached our resort, it was almost 7:30 pm. Pelling greeted us with cold weather, but thankfully the room heater made it comfortable.

Pelling – Day 1

We woke up to the view of Kanchenjunga from our resort cottage which set the tone for the day. Our day started with a visit to the Rabdentse Ruins. The walk up served as a gentle reminder of how much more we need to work on our fitness 😐. Once the ancient capital of Sikkim, Rabdentse offers breathtaking views to Kanchenjunga that truly make the climb worthwhile—though carrying a toddler up certainly adds to the challenge. Near the entrance, there’s also a small bird park, which was a pleasant little stop.

Next, we headed to Pemayangtse Monastery, one of the oldest monasteries in Sikkim. With its panoramic views and a rich collection of centuries-old scriptures and artefacts, the monastery felt both peaceful and awe-inspiring. We caught a glimpse of Kanchenjunga from the monastery as well. 

From there, we visited the much-talked-about Pelling Skywalk, and it absolutely lived up to the hype. The tallest Chenrezig statue, standing majestically against the mountains, along with India’s first glass skywalk, made this stop truly memorable. A ropeway is planned here as well, though it was still in the trial phase during our visit.

Our next stop, Rimbi Waterfalls, was disappointing—at least in December. It’s probably more impressive during the monsoon season. We then stopped at a nearby orange garden for some hot momos and Thukpa, with a river flowing quietly beside it. You can try Sikkim’s mandarin oranges, we did not dare as we all had cold and cough.

With that, we wrapped up our first day in Pelling and headed back to our resort, tired but content, ready for what the journey would bring next.