The Himalayas info - Sikkim

It's never been easy to visit Sikkim and even now you need a special permit to enter. The region close to the Tibetan border remains tightly restricted. The enchanting hill station of Darjeeling, which lies in the Indian State of West Bengal, is the starting point for a trip into Sikkim. You can reach Darjeeling by a nights train ride from Calcutta.

Darjeeling has been a busy trading centre for centuries, lying at the crossroads of trade routes between Tibet and India and close to the Sikkim border in the state of West Bengal. "Dorje Ling" means, "place of the thunderbolt". The dorje, or thunderbolt, is the symbol of the power of Buddhist knowledge. Legend relates that the thunderbolt landed on a hill just above the mall in Darjeeling. The cool hill climate in Darjeeling, lying at an elevation of 2130m, made it a popular resort for the Colonial British staying in Calcutta during the Raj. Today it's a holiday destination for well-heeled Bengalis who want to escape the heat of the plains.

Darjeeling's fame comes, of course, from its tea. The climate in the hills around Darjeeling is perfect for growing this aromatic plant, brought from China early in the 19th century. Darjeeling has some 100.000 inhabitants. A large number are of Nepali descent, and together with Tibetans who've fled their country since Chinese occupation, give Darjeeling a very different feel from the plains. It is a great place to unwind after the rigors of travel in the more crowded and hot places in India. An overnight train trip from Calcutta takes you to Siliguri from where it's a three-hour jeep ride to Darjeeling in the Himalayan foothills.

From the warm and humid valleys to the base of the Kanchenjunga Massif is only a short distance. However, travelling in these region is slow, especially so in the rainy season when at times some of the roads are washed away by monsoon rains. From the monastery of Pemayangtse at the foot of Mount Kanchenjunga the road leads to the capital Gangtok which bears a strong resemblance to Darjeeling. Via Gangtok you can make your way to Kalimpong, also a former hill station.