Things To Do In Sikkim – Mountaineering, River Rafting at Teesta, Yak Safari, Mountain Biking
The smallest state of India, Sikkim is indeed the perfect destination for travelers searching for tranquility, entertainment, delight and some adventure. Situated in the lap of Himalayas, this northeastern state is blessed with spectacular landscapes, best for all kinds of adventure activities. From paragliding, cable car ride, rock climbing, wildlife, mountain biking, yak safari, mountaineering to river rafting, there is no dearth of adventure activities in Sikkim for adrenaline junkies. While traveling to Sikkim, make sure you do as many of these activities as you can to make your trip worth remembering.
Let’s embark on a virtual tour to know what you can do if you plan a holiday tour in Sikkim:
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River Rafting at Teesta
Meandering through the exquisite landscapes of Sikkim, Teesta is the major tourist attraction among all the places. It is one the best destinations in the state to try thrilling adventure activities like River rafting.
The icy cold river Teesta is labeled 4 on the International scale. It has numerous thundering rapids with changing intensity. River Rangit, a tributary of Teesta is popularly known for owing more turbulent waters. Henceforth, the experience is more challenging and grueling, making it ideal for most experienced and crazy of rafters. The rapids in Sikkim are classified from 2 to 4. Besides rafting, adventure junkies also have the great opportunity to camp on the banks of Teesta.
Best Time to Visit Sikkim for River Rafting is from March to May.
Mountaineering
Sikkim is nestled in the stretch of northeastern Himalayas and it offers the host of scope for adventure activities like mountaineering. Among the plethora of adventure activities, mountaineering in Sikkim is one of the best activities that is gaining a huge popularity year-by-year. The government of Sikkim has opened some of its alpine peaks for climbing.
Mountaineering is a new way to promote adventure tourism in the state.
The ideal time to do this adventure sport in Sikkim is from April to June, and September to November.
The list of thrilling Mountaineering Trails in Sikkim is as follows:
- Mt. Kanchenjunga (27,803 ft)
- Mt. Kabru (24,005 ft)
- Mt. Siniolchu (22,610 ft)
- Mt. Thingchinkhang (6010 meters) and Mt. Jopunu (5936 meters)
- Mt. Pandim (22,010 ft)
- Mt. Rathong (21,911 ft)
Note: Prior permission is required from Indian Mountaineering Institute before embarking on the mountain adventures in Sikkim.
Gangtok Cable Car (Ropeway)
Cable Car Ride in Gangtok is one of the top things to do in Sikkim as it lets you witness the beautiful views of whole Gangtok town from the highest point of the city. The ride covers 1 Km in just 7 minutes, allowing you to enjoy the bird-eye view of the city. There are three terminal stations for this cable car ride in Gangtok. The lower station is at Deorali Market, the intermediate terminal is at Nam Nang, and the upper terminal station is at Tashiling.
This ropeway ride runs between 8 AM to 4:30 PM every day and tourist can enjoy this ride from any of these three stations.
How much: INR 50/- per person(Approx.)
Yak Safari
Yak Safari is an altogether exciting experience. Yaks are adorable and friendly ox with shaggy hair, large horns, and embowed shoulders found mostly in North-east India, Tibetan, and Nepal regions. In the northeastern state, one can find colorfully adorned yaks with beautiful woolen knits over their horns, and bells around their neck. This animal offers you a ride around Tsomgo Lake where it walks on rugged trails and allows you to explore the scenic beauty of the place. Owing to their anomaly and adorable nature, riding on a yak is among the best things to do in Sikkim for the people on a visit to Tsomgo Lake.
How much: Starting from INR 600/- per person
Mountain Biking
Sikkim is immensely growing in reputation for its very popular adventure activities named as Mountain Biking. The rugged terrain of this northeastern state offers the thrilling biking trails. Embark on a ride on your bike soaking up the enchanting beauty of the hills and splendid views of the snow-capped mountains. Mountain Biking in Sikkim is quite a new thing. It combines several outdoor fun such as trekking, sightseeing, and other exciting adventures.
Group Mountain Biking in Sikkim is organized in both spring and fall, mainly from April to May and Mid-September to October. However, solo bikers can also go for mountain biking anytime if they are willing to do it.
Some well-known mountain biking trails are as follows:
- Gangtok- Rumtek- Sang- Sirwani- Temi- Damthang- Rabong- Kewzing- Tashiding- Yusum- Pelling- Dentam- Rinchenpong- Soreng- Sombaria- Jorthang- Namchi- Rangpo.
- Gangtok- Phodong- Rangrang- Dikchu Makha- Sirwani- Temi.
- Gangtok- Rumtek- Sangh- Sirwani- Temi- Namchi- Jorethang- Melli
- Gangtok- Rumtek- Sang- Sirwani- Temi- Namchi- Namthang- Rangpo
Other Mountain biking routes in Sikkim: - Rangpo- Rhenock- Rongli- Barapathing- Pakyong- Ranipool-Gangtok-Rumtek-Sang- Temi-Ravang-Tashiding-Pelling-Khechopalri Lake-Yuksom-Rabong-Dikchu-Mangan-Lachung-Yumthang and back.
Rock Climbing:
Rock climbing has always been on the top list of almost each adventure lover and to mount the rocks of the Himalayas is not less than a treat. As like all other adventure activities, rock climbing is one of the best things you can do in Sikkim.
The fun in this thrilling activity is endless, with every step you climb up the more adrenaline rush kicks in.
There are two types of rock climbing activities you can do in Sikkim i.e. Free Climbing and Aid climbing. The difference in between these two rock climbing is that in free climbing, ropes and gears are available in case of a sudden drop whereas, in aid climbing, ropes and gears are given for a plain-sailing route up with the help of equipment that is intact in the rock for progressive upwards.
The best time to do rock climbing in Sikkim is from March to May and September to November as the weather remains quite pleasant during these months.
Paragliding
Paragliding is a must-try adventure activity that lets you fly your own wings. The adrenaline rush to soar the skies is undoubtedly a lifetime experience. Behold the surreal beauty of this beautiful land as you drift at an elevation of 7217 feet over exquisite hills, snow-capped mountains, and stunning meadows for about 20-30 minutes. For the best and thrilling paragliding experience, one should visit Sikkim during the month of October and November when the Annual Sikkim Paragliding Festival is celebrated in Gangtok.
Where: Gangtok and Ani Gompa
How Much: INR 25,00/- per person ( approx.)
Wildlife
Add Wildlife Expedition to your adventure list and explore the Sikkimese biodiversity. Besides the natural beauty, Sikkim is the richest states in India in terms of flora and fauna. This northeastern state has almost 5,000 species of flowering plants and faunas like musk deer, red panda, snow leopard, and so forth.
However, Flora has been divided into 3 botanical zones i.e. Tropical zone, Temperate zone, and alpine zone. And if you want to witness the beautiful flowery atmosphere in Sikkim, then visit the Jawaharlal Nehru Botanical Garden which is just 24 Km far away Gangtok.
For faunas, you must visit the following wildlife sanctuaries in Sikkim:
- The Kanchendzonga National Park
- The Maenam Wildlife Sanctuary
- The Fambong Lho Wildlife Sanctuary
- The Kyongnosla Alpine Sanctuary
- The Singba Rhododendron Sanctuary