A 4 day guide from Kolkata to a peaceful trip to Western Sikkim with a laid-back group of friends. Primarily to the western villages of Okhrey & Kaluk!
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IN BRIEF
Hiring a cab for INR 18,000 for the 4 days
Visiting Okhrey Monastery
Check-in at the Kyilkhor Inn Homestay
Reach Hilley and trek till Barsey and enjoy the Rhodendron Sanctuary
Drive till Kaluk and check-in at Mandarin Village Resort
Relax at the resort and eat chilly pork at the Kaluk Market
Bonfire and Barbecue at the resort
Leave for Siliguri
Take a bus to Kolkata from Siliguri
INDICATIVE BUDGET
INR 7,300 per head for 8 people.
HOW TO REACH
- Air: Pakyong Airport, which is about 31 km South of Gangtok (capital for the state of Sikkim) is the most convenient option to get to Sikkim.
- Rail: Siliguri Junction (146 km) and New Jalpaiguri Junction (187 km) are the nearest railway stations to Sikkim.
- Road:
- Self-Drive – Self driving your vehicle is an option to reach Sikkim, the route in and around Sikkim is an absolute beauty.
- Taxi – Hiring a taxi is another option. Though, depending from where you are traveling this can be quite expensive.
- Bus – Buses are an another option till New Jalpaiguri.
- For us, we took a bus from the Esplanade bus terminus in Kolkata to the Tenzing Norgay bus terminus in Siliguri.
WHAT & WHEN TO DO
Day 1
- Board the evening bus from Kolkata to Siliguri.
- After taking an almost 12 hour bus ride you would reach Siliguri in the morning.
- The main bus stand in Siliguri is the Tenzing Norgay bus terminus. Most buses would have this as a drop point.
- Upon arrival in Siliguri, arrange for a cab for the 4 days ahead. We booked a Tata Bolero from Siliguri to Siliguri for INR 18,000.
- We left Siliguri for Okhrey. On the way to our homestay, we visited Okhrey Monastery.
- Post that we reached at our hometsay, Kyilkhor Inn. We were charged INR 800 per night per person including all the three meals.
Day 2
- After having an early breakfast, we left for Hilley.
- We started our trek from Hilley to Barsey (Varsey). The start of the trek in Hilley is really where the Rhododenderon sanctuary begins.
- The Rhododenderon flowers definitely are a thing of beauty.
- The trek is a 4.5 km climb and then a 4.5 km decent.
- While at the top of the Rhododenderon sanctuary during this trek, one can see the Kanchenjunga mountain which is as serene a view as any.
- Post the trek we came back to our homestay for Lunch.
- Then, we left for Kaluk.
- We reached later in the evening at our stay, Mandarin Village Resort in Kaluk.
- We had our dinner and retired for the night.
Day 3
- The plan for today was to chill out at the resort and have a relaxing day.
- And that’s exactly what we did. We roamed around the resort, playing among ourselves and enjoying to the fullest.
- There is also a small market, in Kaluk. It offers some of the best chilly pork that I have ever eaten.
- Also, you could buy souvenirs from the market. The evening walk walk here was peaceful indeed.
- Then in the evening we did the bonfire and barbecue. When, with a crazy bunch of friends this is a must.
Day 4
- We left Kaluk in the morning after our breakfast.
- We reached Siliguri by evening with a little bit of time on our hands.
- In case you have time on your hand in Siliguri, you should visit the local market that goes by the name Hong Kong market. You can get a whole lot of things for very good value here.
- Then later that evening we boarded the bus back to Kolkata and with that concluding some quality time we spent on our trip to Sikkim.
WHERE TO STAY
- In Okhrey, we stayed at the Kyilkhor Inn Homestay.
- In Kaluk, we stayed at the Mandarin Village Resort. Check out other options in Kaluk, here.
- Post the trek from Hilley to Barsey, one can find decent accommodation options at Barsey too.
WHERE TO EAT
- A trip to Sikkim without trying the local cuisine is incomplete. It does leave your taste buds longing for more. Momos definitely can’t be missed.
- While at Mandarin Village Resort we definitely loved the Barbecue.
- Chilly Pork from the local cafes at the Kaluk market is a great option.
- In New Jalpaiguri, a biryani joint by the name Badshah Biryani Hut is a popular option.
HOW TO TRAVEL AROUND
- Public transport infrastructure is not developed enough, here.
- So your two best options would be:
- Taxi – Hire a taxi for the entirety of your visit and travel to all the places that you need to.
- Self-Drive – Get your own car and drive as you please. Parking shouldn’t be an issue.
SOME HELPFUL TIPS FOR THE TRIP
- While taking a trip to Sikkim you may find that the water tastes a little different. So, if you have a sensitive stomach you may want to buy water. Though, I still recommend that you avoid buying plastic water bottles as much as possible and refill them at the hotels, dhabas etc.
- For the alcohol lovers out there, Sikkim in general has good Beer and Wine and the rates are relatively cheaper to normal. Enjoy!
- Try out those delicious momos too.
MORE PICTURES FROM THE TRIP
This Itinerary was Contributed by a Community Member!
You can connect with Subhro for any queries about this trip on Instagram.
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