Travel guide for Sikkim

As a travel destination Sikkim is well known mostly among people who love mountains. Unjustly, as the nature of the Himalayas is of breathtaking beauty. The hospitality and friendliness of the Sikkimese make the visitor wish to visit Sikkim again and again. Tourism in Sikkim is mostly concentrated on few particular spots. Hence, one can say, a lot of Sikkim is yet to be explored. I have written about the most common questions one might have, before traveling to Sikkim. Especially for international tourists, as Sikkim is barely known abroad.

When is the best time to travel to Sikkim?

Once the monsoon ends in September or October till the start of the monsoon in May/June is a good time to travel to Sikkim. From November till January it becomes very cold and one has to keep in mind that there are no heaters available. 

How to travel to Sikkim?

The closest airport is Bagdogra. From there, one can take a taxi. Ideally book the taxi before your trip via your homestay or hotel. There are always people in the villages or smaller towns that are willing to bring someone from the airport to the respective destination. But one has to keep in mind that sometimes the fare is higher, as the driver has to drive both ways. An alternative is a shared taxi, which is much cheaper. Hence, it is much economical to go for a shared vehicle, if there is a group of four or more. Sikkim has also its own airport Pakyong, located on the eastern side. However, the airfare to this airport is somehow very high.

If you have enough time and would like to experience a train ride in India as well as save money, there are overnight trains as well as day trains. Tickets can be booked via various apps ….. But as I mentioned in my articles about Sikkim, please make sure to book the tickets well in advance. In the trains you will be served meals and drinks. Depending on the class, in which you are traveling, they will be included or not included in the ticket fare.

 

What to bring with you to Sikkim?

Depending on the area as well as the remoteness, where you would be staying, there could be no pharmacies. To buy medicines, one must to travel to the nearest bigger towns. Even in the nearby city of Pelling, a quite well-known travel destination, there was no pharmacy. Therefore, I would recommend to bring medicine either with you or buy it in Bagdogra or Siliguri once you reach there, especially if you require any special prescribed medicine.

Also make sure to withdraw enough cash for your stay in more remote places in Sikkim, as ATMs are only available in bigger towns. And even there, the ATMs may ran out of cash and/or not function. Sometimes, there is additionally an option to withdraw smaller amounts via cash machines, but I would not recommend to rely on that. 

Another important thing to keep in mind is the temperature difference between the Himalayas and the lower country. The difference might be quite extreme depending on the season, in which you travel. Keep in mind to bring enough warm clothes. As I mentioned in the articles about Sikkim, the cold weather came completely unexpected to me during my first trip to the Himalayas and I was not at all prepared. 

Is Sikkim safe (especially as a woman)?

We only stayed in the western part of Sikkim and did not travel the whole state yet, but from my experience (also as a woman) I would say: yes, it is definitely safe. But if you travel by train and reach Siliguri at night, I would recommend to pre-book a room in a bigger hotel that can assure you that someone is at the reception even after midnight. It might happen more frequently due to the restricted visibility that trains are running late, so it is best to clarify this beforehand with the hotel. 

The local hotels most likely are also able to give you the contact number of a cab driver, with whom you can bargain a price beforehand and fix the pick-up from the station. There are taxis available in front of the station at night, but they might be booked already or are demanding exorbitantly high fares. Furthermore, there is the option of spending the night in the waiting hall of the train station. But if you really want to get some hours of sleep, then it is most likely the better option to sleep in a hotel. 

Where to stay in Sikkim?

There are many homestay options, but most of the families do not advertise them on online platforms. Tourism is still not so organized in this region and mostly it is based on small entrepreneurs. However, some home-stays are advertising on booking.com. I warmly recommend the Gurung Homestay. You will be served home-cooked, local food and experience the local culture and daily-life by staying with the family. If one is really interested also to get a first-hand experience of the local culture and tradition, I would always recommend a home-stay.

There are bigger hotels in the nearby town of Pelling, but as I have no experience with the hotels there, I unfortunately cannot really give any recommendations about. But it is basically up to you, if you want to experience not only the beautiful nature, but also want to learn as much as possible about the local culture. Then a homestay is definitely the best choice for you.

 

Whom can I contact, when I am planning a trek?

There are many tour guides who offer guided treks and who look after everything (like cooking etc.). It is best to ask local people in your homestay or hotel, who know best about the options. If you plan a trek in the Western part of Sikkim, I can also establish contact with Kalzang, with whom we travelled to the two very remote villages. He speaks the local languages and is a certified tour guide with a lot of experience.

What are the visa regulations for Sikkim?

If you are of non-Indian origin and in India on a visa, then you need a special permit, which can be obtained at any of the border crossings. I was not aware of it and entered Sikkim, without the border control mentioning the permit. But on my exit, it caused some trouble, when I was asked for the special permit and had none. Fortunately, the situation got solved, but keep in mind to directly ask for the permit at the entry point, even if the border control “overlooks” you.

I needed to give all my documents. This might be different, when you come on a tourist visa. You most likely only need to have your visa and passport with you. But I would recommend to confirm the required documents as a tourist with your homestay or hotel.

Will I get along with English in Sikkim?

Partially yes, but if you are in remote villages, you need someone with you, who is able to translate into the local language. If you are in a bigger village or town, then there there will always be someone, who speaks English or is able to translate, so that communication is possible. There are many local languages, but the lingua franca is Nepali (and also Hindi and to a certain extent Bengali).

If you have more questions, please let me know in the comments!