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Welcome to Lost Paddle Adventure (P)Ltd.
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Sikkim/ Darjeeling >> Place of Interest |
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| Place
of Interest |
| Gangtok |
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Gangtok (population
50,000 and elevation 1,780 m), the capital of
Sikkim, is a charming, laid-back town straddling
a ridge with houses spilling down the hillside.
The places to visit are Enchey Monastery, a Tibetan
Buddhist lamasery; Institute of Tibetology which
houses rare statues, manuscripts, ritual objects
and thanka paintings; Do-Drul Chorten, an impressive
stupa ringed by prayer wheels; Government Institute
of Cottage Industries |
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| for souvenirs
like choktse (carved low tables), thanka paintings
and carpets; and the exotic market of Lal Bazaar.
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| Around Sikkim |
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In north Sikkim, Yumthang
(3,782 m) is a mesmerizing scene with yaks grazing
on flower-carpeted meadows against a backdrop
of towering peaks.
The 134-km drive from Gangtok to Yumthang takes
you through Kabi Longstok, where Sikkimese history
began in the 13th century with the signing of
a treaty of brotherhood between Lepcha and Tibetan
chiefs; Phodong Monastery, one of the six major
monasteries in Sikkim;
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Chungthang (1,586
m), a sacred place blessed by Guru Rimpoche; and
Lachung (2,684 m), an idyllic valley surrounded
by mist-shrouded mountains. |
In west Sikkim,
Pemayangtse Monastery, a Tibetan Buddhist lamasery
of the Nyingmapa order, is a 112-km drive from
Gangtok; Sangacholing Monastery, built in 1697,
is one of the oldest in the state; Khecheopalri
Lake is sacred to both Hindus and Buddhists; Yuksam
is Sikkim’s original capital; and Tashiding
Monastery, built in 1717, is famed for its stupa. |
| Darjeeling Town |
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Darjeeling town (population
83,000 and elevation 2,134 m) is located on a
spur with houses hugging the hillside. The places
to visit are Chowrasta, a wide promenade atop
a ridge lined with shops and restaurants; Mall
Road, starting and finishing at Chowrasta, for
a leisurely stroll amidst peaceful surroundings
and splendid views; Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological
Park which houses the Siberian tiger, Himalayan
black bear, red panda, snow leopard and many other
animal and bird species, and the nearby Snow Leopard
Breeding Center and |
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| the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute,
a training center for mountaineers which also houses
the Everest Museum; Natural History Museum, with
its fine display of Himalayan wildlife; Observatory
Hill which has Hindu and Buddhist shrines; Dhirdham,
a pagoda-style Hindu temple; Tibetan Refugee Self-Help
Center, a major center for the production of Tibetan
carpets, woodwork and leather goods; the Buddhist
monasteries of Bhutia Busty, Thupten Sangag Choling
(Dali) and Yiga-Choling (Ghoom); Batasia Loop, a
marvelous feat of railway engineering; Tiger Hill
for its renowned sunrise view over the Kanchenjunga
and the eastern Himalaya; Japanese Peace Pagoda,
established by the Japanese Buddhist order, Nipponzan
Myohoji; and Lloyd's Botanical Garden which has
a varied collection of Himalayan flora. |
| Around Darjeeling |
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Kalimpong (pop. 46,500) is
a sleepy little town situated at an altitude of
1,200 m, some 50 km to the east of Darjeeling.
It once used to be the hub of the trans-Himalayan
trade between India and Tibet when merchants used
to ferry goods by mule caravan over the Jelepla
Pass on the Sikkim-Tibet border.
The places to visit are Kalimpong Arts and Craft
Center for handicraft goods; Tharpa Choling Monastery,
a repository of old scriptures and documents;
Thongsa |
(Bhutan) Monastery,
the oldest in the area; Dharmodaya Vihar, a Nepalese
Buddhist temple; Parnami Mandir and Mangal Dham;
Durpin Danda from where the mountain ranges of
Sikkim, including Jelepla, Tiger Hill and the
confluence of the Relli, Riang and Teesta rivers
can be viewed; Zong Dog Palri Fo Brang Monastery
at Durpin Danda; Deolo View Point for magnificent
views; and Kalimpong's famous flower nurseries.
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Kurseong (elevation
1,458 m) is a quaint little town about 30 km to
the south of Darjeeling on the way to Siliguri. |
The market consists
of rows of shops lining the main road which is
crisscrossed at several points by the railway
tracks of the toy train. The places to visit are
Eagle's Crag which has a park from where glorious
views of the Kanchenjunga on one side and the
southern plains on the other can be taken in;
Dow Hill which has the forest museum, Deer Park
and a water reservoir, all set amidst moss-laden
conifers; and Chimney, a serene, open meadow. |
Mirik (elevation
1,767 m) is another tiny hill resort easily accessible
from Siliguri, Kurseong or Darjeeling. The centerpiece
of the town is the Sumendu Lake where boating
under the serene gaze of the Kanchenjunga makes
for a most relaxing pastime. Rameetay Dara and
Deosi Dara are two elevated points near the lake
from where the view is terrific. Apple orchards
and tea gardens are other attractions. |
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