Of all the things that you can get bored of, travelling in our country is certainly not one of them. Mountains, jungles, deserts, coasts, heritage sites, historical monuments, rich and colourful cultures, exquisite cuisines, and what have you – exploring India is a soul-fulfilling exercise. And it won’t be an exaggeration to say that traversing the length and breadth of this magnificent nation might require a lifetime, or even two. And that’s exactly why I never miss an opportunity of exploring new places in India and the latest destination that I ticked off my checklist was the mesmerising state of Sikkim.
The Journey to the East
Our ‘Journey to the East’ was a part of Honda’s Drive to Discover – the 12th edition of the campaign. We started from Bagdogra, Siliguri, in West Bengal – it’s the nearest airport for travellers heading to Sikkim – and covered the state’s popular tourist destinations, starting from Gangtok to Nathu La Pas and Pelling before returning to the base via Darjeeling and Kalimpong. Over the course of the road trip, we covered close to 600 kilometres.
On day one, we boarded an early morning flight from Delhi to Bagdogra. This two-hour flight set the mood for the journey ahead, as I spent half of the duration marvelling at the vast Himalayan range from an altitude of 35,000ft. Rumour has it that you can even catch a glimpse of the mighty Mount Everest while flying on this route. I think I might have seen it, although locating it was a bit difficult from an aeroplane amid a series of towering Himalayan peaks.
Upon landing at Bagdogra airport, we made a quick dash to a hotel to grab lunch and then picked up the keys to a Honda City MT. By the time we left, it was nearly 3pm. We only had 115km to cover to reach our destination for the night in Gangtok, so we were certain that our late start wouldn’t pose any problem. Wrong! The stretch between Siliguri and Gangtok was in tatters due to fresh landslides, resulting in a severe traffic jam. So, how bad was it? Well, our ETA on Google Maps went from 5:40pm to 7:30pm. So, yeah, quite bad!
Peak Sikkim
The first day was hectic, and honestly, we didn’t get to see much of Sikkim’s pristine beauty, for we had reached Gangtok in the dark. But, the next day we decided to make up by driving all the way up to 14,500ft!
The agenda for day two was to head to Nathu La – roughly a 60km drive from Gangtok – and this time I was behind the wheel of an Elevate MT. Now, for the uninitiated, Nathu La translates to ‘listening ears pass’ and is one of the highest motorable roads in the world. It is also politically and historically significant, for it is located on the Old Silk Route and connects India (Sikkim) and China’s Tibet Autonomous Region. But, if you ever get a chance to be here, the only thing you will remember is its jaw-dropping beauty! With a clear blue sky and snow-clad mountains encompassing all sides, Nathu La exemplifies nature’s serenity. En route, you will also come across Lake Tsomgo, which is a high-altitude glacial lake, which seems straight out of the fantasy world of Narnia. And then there’s the drive – a seemingly unending set of long and winding corners, with racetrack-smooth tarmac. And the credit for this goes to none other than our country’s universal BRO (Border Roads Organization). I must also give props to the Elevate, as it drives like a hatchback and not an SUV. It felt beautifully tied down around corners. Although, I do wish its naturally aspirated 1.5 VTEC had more poke, for it seemed to kind of run out of puff going uphill, and the lack of oxygen at such high altitudes wasn’t helping its case either.
Ending on a high
On day three, we made our way towards our last destination in Sikkim – Pelling – this time in a City Hybrid. Located at around 130km from Gangtok, Pelling falls in the western part of Sikkim. At 7,000ft above sea level, the air here isn’t quite as thin as in Nathu La, but the drive to Pelling is surely a bit dizzying, for the mountain roads here are quite steep and narrow.
Even though Pelling is a quaint little town in comparison to Gangtok, it has something very special up its sleeves – its proximity to the Kangchenjunga, the third-highest mountain peak in the world and the highest peak in India. However, when we reached Pelling, the whole town was shrouded in a thick cloak of clouds, so we couldn’t quite catch the view of the Kangchenjunga. The next morning, however, unfolded quite a different story altogether…
At sharp 6am, my alarm jolted me out of my sleep. I quickly jumped out of bed and raised the window blinds, only to find my jaw on the floor, literally. There was a keen nip in the air, and the sun had yet to make its appearance. The sky was crystal clear, and right there in the centre of my window frame stood the majestic Kangchenjunga. To call the whole experience surreal would be an understatement. I felt as though I had stepped into a scene from a Discovery documentary as I watched the Himalayas from such close quarters.
After admiring and revelling in the surrounding views, it was time to head back to Siliguri via the scenic tea plantations of Darjeeling and Kalimpong. However, before that, we decided to take a quick detour to Pelling Sky Walk, which happens to be India’s first glass skywalk. What makes this place even more special is its location – on one side of it, you get a panoramic view of the majestic Himalayas, while on the other, there’s a massive 137ft statue of Chenrezig – one of the eight great Bodhisattvas. To enjoy this place, all you need to do is sit there, relax, and reflect on life, and you will be amazed at how gratifying it feels. And that’s precisely why we all love travelling to new places, isn’t it? To appreciate, celebrate, rejuvenate, and temporarily escape the journey called life.
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