Singling, the Best Place in West Sikkim

Singling in Sikkim is a historical place which joined Bhutan to India in the ancient times. There were regular business of these two countries through this route. Now the lost route is a favourite trek from Barsey Rhododendron Sanctuary to Singling or vice versa. A couple of days at this serene place and you will feel to be in the lap of nature. There is one ancient monastery, a lake and breathtaking mountain peaks to look out for. It is also a birder's paradise. 

Presently there is only one accommodation available at this spot, Dhusan Rai's Bunglow. The hospitality in the Homestay in Sikkim is fabulous with Dhusan's family taking care of your minute need. You can never again forget the evening with active participation in local dance, song. The barbecue in the chilly night will taste like anything, not to mention the generous 'tchhang' and the flavored Indian tea prepared in his home. 

And then if it is a full moon night, you must become romantic with the view of Darjeeling town in the backdrop of mountains. The morning Sunrise is very beautiful, so is the Sunset color on the Bunglow. You can go for nature walks or birding with Dhusan or his companions. The forest reminded me of Amazon rainforest. I am sure anyone adventurous in nature will enjoy the dark, damp forest.

To reach Singling in Sikkim, you need to take a share jeep to Jorethang from Siliguri (WB). From Jorethang hire a vehicle for Soreng. Alternately, you can ask Dhusan to arrange car for you. Once at Soreng, Dushan will take care of you. You can even stay one night in his small basic but clean hill side inn. Early next morning you'll reach upper Singling by trekking trough one of the most pristine and unblemished mountain folliage. A 3 Km trek will bring you to a most fascinating cradle of homestay with all the glory of Himalayan experience thrown in. The Trek is very easy and can be completed within 1-2 hours. Alternately Dhusan can arrange car to take you directly to Upper Singling from Soreng in another way. 

Singling is located in an important place to do number of treks in Sikkim, like Hiley- Barsey trek, Dzongri- Goche La trek etc. Also in close vicinity there are monastery, lake, Sherpa village etc. Popular destinations in West Sikkim like Peling, Ringchenpong, Kaluk etc are also nearby.  

The Best National Park in USA, Yellowstone National Park

Yellowstone Park is the first and oldest national park in the world and covers 8,987 km, mostly in the northwest corner of Wyoming. The park is famous for its various geysers, hot springs, and other geothermal features and is home to grizzly bears, wolves, and free-ranging herds of bison and elk. Yellowstone park is a United States National Park and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

What to see in Yellowstone park
Yellowstone is world-famous for its natural heritage and beauty. Yellowstone park holds half the world's geothermal features. The wildlife of Yellowstone Park is tempting as well, with grizzly bears, wolves, bison and elk, all while standing on the surface of the Earth's largest known "super-volcano".

• Mammoth 
• Norris 
• Madison
• Geyser basins 
• Lone Star geyser
• Grant Village 
• Lake Area 
• Canyon 
• Tower-Roosevelt 

What to do in Yellowstone

• Hiking
• Wildlife Viewing
• Horse Riding
• Photography
• Fishing
• Swimming
  

Dangers in Yellowstone
Important, stay away from cute looking animals, they can be dangerous and potentially kill any human within minutes.


Weather in Yellowstone

The weather in Yellowstone National Park can change very rapidly from sunny and warm to cold and rainy, so it's important to bring along extra layers of clothing which can be used as needed. Usual Summer temperature varies from 25°C to 30°C and Winter temperatures often range from zero to -20°C. The record low temperature is -54°C.


Fees/Permits

All vehicles and individuals entering the park must pay an entrance fee that is valid for seven days. The entrance fee provides entry to both Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks. Fees are $25 for non-commercial vehicles, $12 for hikers and cyclists, and $20 for motorcycles and snowmobiles.

One year passes are available as an alternative to the seven day fee. The Park Annual Pass is $50 and provides entrance to Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks. The Interagency Annual Pass is $80 and provides entrance to most federal recreation sites across the country including Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Park.

Continue Reading more on Yellowstone Park:

• What to Do in Yellowstone Park
• What to See in Yellowstone National Park
• Tips on Visiting Yellowstone Park.

Tribal Himachal

 

This is photographed from Sangla. Sangla is a popular tourist spot in the Tribal Himachal circuit. Chitkul village near Sangla is even more popular among tourists.

 

A traffic jam near Rhotang Pass or Rotang La (LA means Pass). This is almost everyday situation here in the peak season in Himachal Pradesh.

 

The famous toy train which runs between Kalka Simla.

 

This is me in the freezing early morning in front of Bhimakali Temple, Sarahan. Sarahan in Himachal Pradesh is famous mostly for the Bhimakali Temple which is made of wood and stones. Sarahan can not be missed in the Tribal Himachal Circuit.

Hotels in Gangtok, Sikkim

STD Code +91 3592

Central Hotel
Location: Near Gangtok Bus Depot Address: National High¬way 31A Ph: 222105/ 553/ 573 Fax 222240 Rooms: 25 Tariff @ INR 1,600-3,000; TE Credit Cards AmEx, Visa, Master Facilities: Restaurant, bar, car rental, hot water, sightseeing, room service

Denzong Inn
Location: Near Denzong Cinema
Address: Lai Market Road Ph: 222038/ 692/ 991
Rooms: 15
Tariff @ INR 400-2,000; Credit Cards NA.
Facilities: Restaurant, hot water, room service, TV

Hotel Anola
Location: Main market
Address: MG Marg Ph: 224233, 223238 Fax 224976 Email anola@mailcity.com
Rooms: 19
Tariff @ INR 850-1,650; Credit Cards NA
Facilities: Restaurant, bar, hot water, room service,TV
Kolkata Reserva¬tions 51, Ekdalia Road, Kolkata Ph: 033-24601886

Hotel Asian Heights
Location: Near Assembly House
Address: Kazi Road Ph: 227548 Ph:efax 227547
Rooms: 18
Tariff @ INR 1,000-1,800;
Credit Cards NA
Facilities: Restaurant, hot water, room service, sight¬seeing, TV
Kolkata Reserva¬tions Punjab House, P-39, Princep Street, Kolkata Ph: 033-22219013, 22375896

Hotels in Pelling, Rumtek and Yuksam in Sikkim

Pelling
STD code: +91 3595

Hotel Dubti
Location: Near Narbu Gang
Address: Upper Pelling Ph: 258349
Email k_donka@yahoo. com
Rooms: 22 Tariff @ INR 650-950;
Credit Cards NA
Facilities: Restaurant, laundry, room service, sightseeing, TV

Hotel Greenland
Location: Opposite Shimbho Towers
Address: Upper Pelling Ph: 258587, 0983008698
Rooms: 18 Tariff @ INR 550-9,000
Credit Cards NA
Facilities: Restaurant, hot water, laundry, room service, sightseeing, TV
Hooghly Reser¬vations 38, Upper Haranathpur Road, Bhadrakali, Hooghly Ph: 033-22644600


Hotel Simvo
Location: Near helipad ground
Address: Upper Pelling Ph: 258347
Rooms: 27 Tariff @ INR 650-1,200
Credit Cards NA
Facilities: Restaurant, laun¬dry, hot water, room service, sightseeing, TV

Hotel Takura
Location: Central
Address: Lower Pelling Ph: 258643, 09434128384
Rooms: 15 Tariff @ INR 500-800
Credit Cards NA
Facilities: Restaurant, laundry, room service, sightseeing, ter¬race bar, TV

Dooars in the monsoon

Me and Anirbanda suddenly picked up the plan to visit Dooars in the monsoon,.Kolkata was becoming boring with water, mud and traffic this season, so we headed towards Suntaleykhola on June 23^rd. We booked rooms in the WBFDC's Wilderness Camp at Suntaleykhola, the orange country for 2 nights, and got a huge discount at the famous Murti Bunglow for the offseason offer.

We boarded on my favourite train Kanchankanya Express on 23^rd in the evening 8.30pm and reached New Mal Jn. next morning at about 11am. The car was awaiting us we took some breakfast and strated for Suntaleykhola. The road was awesome, with cloud capped mountains, and rivers, and the tea gardens everywhere. 

We reached the place, put the luggage in the room and jumped on the small river/spring flowing beside the camp. 

Unplanned North Bengal

We, two friends, were planning for a trip to Jayanti in North Bengal from the day we had seen the film 'Abar Aranye'. Ultimately we decided to start last week.

The Kanchankanya Express started on time. Next morning we woke up at New Jalpaiguri Station, the railway track goes inside deep elephant infested forest after Siliguri station. This journey is no less than a safari itself. We saw 3 peacocks, quite few elephant footprints, and some elephant corridor sign beside the railway track. It should be noted that on this track the train speed is limited to 20kmph to avoid accident with the with animals. At noon we reached Alipurduar Jn. Station. We had a very good Bengali lunch there in a nearby small hotel, and then after some bargaining took an auto to Jayanti. After just 20 minutes we are again inside a forest. The road is in pretty good condition compared to other forest roads.

We reached Jayanti in an hour, and dropping the luggages inside the hotel room (not that a luxury arrangement, but clean rooms and toilets) we rushed to the bank of the river. But what we found was big lorrys/cars taking the stones of the river, plastic scattered everywhere, a totally polluted river bank, added to that there were some tourists playing loud music, disturbing nature in every respect. The February river looked dead, and only things that we could enjoy were many birds and the landscape of forests in every direction. But those were very common in the whole Dooars.

Barsey Rhododendron Sanctuary

Barsey or Versey is a small hilltop in Sikkim. Located at an altitude of 10,000ft, Barsey is renowned for its Rhododendron Sanctuary. The sanctuary falls in the West Sikkim district and is accessible by road via Hilley, Dentam or Soreng from Geyzing. If you want to try trekking in India, it would be an amazing idea to proceed up (4 kms) the hill from Hilley. The sanctuary falls in the Singalila range, and is a starting point to Singalila Ridge trek route.

Trekking in India

Trekking in India is one of the famous adventure sports in India for one who are fascinated by the unexplored beauty of this part of the world. The mountain ranges of India offer breathtaking, enthralling trekking routes. In the vast valleys of the Indian Himalayas and Karakorams, there are limitless possibilities for trekking tours, mountaineering, skiing, and river rafting tours. in Inida. The wild flowers in the Indian mountains add more prizes for the trekkers in India. The trekking routes in India often pass through the mountain water falls, a great attraction in its own.

Trip in this summer from Kolkata

Heard of the prehistoric Silk routes, here is a chance to be the traveller of the same route.

The Silk Road (or Silk Route) was an interconnected network of trade routes across the East, South, and Western Asia with the North and Northeast Africa and Europe. This routes were an important way of cultural, commercial and technological exchange between merchants, pilgrims from China, India, Persia and Mediterranean countries in the past.
The routes, comprising of 5,000 miles, were mainly used for trading luxurious goods such as silk and other fine fabrics, musk, other perfumes, spices, medicines, jewels, glassware as well as help spreading knowledge, ideas, cultures and diseases between different parts of the world (China, India, Asia and the Mediterranean).