The Five Treasures of Snows
Darjeeling has always been an attraction for me to experience the enchanting splendor of Mother Nature. I still remember my first visit, when I was unaware that this mesmerizing beauty of the Hills would leave me simply overwhelmed at the beauty of Mother Nature and gasping for more.
Situated amidst the undulating mountain ranges, with the gleaming Mt Kanchenjunga soaring over the blue sky, Darjeeling is rightly tagged as “The Queen of the Hills".
The Climate tends to be very pleasant around this time of the year, though one needs to carry light warm clothes to avoid sudden surge of cold and rain.
This time my itinerary was something like this :
Day 01 – 02 : Ravangla
Day 03 – 06 : Darjeeling
So on reaching NJP station we boarded our vehicle and started our journey for Ravangla, a place which I have crossed a several time while en-route. So was feeling a bit confused and excited as to what my experience would really be staying there.
Ravangla or Rabong is a small tourist town situated at an elevation of 7000 ft in South Sikkim district of the Indian state of Sikkim. Ravangla offers unmatched views of the Greater Himalayas. The beauty of its landscape and its location as a transit point to nearby destinations has made Ravangla a must-visit place. With the magnificent Kanchenjunga as the backdrop, Ravangla is the perfect place to laze around with a cup of coffee and enjoy the best of Sikkim. Every year Ravangla attracts tourist in large numbers because of its exotic flora and fauna, haughty snow mountains, gusting waterfalls, quaint villages, picturesque tea gardens, ethnic culture, old monasteries and fresh atmosphere.
Our stay in Ravangla was planned at Hilltop Rabong Resort. A lovely place on Earth from where you can have a great view of Mt. Kanchenjunga, Mt. Sinalchu, Mt. Narsing & Mt. Kabu relaxing on the lawn of the resort. You even can enjoy this magnificent view from rooms in this resort. The place is cosy and best for family or friends outing. The whole resort is made of wood. There are in total five rooms in the resort. Top floor three rooms with names Gulaaph (Rose), Sayapatri (Mary Gold), Laligurans (Rhododendron). And there are two more rooms in the ground floor.
Laligurans is the room with three bed facility. Other two rooms on first floor are double bed. For best pleasure of stay in the resort I personally will opt for Laligurans or Sayapatri. Room Gulaaph doesn't have a veranda attached to the room but it has a clear open glass from where you can enjoy the view of snow clad peaks. Other two rooms on first floor have attached veranda.
Interior of all the rooms is done with wood. Even the bed is made of wooden logs. You have a lovely cosy corner with tea table facility inside the rooms from where you can enjoy the view of the scene by relaxing on cane wood recliners.
To my luck while sitting on the lawn of the resort and while sipping upon a cup of tea, we enjoyed the mesmerizing view of sunset over the Mt. Kanchenjunga range. I would say it by luck because getting clear sky in the month of June will only give the view of the snow clad mountains standing bold in front of you.
On a cold night you can do a fire camp and enjoy the calmness of nature sitting on the beautiful lawns in the open air.
One thing which I didn't like in this resort is that they don't provide any accommodation facilities to drivers.
This resort is about 1.5kms uphill from the Ravangla – Pelling main road. The road uphill is real bumpy and it's worth, because after this bumpy ride you will reach close to Mother Nature.
Out of our busy city life, it would be a good place to stay for a couple of days and enjoy this vastness of nature.
Safety caution : If you have plans to visit during monsoon season, avoid moving around during rain. At least on foot because you might got caught by leeches.
From Ravangla, you can plan for a day trip for sightseeing around the places. There are some interesting places around which you would love to see around while staying in Ravangla.
Places of Interest (Ravangla) :
Buddha Park :
The Buddha Park of Ravangla is situated near Rabong. It was constructed between 2006 and 2013 and features a 130-foot high statue of the Buddha as its centerpiece. You need to buy tickets (Rs. 50/person) before entering the location. This is a holy location with enchanting rhymes of Lord Buddha playing in the background. The place is very well maintained and the place is clean and tidy. You have to walk downhill by stairs to get closer to the statue. Walking up the stairs would be tiring. But I would not like to miss seeing such huge statue of Lord Buddha just for not getting tired. The place around the statue is well decorated and you can spend hours sitting there and enjoy the time spent.
Ralong (Ralang) Monastery :
Ralong Monastery is located 6kms from Ravangla. A calm and heavenly place. Some patches of road to the Monastery is rough. But if you can overcome the bumpy part then you will see something that you would remember your lifetime.
Plan to visit the place within 11AM to 12PM. Th at is the time when the Lama's have their lunch. And after lunch as a part of their ritual they pray. Listening to the prayer and you would feel relaxed and would always praise yourself that you have visited such a location.
Char Dham :
Char Dham is a huge pilgrimage cum cultural complex developed by the Sikkim Government to promote Religious, Eco and Village tourism in the state. It is located Char Dham is a huge pilgrimage cum cultural complex developed by the Sikkim Government to promote Religious, Eco and Village tourism in the state.
Char Dham is located about 5kms from Namchi town and accessible by a nice smooth road all the way. At one point the car needs to ascend uphill to reach the top of Solophok hill. There is a huge open car park where you will need to park your car. It is a paid car parking (Rs. 50/- per vehicle). From here you will need to walk.
You can carry camera and camcorders. However no photography is allowed inside any dham or temple.
You will need to take off your shoes at a per-designated area. You don't need to pay for keeping your shoes.
As you enter the main area and walk up, the first thing that strikes is the towering statue of Lord Shiva in a sitting posture. You can't keep your eyes off that for a long time and wherever you are in the complex, you can always see this statue. Actually this is the main theme of the temple complex.
One can have a view of the Mt Kanchenjunga, Statue of Guru Padmasambhava at Samdruptse, Darjeeling and other such locations from here.
Samdruptse :
In Bhutia language Samdruptse means 'wish fulfilling hill'. This is place where tourist can admire the tallest statue of Guru Padmasambhava.
This wide gigantic statue of Guru Padmasambhava, also known as Guru Rimpoche.
Within the complex, there's a permanent photo exhibition of archival images from India's history, including a rare photo of Mahatma Gandhi.
The statue of Guru Padmasambhava is visually stunning and therefore is a must visit attraction for any tourists visiting the area.
There is car parking facility available in the area. Apart from that there is a small market place and eatery where you can spend some time eating or shopping. Car parking fees is Rs. 20 per car. And entry fee for the area is Rs. 50 per person.
From the main gate you have to walk uphill and reach the main location. You will also get battery operated vehicle ride at the charge of Rs. 30 per head for going uphill and downhill.
A must place to visit to enjoy being in the lap of Mother Nature and feel the holiness.
Temi Tea Garden :
Entry charge is free. A beautiful place to be even during the monsoon. During this season you will get the chance of seeing clouds playing over the skies in between the lofty mountains. Sometimes it might run through your mind that you are standing at clouds end seeing the clouds passing through the edge of the tea garden.
After spending two memorable days at Ravangla it was time to start for our next destination, Darjeeling.
A mixed feeling of uncontrolled excitement and strange anxiety had occupied my mind as we boarded from Ravangla to reach Darjeeling. As the car climbed steadily atop the hilly terrain roads Mother Nature slowly turned into eternal peace and a feeling of inner satisfaction which always pulls me towards these mesmerizing hills. Everything here is so beautiful.
The journey to Darjeeling takes around 4 hrs from Ravangla.
I generally book my stay at Hotel Seven Seas on N B Singh Road. A small but very neatly designed and well maintained hotel. About a couple of minutes walk uphill on Nehru Road from the Hotel would lead you to the Chowrasta, Darjeeling.
Chowrasta is the place where you will see tourists and even Darj-ian’s spending leisure time sitting on the age old wooden seats and sipping on a real hot tea or coffee. Chowrasta is also known as The Mall.
Darjeeling town is fairly large. Walk up the hill to look down on the whole town with views all the way down to the deep valley, and if the weather is clear you can see the Western Himalayas dominating the horizon.
That's if the weather is clear, during this period of time (June – August). Like other hill stations, the summer temperatures in Darjeeling are simply divine compared to the sweat in plains below, but the price you pay as the monsoon approaches is a lot of cloud, a fair amount of rain and a total lack of views. Occasional glimpses through the fog made it worthwhile.
Darjeeling to me has gradually turned to a place which brings peace to my mind. During this season, I enjoyed the rain.
This time I concentrated my stay in Darjeeling by spending more time around The Mall and Observatory Hill.
I would recommend if you are a rain lover pack your bags and get going.
For more details on Darjeeling read my travelogue Darjeeling (December).
Situated amidst the undulating mountain ranges, with the gleaming Mt Kanchenjunga soaring over the blue sky, Darjeeling is rightly tagged as “The Queen of the Hills".
The Climate tends to be very pleasant around this time of the year, though one needs to carry light warm clothes to avoid sudden surge of cold and rain.
This time my itinerary was something like this :
Day 01 – 02 : Ravangla
Day 03 – 06 : Darjeeling
So on reaching NJP station we boarded our vehicle and started our journey for Ravangla, a place which I have crossed a several time while en-route. So was feeling a bit confused and excited as to what my experience would really be staying there.
Ravangla or Rabong is a small tourist town situated at an elevation of 7000 ft in South Sikkim district of the Indian state of Sikkim. Ravangla offers unmatched views of the Greater Himalayas. The beauty of its landscape and its location as a transit point to nearby destinations has made Ravangla a must-visit place. With the magnificent Kanchenjunga as the backdrop, Ravangla is the perfect place to laze around with a cup of coffee and enjoy the best of Sikkim. Every year Ravangla attracts tourist in large numbers because of its exotic flora and fauna, haughty snow mountains, gusting waterfalls, quaint villages, picturesque tea gardens, ethnic culture, old monasteries and fresh atmosphere.
Our stay in Ravangla was planned at Hilltop Rabong Resort. A lovely place on Earth from where you can have a great view of Mt. Kanchenjunga, Mt. Sinalchu, Mt. Narsing & Mt. Kabu relaxing on the lawn of the resort. You even can enjoy this magnificent view from rooms in this resort. The place is cosy and best for family or friends outing. The whole resort is made of wood. There are in total five rooms in the resort. Top floor three rooms with names Gulaaph (Rose), Sayapatri (Mary Gold), Laligurans (Rhododendron). And there are two more rooms in the ground floor.
Laligurans is the room with three bed facility. Other two rooms on first floor are double bed. For best pleasure of stay in the resort I personally will opt for Laligurans or Sayapatri. Room Gulaaph doesn't have a veranda attached to the room but it has a clear open glass from where you can enjoy the view of snow clad peaks. Other two rooms on first floor have attached veranda.
Interior of all the rooms is done with wood. Even the bed is made of wooden logs. You have a lovely cosy corner with tea table facility inside the rooms from where you can enjoy the view of the scene by relaxing on cane wood recliners.
To my luck while sitting on the lawn of the resort and while sipping upon a cup of tea, we enjoyed the mesmerizing view of sunset over the Mt. Kanchenjunga range. I would say it by luck because getting clear sky in the month of June will only give the view of the snow clad mountains standing bold in front of you.
On a cold night you can do a fire camp and enjoy the calmness of nature sitting on the beautiful lawns in the open air.
One thing which I didn't like in this resort is that they don't provide any accommodation facilities to drivers.
This resort is about 1.5kms uphill from the Ravangla – Pelling main road. The road uphill is real bumpy and it's worth, because after this bumpy ride you will reach close to Mother Nature.
Out of our busy city life, it would be a good place to stay for a couple of days and enjoy this vastness of nature.
Safety caution : If you have plans to visit during monsoon season, avoid moving around during rain. At least on foot because you might got caught by leeches.
From Ravangla, you can plan for a day trip for sightseeing around the places. There are some interesting places around which you would love to see around while staying in Ravangla.
Places of Interest (Ravangla) :
- Buddha Park
- Ralong Monastery
- Char Dham
- Samdruptse
- Temi Tea Garden
Buddha Park :
The Buddha Park of Ravangla is situated near Rabong. It was constructed between 2006 and 2013 and features a 130-foot high statue of the Buddha as its centerpiece. You need to buy tickets (Rs. 50/person) before entering the location. This is a holy location with enchanting rhymes of Lord Buddha playing in the background. The place is very well maintained and the place is clean and tidy. You have to walk downhill by stairs to get closer to the statue. Walking up the stairs would be tiring. But I would not like to miss seeing such huge statue of Lord Buddha just for not getting tired. The place around the statue is well decorated and you can spend hours sitting there and enjoy the time spent.
Ralong (Ralang) Monastery :
Ralong Monastery is located 6kms from Ravangla. A calm and heavenly place. Some patches of road to the Monastery is rough. But if you can overcome the bumpy part then you will see something that you would remember your lifetime.
Plan to visit the place within 11AM to 12PM. Th at is the time when the Lama's have their lunch. And after lunch as a part of their ritual they pray. Listening to the prayer and you would feel relaxed and would always praise yourself that you have visited such a location.
Char Dham :
Char Dham is a huge pilgrimage cum cultural complex developed by the Sikkim Government to promote Religious, Eco and Village tourism in the state. It is located Char Dham is a huge pilgrimage cum cultural complex developed by the Sikkim Government to promote Religious, Eco and Village tourism in the state.
Char Dham is located about 5kms from Namchi town and accessible by a nice smooth road all the way. At one point the car needs to ascend uphill to reach the top of Solophok hill. There is a huge open car park where you will need to park your car. It is a paid car parking (Rs. 50/- per vehicle). From here you will need to walk.
You can carry camera and camcorders. However no photography is allowed inside any dham or temple.
You will need to take off your shoes at a per-designated area. You don't need to pay for keeping your shoes.
As you enter the main area and walk up, the first thing that strikes is the towering statue of Lord Shiva in a sitting posture. You can't keep your eyes off that for a long time and wherever you are in the complex, you can always see this statue. Actually this is the main theme of the temple complex.
One can have a view of the Mt Kanchenjunga, Statue of Guru Padmasambhava at Samdruptse, Darjeeling and other such locations from here.
Samdruptse :
In Bhutia language Samdruptse means 'wish fulfilling hill'. This is place where tourist can admire the tallest statue of Guru Padmasambhava.
This wide gigantic statue of Guru Padmasambhava, also known as Guru Rimpoche.
Within the complex, there's a permanent photo exhibition of archival images from India's history, including a rare photo of Mahatma Gandhi.
The statue of Guru Padmasambhava is visually stunning and therefore is a must visit attraction for any tourists visiting the area.
There is car parking facility available in the area. Apart from that there is a small market place and eatery where you can spend some time eating or shopping. Car parking fees is Rs. 20 per car. And entry fee for the area is Rs. 50 per person.
From the main gate you have to walk uphill and reach the main location. You will also get battery operated vehicle ride at the charge of Rs. 30 per head for going uphill and downhill.
A must place to visit to enjoy being in the lap of Mother Nature and feel the holiness.
Temi Tea Garden :
Entry charge is free. A beautiful place to be even during the monsoon. During this season you will get the chance of seeing clouds playing over the skies in between the lofty mountains. Sometimes it might run through your mind that you are standing at clouds end seeing the clouds passing through the edge of the tea garden.
After spending two memorable days at Ravangla it was time to start for our next destination, Darjeeling.
A mixed feeling of uncontrolled excitement and strange anxiety had occupied my mind as we boarded from Ravangla to reach Darjeeling. As the car climbed steadily atop the hilly terrain roads Mother Nature slowly turned into eternal peace and a feeling of inner satisfaction which always pulls me towards these mesmerizing hills. Everything here is so beautiful.
The journey to Darjeeling takes around 4 hrs from Ravangla.
I generally book my stay at Hotel Seven Seas on N B Singh Road. A small but very neatly designed and well maintained hotel. About a couple of minutes walk uphill on Nehru Road from the Hotel would lead you to the Chowrasta, Darjeeling.
Chowrasta is the place where you will see tourists and even Darj-ian’s spending leisure time sitting on the age old wooden seats and sipping on a real hot tea or coffee. Chowrasta is also known as The Mall.
Darjeeling town is fairly large. Walk up the hill to look down on the whole town with views all the way down to the deep valley, and if the weather is clear you can see the Western Himalayas dominating the horizon.
That's if the weather is clear, during this period of time (June – August). Like other hill stations, the summer temperatures in Darjeeling are simply divine compared to the sweat in plains below, but the price you pay as the monsoon approaches is a lot of cloud, a fair amount of rain and a total lack of views. Occasional glimpses through the fog made it worthwhile.
Darjeeling to me has gradually turned to a place which brings peace to my mind. During this season, I enjoyed the rain.
This time I concentrated my stay in Darjeeling by spending more time around The Mall and Observatory Hill.
I would recommend if you are a rain lover pack your bags and get going.
For more details on Darjeeling read my travelogue Darjeeling (December).