Parliament : Sikkim

Citiscape of Gangtok : the Capital of Sikkim

Citiscape of Gangtok : the Capital of Sikkim

Gangtok Mall Road

The last stretch to Gurudongmar Lake

yak in the snow

On the way to Gurudongmar Lake

The stairs leading to the lake

At an altitude of 17000 ft, Gurudongmar is one of the highest lakes in the world. It lies in the North side of the Kangchenjunga Range and is encircled all around by snow-covered mountains The Chinese Tibetan border is just a few kilometers away from the lake.

Beautiful & Sacred : Gurudongmar Lake

Gurudongmar literally means ‘The Red-Faced Guru’ and sounds similar to ‘Guru Dragmar’, which means the red-coloured wrathful form of Guru Padmasambhava. While some attribute the lake’s name to Guru Nanak, who is believed to have visited the place, others claim that it is named after Guru Rinpoche. The lake thus remains a popular pilgrimage site for both Buddhists and Sikhs.

Guru Temple beside Gurudongmar Lake

Lachung Village

With resplendent snow-capped mountains, dazzling waterfalls and sparkling streams, Lachung has been described as the "most picturesque village of Sikkim"

Lachung Village

Tall majestic snow-clad Himalayas, sparkling mountain streams and waterfalls, bountiful fruit orchards and blue rivers complete this perfect picture of nature in all its glory at Lachung Valley

Lachung Village

Lachung Village

Stunning sunrise in Lachung Village

Breath taking views on the way to Yumthang Valley

Breath taking views on the way to Yumthang Valley

Yumthang Valley

The extremely picturesque Yumthang Valley is situated at an elevation of 3564 m in the North of Sikkim. The place is amongst the most famous tourist destinations in Sikkim, popularly known as the ‘valley of flowers’

Yumthang Valley

Yumthang Valley is a paradise on earth, which is full of natural wonders and picturesque beauty. It is home to a zillion flowers, spectacular mountains & a serene river, and is often also called as the ‘Valley of Flowers’

Yumthang Valley

Yumthang Valley

Yumthang Valley

Yumthang Valley

Yumthang Valley

Yumthang Valley

Yumthang Valley

Yumthang Valley

Yumthang Valley

Yumthang Valley

Yumthang Valley

Enroute Zero Point

Enroute Zero Point

Yumesamdong (Zero Point)

Zero Point (Yumesamdong) is situated at an elevation of 15,300 ft. in the Nothern District of Sikkim. This place is often called “Zero Point” because there is no motorable road after this place and the visitors are not permitted to go beyond this point due to its proximity to the Chinese border.

Yumesamdong (Zero Point)

Sikkim’s untouched beauty; Yumesamdong, is a valley on the Lachung River about 15 km ahead of Yumthang. It is situated at 4724 m altitude in the North East of the State, popularly known as the Zero point which means the hindmost frontier of civilization. There are no roads further, just the landscapes completely covered with snow offering a majestic view contrasting with the patchy blue sky in between the fresh icy breeze

Yumesamdong (Zero Point)

The snow-capped mountains and ice-fed valley of Yumesamdong provide a perfect setting to capture the cold nature at its best

Yumesamdong (Zero Point)

Barsey Rhododendron Sanctuary Gate

A trek through the Barsey Rhododendron Sanctuary in spring is like experiencing a slice of paradise itself. Entire hills covered in hues of bright pink and deep red against the sapphire-blue spring skies and the snow-covered peaks of the Kanchendzonga make for quite a visual treat.

Barsey Rhododendron Sanctuary

Barsey Rhododendron Sanctuary

Barsey Rhododendron Sanctuary

Colourful Flowers

A pink Rhododendron bud

At Barsey, different colour Rhododendron bloom during Spring

Rhododendron bud

Rhododendron flowers blooms at Barsey Rhododendron Sanctuary

At Barsey, different colour Rhododendron bloom during Spring

Unknown Flower

Unknown plant inside the Forest

Pitcher Plant

Grand Cobra Lily

Green Pitcher Plant

Ferns

Trail from Hilley to Barsey

Moss & Lichen covered moist forest

The rare Red Panda

Sikkim offers its visitors the extraordinary opportunity to witness the endangered red panda exist in its natural habitat before its probable extinction in the future. This remarkable highlight is dear to many enthusiasts who travel to the state from near and far just to get a glimpse of this red, furry animal

The rare Red Panda

The red panda, also known as the Firefox is found in the dense deciduous and coniferous forests of Sikkim. The healthiest at an altitude of 2,200 to 4,800m, these animals have reddish-brown fur, pointed ears, a bushy tail and short front legs. Red pandas are the sweetest little creatures.

The rare Red Panda

Almost 50% of the red panda’s habitat is in the Eastern Himalayas. The loss of nesting trees and bamboo is causing a rapid decline in red panda populations

Barsey Trekkers Hut

Barsey Trekkers Hut

Inside Barsey Trekkers Hut

Barsey: A photographer’s delight

Magnificent Kangchenjunga from Barsey

Mt. Kanchenjunga is the third highest mountain in the world, behind Everest (highest) and K2 (second highest)

Magnificent Kangchenjunga from Barsey

The word Kanchenjunga (interpreted in Sikkim) means “The Five Treasures of Snows”, in reference to its five peaks. These treasures would represent the five repositories of God, namely gold, silver, gems, grain, and holy books

Magnificent Kangchenjunga from Barsey

In the year 2000, the expeditions to Kangchenjunga were banned by the Indian government as the Buddhists regarded the mountain as a deity, and just for the sake of tourism they did not want to exploit their religious understanding of things

Magnificent Kangchenjunga from Barsey

Magnificent Kangchenjunga from Barsey