SpiceRoads Cycle Tours Offers Sikkim as Alternative to Tibet

SpiceRoads Cycle Tours Offers Sikkim as Alternative to Tibet SpiceRoads Cycle Tours launches Cycling Sikkim's Tea Trails tour that visits cultural and natural highlights of this land-locked north Indian province. Bangkok, Thailand, June 21, 2012 --(PR.com)-- Chinese authorities are no longer issuing entry permits to Tibet to foreigners, effectively closing Tibet for 2012, and for those interested in Tibetan culture SpiceRoads Cycle Tours now offers a 10-day cycle tour to rugged and remote Sikkim in northeast India. SpiceRoads Cycle Tours has had to cancel two Lhasa to Kathmandu tours due to this sudden and unexpected change in permit rules to Tibet. Sikkim is bordered by Nepal, Tibet and Bhutan, and the influence is seen in the people, the majority of whom are ethnically Nepali, and the two predominant religions of Hinduism and Vajrayana Buddhism. Stops on this cycle tour include the 200-year-old Tibetan Enchey monastery in Gangtok and the Rumtek Monastery, which dates back to the 16th century and is lead by the 16th Karmapa who fled Tibet in 1959 and took over Rumtek as his main seat in exile. Throughout the ride the Kanchenjunga mountain range of five peaks and includes Kanchenjunga, the third highest mountain in the world with an elevation of 8,586 m (28,169 ft), is ever present, another reminder of the snow-capped peaks of Tibet. The Cycling Sikkim's Tea Trails route is 330 kilometres over six days of cycling and also takes breaks to make a wish at Sikkim's holiest lake, sample tea from local plantations, and ride a toy train in the colonial hill station of Darjeeling. The riding will be strenuous as it will consist of exhilarating descents down into valleys and then climbs up over passes (none higher than 2,100 m). The tour costs US$1,950 with an additional $175 for bike rental. and starts and ends at Bagdgora airport in Sikkim. Included is accommodation, most meals, drinks and snacks while riding. SpiceRoads Cycle Tours has three fall departures and are offering a 10% introductory discount for 28 Oct–6 Nov, 25 Nov–4 Dec, 23 Dec–1 Jan tours. Contact Information SpiceRoads Co., Ltd Patricia Weismantel +66 (0) 2712 5305 Contact www.spiceroads.com

Awesome Kangchendzonga

Our next stop is Pelling in West Sikkim. It is easy to get around Sikkim in "Share Jeeps". They run often & are inexpensive, but crowded. This time we hire a jeep to take us to Pelling. The road is narrow and rough in places & includes very steep climbs and decents. We travel thru beautiful country & what I can only describe as "cloud forest", very lush vegitation, with lots of ferns and moss. 

Arriving in Pelling we walk to Pemyangtse Monestary, one of the oldest & most important in Sikkim. There, we are blown away by the wooden sculpture on the third floor, "Mandala of Padmasambhava's Heavenly Abode". It is a 3D wooden mandalla that took to monk who built it 5 years to complete. 

Next day at dawn, the clouds clear for a while & we get our clearest & clostest view of the Khangchendzonga Massiff, 3rd higest peak in the world. It is considered a diety in Sikkim & it is easy to see why. It takes our breath away just to look at it. 

Next day we rent a Jeep, along with James from Britian, & visit the Holy Lake of Khecheopalri. 

View of Kangchendzonga

It is considered a footprint of the Goddess Tara & is said to be so holy that birds pick out any leaf that falls in the water. 

That evening, back in Pelling, we see a buffett set up in a nearby hotel. We wander in and are not sure if they are serving the public or if this is for a special group. The workers hustle us in & start filling our plates with delicous south Indian cuisene. Turns out that this was a buffett for a tour group, but they have all finished eating. Now the staff is eating and cleaning up & they want to share with us. They are very friendly and generous hosts and seem to enjoy feeding us almost as much as we enjoy their wonderfull cooking! there is no charge for the meal, but we leave a generous tip and are thankfull for the beautiful day we have had in this beautiful place.


source:http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/Sikkim/Pelling/blog-722340.html