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Click the text More... for detail news 2005/2004/2003 News
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Perfect Holiday for tourists on Sikkim trail More..
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From Lhasar valley to the hot springs of Yumeysamdong. More..
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Sikkim ready for winter fest. More..
- More visitors , mainly foreigners More
Perfect holiday for tourists on Sikkim trail
Siliguri, Nov. 14: A trek or bike-ride through the Barsey Rhododendron Sanctuary with the breathtaking Kanchenjunga looming large over the horizon, a chhang treat in a Limboo home and a campfire in the lush green mountains with hill mynahs providing the background score.
Sounds like the perfect holiday? Well if it does, one only has to reach out for Hee-Bermoik- the newest name on Sikkim’s impressive list of tourist destinations.
Situated near the Singalila Range in West Sikkim, Hee-Bermiok is the latest spot to be developed by the Pawan Chamling-government as an eco-tourism centre.
“Apart from the natural beauty, rendered perfect by the Rhododendron Wildlife Sanctuary (one of the few in the world), the place has a lot to offer in terms of people and culture,” N.K. Subba, the local MLA. told The Telegraph.
Bound by Kalez Khola in the north, Hee Khola in the west, Rangit and Rangsang khola in the east and Samdong Reserve Forest in the south, Hee-Bermiok is blessed with a rich flora and fauna. More than 65 species of birds are said to inhabit the area.
“We took to community-based tourism with the sole aim of conserving the rich bounty of the place while achieving economic advancement,” Subba said. “Since the part tow years we organised festivals,” he added.
Impressed by the initiative of the residents, the government has decided to develop the infrastructure there.
The government is coming up with a tourist bunglow in the area, besides creating an artificial lake and a road through the sanctuary for mountain biking. The government will also be erecting the statue of Teyongsi Srijanga, a Limboo preacher and philosopher of the ancient times, the foundation stone of which will be laid on December 3.
“The stress of the government is on adventure tourism,” said Raj Basu, the project advise. “Besides trekking and biking, the government is planning to come up with a water sports complex. A rock face would also be set up with the help of the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute,” he added.
Traditional homes have been identified to promote home-stays, he added.
Source: The Telegraph
Dated: 15th November 2006.
FROM LHASAR VALLEY TO THE HOT SPRINGS OF YUMEYSAMDONG.
One can never tire of the pristine beauty of North Sikkim. Most of it is untouched by the vagaries of civilization, but to experience it, arduous treks over high passes and fording rivers have to be undertaken. One such trek takes you from the verdant green Lhasar valley across the barren Sebula pass and on to the hot springs of Yumeysamdong. The army had once upon a time thought of putting up a firing range in this area to test their big guns but mercifully this was shelved due to a public outcry.
Our trek commences at thangu at a mind-boggling altitude of 13500 ft. Situated on the banks of the Tista, Thangu, which is about 30 kilometers north of Lachen by road, has a sizeable military presence and also a thriving civilian population. It is an important takeoff point to the Cholamu plateau, Muguthang in the Lhonak Valley and the Lhasar valley. Intense Ultra-violet rays and relatively good unshine at Thangu coupled with good quality of soil result in the local vegetables especially radishes and turnips growing to huge proportions, each sometimes weighting up to a kilogram.
It is a warm autumn morning and having had a good night’s sleep at the PWD Bungalow, we are all well poised to move. We walk in the north easterly direction and a moderately steep climb of three hours takes us to Phalung. From here the view of the Lhasar Valley about a thousand feet below is breathtaking. Through the Lhasar valley, the green river coils in a series of switchbacks, almost stagnant like a snake, until slightly further down it strikes straight and falling and changes colour to a white crescendo and bashes into the Lachen chu (Tista) at Thangu like a drunken pugilist. There is a plan to harness the Lhasar river by establishing a micro-hydel project to meet the energy needs of Thangu.
The Lhasar Valley abounds in alpine vegetation and medicinal plants. The valley is also home to seminomadic yak-herders during summer and autumn. These herdsmen move up to the plateau during the winter and spring when the valley becomes snowbound.
A further downhill walk of about an hour takes us to the abandoned club hut of the Survey of India at Chechung Lakha. In the north, the Kanchengyao at 22600 ft is resplendent is a mantel of snow. On the right, is the Sebu-la pass that leads to the Yumey Samdong Hot springs at the upper ends of the Yumthang valley.
After partaking to lunch, we walk a few kilometers north to reach the base of the mountain that separates the Lhasar valley from the Lachung valley. We pitch our tents here for the night.
Early next morning we negotiate a three kilometer steep climb which take us to Sebu-la at 17000 ft. The pass is narrow and treacherous. As we catch our breath, resting on this pass, I see a vulture just above me in the sky which remains suspended in the air without moving or flapping its wings for a full five minutes. While I am wondering what are laws of physics enable the bird to perform this gravity defying feat, my porter reminds me that it is getting late and we are set to move on.
From the Sebu-la pass a knee-wobbling steep trek over glacial screens are we are at Sebu-Tso Lake surrounded by mountains of Changma-Khang that seem to touch the skies. Medium sized, this lake is the source of the River Sebu-chu. We trek along the Sebu Chu on the banks of which are hundreds of Rubarbs about five feet in height. These are perhaps the largest biggest concentration of Rhubarbs o can get to see in Sikkim: in contrast the ones in the Lachen and Lhasar valley that hardly grow up to 3 ft and are few and far in between.
Half an hour later we are at a wide flat valley about hald a kilometer wide in which the rive Palo Chuuthang meets the Sebu chu. We ford across the river Palo Chuuthang and leaving the river behind begin the gradual climb to reach a mountain top strewn with huge rocks and stones. This is the most difficult part of the journey. Jumping from rock to rock we take about an hour to traverse just about a kilometer. A wrong step and one could end up with a fractured leg. The prayer flags that mark the Hot springs of Yumey Samdong can now be seen far below. We negotiate the steep downhill walk to the wide river valley below. The Sebu Chu reappears as a thundering waterfall almost 200 ft high on the left. W form across an unnamed tributary of the Sebu Chu and are at the hot springs of Yumeysamdong.
Unlike other hot springs in Sikkim which have one source, Yumey Samdong has four or five hot springs. People spend about a fortnight I the springs to rid themselves of skin diseases, arthritis etc. But we do not have that much time: being urbanites we are as usual in a terrible hurry. But we spend about an hour with our tired feet dipped in the soothing hot water and sipping tea. I feel that thisroute can definitely be developed for trekkers visiting North who want to try something more adventurous and venture off the beaten territory.
A walk of another one kilometer and we are at the road side where our vehicle is waiting. The driver starts the vehicle and switches on the cassette player. The strident noise of a Hindi remix tells us that we are back in civilization.
(The writer is Director, Information Technology,
Government of Sikkim.
Source: Now.
Dated: 18th November 2006.
Gangtok, Nov. 28: The Sikkim capital is ready for the winter carnival and this time, people here are set to display their wedding finery.
"Traditional marriage custom" will be the theme of the annual winter festival, to be held between December 8 and 11 on the Shopping Complex premises near Sadar thana here, Organised by the Sikkim tourism department, the fiesta will have a photo exhibition, flower shows, food stalls, cultural programmes like dance and music competitions and adventure activities like trek. king, helicopter rides, rafting, rock climbing and archery.
According to the deputy secretary; information and publicity; Siphora Targain, such festivals funded by the governments, both state and Union, are aimed at promoting tourist destinations besides making an effort to attract visitors during the lean winter season,
"The department is trying to promote Sikkim as an all-season destination," Targain said, "Efforts are also on to have a public-private partner-ship in organising such events,"
Recently; a tourism team, comprising commissioner-cum- secretary Alok Shrivas- tava and the chief executive officer of Sikkim Tourism Development Corporation, led by the minister of the department, R. B. Subba, had visited London to participate in the World Travel market. , Sikkim was also adjudged the seventh best state in the country by a media group at the Galileo Travel World Awards held at New Delhi recent.
Source: Now
Dated: 19th November 2006.
More Visitors, Mainly Foreigners
Tourists hot up hills in winter
Siliguri, Nov. 28: It's no mean business for the hills this lean season!
It can either be the "improving" tourism infrastructure or the peaceful hill situation or even the Incredible India campaign responsible for it -tourists, mainly foreigners, are raining in the hills this winter.
Traditionally an "off season" for the region, the winter year is proving to be really hot for those in the travel sector with the footfall of tourists, recording, to quote a source in the industry, "an all time high".
"We have a back-breaking work schedule," said Samrat Sanyal, a member of the Eastern Himalayan Travel and Tour Operators' Association. "Though there is a rise in the number of domestic tourists the inflow of foreigners is phenomenal. The hotels are full- booked, very few vehicles are available, it is nothing like a lean season."
Every tour operator and hotelier of the hills, mainly Darjeeling, catering to high- end tourists, has registered a jump of 25 to 35 per cent in its foreign clientele, "It is not only the European countries that they are coming from, Now we have tourists coming from all over America, Canada, Japan France and Germany," said
Suresh Periwal, the president this of the association and one of the oldest tour operators here.
"Only a small fraction of tourists stay in
Siliguri," said Vivek Baid, a Siliguri-based hotelier. "But even that
number has shown a significant rise, a good many of those are lovers of
the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway.” The visitors are also going for all
sorts of tourism, be it bird-watching, trekking or exploring new
destinations.
Source: Now
Dated: 29th November 2006