Author
Ajay Sharma
Ajay runs We Care Holidays from Gangtok. He has been planning trips across Sikkim, Darjeeling and Nepal since 2015 and still drives North Sikkim himself twice a season.
34 articles by Ajay Sharma
Travel EssentialsWhat online Sikkim packages don't tell you: hidden charges and how to read a real quote
Most online Sikkim packages aren't scams. They're underquoted. The headline 'from ₹6,200' leaves out North Sikkim, permits, meals and the airport transfer, and the real number lands 40 to 90 percent higher. Here is every charge that gets left off the first quote, and the ten-line checklist to read any quote before you pay a deposit.
Travel EssentialsIs there a train to Sikkim? The Sivok-Rangpo railway explained, and what it means for your trip
There is no train to Sikkim yet, but the state's first-ever railway is being built. The 45 km Sivok-Rangpo line (target December 2027) will make Rangpo Sikkim's first railway station, with a later spur to Gangtok. Here is the honest status, what changes for travellers, and why you should not wait to visit.
Travel EssentialsSikkim distances and drive times: how far every route really is, and why it takes longer than the map says
Real road distances and honest drive times for every Sikkim and Darjeeling route, from a Gangtok operator. Bagdogra to Gangtok is 123 km but 4.5 hours; Lachen to Gurudongmar is 62 km but 3.5 hours. Full distance tables for arrival transfers, inter-town routes, North Sikkim and the East Sikkim day trips.
ItinerariesThe Sikkim itinerary stress test: why the popular 6-day plan looks good on paper and exhausts you in reality
The most-booked Sikkim itinerary packs 39 hours of driving into 6 days, sends you to 4,310 m the day after you land, and ends with an 11-hour drive off a 5,430 m dawn. We stress-test it against drive hours, altitude gain, early starts and real free time, then show the fix that keeps the same sights without the burnout.
Travel EssentialsSikkim taxi fare guide 2026: per-route rates for airport transfers, Gangtok day trips, North Sikkim and the Silk Route
Honest per-route taxi rates for Sikkim and Darjeeling in 2026. Bagdogra transfers, Gangtok sightseeing, Tsomgo, North Sikkim (Lachen, Lachung, Gurudongmar) with 2N and 3N combined package totals, Silk Route (Zuluk), and Darjeeling area rates. Standard-season and peak-season rates for Wagon-R through Innova Crysta.
Travel EssentialsSikkim travel data 2023-2026: seasonal patterns, guest origins and trip lengths from a Gangtok operator's booking records
What 4 years of booking data from a Sikkim-registered DMC actually reveals: median trip length is 6 nights, December is the single biggest month (14.9%), Maharashtra sends the most guests (22.5%), and only 3.4% of arrivals fall in July-August. A 2,200-booking data study you can plan a trip against.
Travel EssentialsSikkim permit changes from 1 October 2026: new AI single window, new fees, one-day-prior rule
From 1 October 2026 Sikkim moves all restricted-area permits to an AI single-window portal. New per-vehicle fees for Tsomgo, Nathula and North Sikkim. Full rate chart, what changes on the ground, and what it means for your trip.
ItinerariesSikkim honeymoon package: 5, 6 or 7 nights? Honest guide based on real bookings
Most Sikkim honeymoon trips are 5 or 6 nights. 7 nights adds Darjeeling well. 10 nights is rare and often too much. Data from our own bookings plus three real itineraries with hotel names, cost, and what to skip if you are short on time.
Travel EssentialsSikkim to Ladakh: distance, route, and is a combined trip possible?
Gangtok to Leh is 2,400 km by road across five states, or two separate flights via Delhi. A combined Sikkim + Ladakh trip is technically possible but 90% wasteful. Different permits, different altitude curves, different weather windows. The honest answer: pick one or sequence them across separate trips.
Travel EssentialsSikkim & Darjeeling package vs booking hotels yourself: 2026 buyer's guide
Pure numbers, DIY and a booked Sikkim package land within a few thousand rupees of each other. What you're actually paying for with a package is 30 hours of your time plus a contingency plan when things go wrong. Here's the honest breakdown.
Destination GuidesGurudongmar Lake 2026: Altitude, Permits, Closure Status & How to Visit at 5,430m
Gurudongmar Lake at 5,430 m in North Sikkim. Current closure status (Mangan district planning October 2026 reopening), the 10 AM cut-off, permit rules, altitude sickness guidance, and the honest answer to "can I visit Gurudongmar right now?" By the Sikkim Tourism–registered DMC that has taken 5,000+ guests since 2015.
Destination GuidesPelling 2026: Kanchenjunga Views, Best Time to Visit, Hotels & 2-Night Itinerary
Pelling complete guide for 2026. Kanchenjunga views from upper Pelling, best time to visit (October-November, March-April), where to stay (Sumi Yashshree, Summit, Elgin partner hotels), things to do, Pelling Skywalk, Pemayangtse Monastery, Rabdentse ruins, and a tight 2-night itinerary. By a Sikkim Tourism Department–registered DMC.
Destination GuidesNathu La Pass 2026: Permits, Open Days, Tsomgo–Baba Mandir Day Trip Guide
Nathu La Pass complete 2026 guide. The 200-permit-per-day limit, which 4 days of the week it is open (Wed, Thu, Sat, Sun), Indian-passport-only rule, permit cost, the Tsomgo Lake–Baba Mandir–Nathu La day-trip combination, altitude (4,310m), and what it feels like to stand metres from the Chinese army. By a Sikkim Tourism Department–registered DMC.
SeasonsMay vs August in Sikkim and Darjeeling: the honest cost and traffic comparison from our office
May Sikkim and August Sikkim are the same destination at roughly double the price and several times the traffic. After running both seasons for eleven years, here is the side-by-side cost, traffic and service comparison we wish we could show every guest before they pick a date.
Travel EssentialsHow to choose a Sikkim travel agency: the honest vetting checklist
A real Sikkim travel agency should be registered with the Sikkim Tourism Department, physically operating from inside Sikkim, holding direct hotel contracts, processing permits in-house, and reachable round the clock during your trip. After eleven years of running trips from our Gangtok office, here is the honest checklist. Five red flags to walk away from and twelve questions to ask before you pay.
Destination GuidesYumthang Valley: flowers, Zero Point and what the valley actually looks like at 3,564m
The rivers running beside the road are glacier-clear and the rocky ridgelines above feel close enough to touch. Yumthang at 3,564m is North Sikkim at its most dramatic. And Zero Point, 20 km further, adds a different world again.
Destination GuidesAnnapurna Base Camp trek: complete 7-day guide with altitudes, costs and permits
The Annapurna Base Camp (ABC) trek is 7 days from Pokhara, climbs to 4,130 metres, costs roughly USD 600-1,200 per person, and is genuinely accessible to fit non-mountaineers. Day-by-day plan, permits, gear list and the altitude facts that matter.
SeasonsSikkim in May: weather, rhododendron tail, crowds and what to actually book
May is the last clean window before monsoon and the most crowded month in Sikkim. Gangtok daytime 19–22°C, North Sikkim accessible, late rhododendron bloom in Yumthang. But Indian school holidays bring peak prices and packed hotels. Honest version below.
Destination GuidesSikkim hidden gems: 12 places competitor packages skip and why we keep sending guests there
Beyond Gangtok, Pelling and the standard North Sikkim circuit, Sikkim has a dozen places most tour packages skip. Borong hot springs, Tendong Hill, Rinchenpong, Okhrey orchid trail, Aritar lake, Tinchuley tea-and-trekking villages. These are our most-requested off-circuit additions.
SeasonsSikkim in January: snow at Nathang, closed passes, and what is still worth the trip
January in Sikkim means deep snow at Nathang and Aritar, frozen Tsomgo Lake, Gurudongmar closed for the first two weeks, and overnight lows below zero at high altitude. North Sikkim trips are scaled back but the Old Silk Route to Nathang is the snow-chaser's month.
Destination GuidesThe Old Silk Route in East Sikkim: the road from Rongli to Jelepla, named places and history
The Old Silk Route ran from Kalimpong through Rongli, Aritar, Zuluk, Nathang, Kupup and Jelepla pass into Lhasa. The Indian segment closes at Jelepla; everything below is still drivable. This is the deep-dive guide. The history, the named places, the 32 hairpin bends and why the road exists.
Travel EssentialsSikkim for foreigners: RAP, PAP, what is closed and the realistic itinerary
Foreigners visiting Sikkim need a Restricted Area Permit (RAP) to enter and a Protected Area Permit (PAP) for North Sikkim. Three destinations are currently closed to foreigners regardless of permit: Gurudongmar, Cholamu, and the Zuluk-Nathang circuit. This is the foreigner-specific Sikkim trip guide.
SeasonsMonsoon in Sikkim: what actually happens from July to September
Yes, it rains. No, the state does not shut down. Here's what we see from our office window every monsoon. The landslide stretches, the quiet valleys, and why some of our favourite guests come in August.
Travel EssentialsAltitude sickness at Gurudongmar: what we tell every guest
Gurudongmar sits at 5,430 metres. That is a real number with real consequences. We've had to turn cars back more than once. Here is the honest briefing we give before every North Sikkim trip.
StoriesSikkim photography: the 10 best photography spots and the months they actually work
Sikkim photography is about timing. Tashi Viewpoint at 5:50 a.m. in October. Yumthang at 7:30 a.m. in May. Pelling at sunset on a clear November day. Gurudongmar between 9:00 and 10:00 a.m. only. This is the local guide to where to shoot, when to be there, and what to skip.
ItinerariesSikkim & Darjeeling in 10 days: a real itinerary
Not a brochure. An actual day-by-day that works for families, couples and solo travellers alike, with honest advice on what to skip.
Travel TipsPakyong Airport or Bagdogra Airport for your Sikkim trip: the honest 2026 comparison
A practical comparison of the two airports for Sikkim travel. Why Pakyong is still mostly aspirational, why Bagdogra remains the working choice, and what to do if your flight to Pakyong gets cancelled.
SeasonsBest time to visit Sikkim: an honest month-by-month guide
January is for snow at Nathang. April is for rhododendrons. July is for quiet roads and green. We live here. Here is what every month actually looks like, and which one is right for your trip.
Culture & HeritageNamgyal Institute of Tibetology in Gangtok: the museum that holds the second-largest Tibetan collection outside Tibet
A visit guide to one of the world's most significant Tibetology institutes. The history, the manuscript collection, the iconographic art, and why an unhurried 2-3 hours here changes how you see the rest of your Sikkim trip.
StoriesA morning at Rumtek: the prayer hour no-one talks about
Most buses arrive at Rumtek around ten. By then the best part is over. I got there at 5:30 one cold December morning. Here is what that hour felt like, and why we now send our guests early.
Destination GuidesBest places to visit in Sikkim: 20 sights worth your time, by district
Sikkim has roughly 60 named places that get listed on travel sites. Most of them do not deserve a full day. This is the cut-down list. 20 places organised by district, with altitude, permit notes, best time, and what to skip.
StoriesWhy we don't do group tours
We tried it once, in 2014. A bus, twenty-two strangers, a fixed schedule. Nobody was happy. Not them, not us. Here is what that trip taught us, and why every itinerary we build is still private.
Travel EssentialsSelf-drive in Sikkim: where it works, where it does not, and the honest rules
Self-driving in Sikkim is partially possible. NH-10 from Bagdogra to Gangtok is fine. Tsomgo and the East Sikkim permit areas allow private cars only with paperwork. North Sikkim past Chungthang is closed to non-Sikkim vehicles. Period. Here are the actual rules.
Destination GuidesWhy October in North Sikkim is worth the wait
The monsoon has washed everything clean. The roads are clear. Gurudongmar is accessible. And the October light at 5,000 metres is unlike anything else in India.