Author
Shella Chettri
Shella Chettri is a senior travel consultant at We Care Holidays with more than ten years arranging Sikkim and Darjeeling trips. A Sikkim local, she knows the region's permits, drive times and hotels first-hand and plans each trip around the traveller's pace.
14 articles by Shella Chettri
Travel EssentialsSikkim trip cost: honest 2026 budget breakdown by tier and duration
A 7-night Sikkim trip in 2026 costs roughly ₹26,000 per person at budget tier, ₹42,000 mid-tier, ₹78,000 premium. The 10-night version including Gurudongmar runs ₹38,000 to ₹95,000. Here is the line-item breakdown. Vehicle, permits, meals, hotels, seasonal swings. With no hidden charges.
Travel EssentialsSikkim cultural etiquette: monastery rules, village manners and the things visitors get wrong
Sikkim has three distinct cultures sharing one valley. Bhutia, Lepcha and Nepali. Each has specific etiquette around monasteries, homes, greetings and gifts. Visitors who get it right are remembered warmly; visitors who get it wrong are politely tolerated but never invited back. Here is the practical guide.
Culture & HeritageTravelling to Sikkim during Dasain, Tihar or Losar: what changes and whether you should
A practical decision guide for visiting Sikkim during major festivals. What opens, what closes, what feels magical, what gets crowded, and the dates to plan around. Written for travellers, not religious visitors.
Travel EssentialsSikkim emergency contacts, hospitals and medical facilities: the reference travellers should save
Sikkim has one large referral hospital (STNM in Gangtok), three district hospitals, and basic primary health centres in most towns. Emergency numbers are universal. 100 police, 102 ambulance, 108 statewide emergency. At altitude, the high-altitude pharmacy at Lachen is the most-northerly point of medical care. This is the reference travellers should save.
Travel EssentialsSikkim festivals: Pang Lhabsol, Losoong, Bhumchu and the annual calendar that locals follow
Sikkim has more than 15 distinct festivals across the Buddhist, Hindu and tribal traditions. Pang Lhabsol in August, Losoong in December, Bhumchu in February, plus Saga Dawa, Drupka Tsechi and Tihar. This is the local calendar with dates, locations, and how to time your visit.
Travel TipsGangtok's MG Marg: the local walking, shopping and evening guide
A street-by-street guide to Gangtok's pedestrian heart. Where to walk, where to eat, what to buy, which side streets reward the wander, and when the strip is at its most beautiful.
Travel TipsA slow day in Darjeeling: cafes, bookshops and walks for the day you do not sightsee
For travellers who need a quiet day mid-trip in Darjeeling. The cafes with good coffee and Wi-Fi, the bookshops worth losing an hour in, the slower walks, and the unhurried afternoon plans.
Travel EssentialsHow to reach Gangtok from Bagdogra, NJP, Kolkata, Delhi and Mumbai
Gangtok has no commercial airport service and no railhead. You arrive at Bagdogra (124 km, 4 hours by road) or New Jalpaiguri (117 km, 4 hours). Pakyong airport is closer but irregular. This is the honest route guide with current drive times, costs and seasonal caveats.
Travel TipsSolo female travel in Sikkim: how safe it really is, and the practical things that matter
An honest, operator-desk perspective on solo female travel in Sikkim and Darjeeling. What is genuinely safe, what to think about, and the small habits that keep first-time visitors comfortable.
Travel EssentialsBagdogra airport (IXB): terminals, pre-paid taxi, hotels, food and the layover survival guide
Bagdogra (IXB) is the gateway to Sikkim, Darjeeling and Bhutan. Single terminal, basic facilities, regular evening fog in monsoon, useful pre-paid taxi counter. Here is the practical guide for arrivals, departures, layovers, food options and the airport hotels that work for an overnight transit.
Culture & HeritagePrayer flags in Sikkim: what the five colours mean and the etiquette no tour guide explains
Why you see prayer flags everywhere in Sikkim, what the colours mean, when to hang them, where to never sit beneath them, and how to behave at the most sacred flag sites.
Travel EssentialsSikkim solo travel: safety, practical pacing and the honest women-specific notes
Sikkim is one of the safest states in India for solo travel, including for women. NCRB crime rates per capita rank among the lowest nationally. Hostels exist in Gangtok and Pelling. Foreigner solo travellers face one specific restriction. No PAP for North Sikkim alone. Here is the honest guide.
Travel EssentialsSikkim trip from Delhi: flight, train, road options and which is actually fastest
Delhi to Sikkim by flight is 2.5 hours to Bagdogra + 4.5 hours by road = 7 hours total door-to-door. By train it is 20-22 hours overnight to NJP + 4.5 hours road. By road only it is 30+ hours of continuous driving. Here are the route options ranked honestly.
Travel TipsChristmas and New Year in Sikkim or Darjeeling: an honest guide to the peak-of-peak season
A planning guide for the busiest two weeks of the Sikkim and Darjeeling calendar. Hotel rates, advance booking timing, weather realities, what is open and closed, and how to plan a trip that does not feel like a queue.