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If it wasn’t for the notes I made during our journey, this blog about Pelling would have been impossible. Yes, that’s how poor human memory is – or at least mine is!
But here I am – writing about our trip back in Dec 2022 and a magical moment that will stay with us forever. More so, with our daughter, as her wish of a ‘snow trip’ finally came true (more about it in the parts that follow this blog).
As a family that travels at least twice a year, and how travelling has evolved in general, we love researching the places we want to visit, the hotels where we would like to stay at, and the places where we can get the best local cuisine.
Sikkim was a different game, this time though. With work keeping us busy, we relied on travel agents to make our end-to-end itinerary and tell us about this wonderland, which we hadn’t heard or read about much.
With a readymade itinerary in hand, we headed to Bagdogra for our first date with a small but popular town - Pelling.
My notes reveal my vivid memories of our first landing in North Eastern India – our driver’s fascination for football written all over his car and a confusing mix of the old and new that the streets of Siliguri displayed.
The roads of Siliguri
The city gave us the experience of travelling back in time, with colourful tuk-tuks adorning the roads. As my eyes gazed out of the car window, the photographer in me wanted to jump out and spend hours walking, capturing the sights and stories of the streets – whether it was the play of light and shadow on a woman and her simple green cotton saree, plonked on another tuk-tuk with her grandchild or the scores of tiny shops selling wooden sculptures and cane furniture.
Our road journey to Pelling was also longer because of a local rally and we had no choice but to keep looking out of our window.
Our magical stay
We stayed at Kaya Gantavya Resort & Spa at Pelling. To be honest, it was the BEST beginning to our trip – a hotel with a fabulous view of Mt. Kanchenjunga – the third-highest mountain in the world! Of course, we realised this only in the following morning; but our check-in into the hotel was met by some lovely Christmas decorations. The woody look and ambiance gave us much warmth that was needed at a freezing 10 degrees!
Khecheopalri Lake
Our Day 2 was all about exploring Pelling. We started with Khecheopalri Lake – also known as the Wishing Lake or wish fulfilling lake. There’s a popular belief about Khecheopalri Lake that there can’t be any leaves floating in the lake water. In case of any stray leaves that happen to fall in the lake, birds do the job of picking them up. Read more about the lake here.
Kanchenjunga waterfalls
After a peaceful time at the lake, we continued towards the Kanchenjunga waterfalls. It was a complete mesmerizing experience as we stood close to the waterfalls and felt the gushing water on our faces. Do check the video below.
Rimbi Orange garden
The itinerary included a visit to the Darap village, the Rimbi Orange garden, Pelling Skywalk and Pemayangtse monastery – all of which was easily possible in a day’s time. Of course, if you have time on hand, you can spend hours at the Khecheopalri lake or at the monastery to soak in the quiet that the town of Pelling offers.
The Rimbi village offered a tranquil experience as we spent our afternoon there, just after visiting the Kanchenjunga waterfalls. An enthusiastic local who owned a shop there recommended we tasted the fruit wine there. Apparently, you can taste a variety of fruit wines here.
Pemayangtse monastery
Words fall short to describe the Pemayangtse monastery and the treasure of centuries-old keepsakes it holds. Don’t miss the attic-style (somewhat dark) museum it has, that showcases these.
If you love taking photographs, you will love spending time here, especially looking at the colourful windows of the locals' homes.
Sikkim is also blessed with an unbelievable variety of flora. For those who love observing smaller details of life, these beautiful flowers especially Hydrangea growing at the roadside will be an experience in itself. I couldn't help falling in love with them!
Going back to our hotel felt good for a night’s sleep after a trip around the mountains. But waking up to the view of Mt. Kanchenjunga was magical.
The morning after, breakfast meant spending time eating some yummy food with a view of this majestic natural wonder and some soothing “Karagre vasate Lakshmi” chants which made it all the more special.
After coming home, I played this on loop every morning and my heart yearned to go back that very instant. Do check it out and you can thank me later!
Pelling was peaceful and if you had to choose a mini vacay, we will definitely recommend it over other touristy places. Travel back in time, travel to Pelling.
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Disclaimer: No part of our trip was sponsored by any brand.
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