Okhrey
Mumbai (Maharashtra) – Bagdogra (West Bengal) – Okhrey (Sikkim)
Where is Okhrey located?
Okhrey is a small hamlet predominantly occupied by the Sherpa community. It is the base camp one should consider if you are keen on hiking at the wonderful Barsey Rhododendron Sanctuary.
How to reach here?
The best way to travel to Okhrey is by road. The nearest Airport is “Bagdogra” and the nearest railway station is Jalpaiguri.
- Okhrey Altitude 7200 ft
- Distance from Bagdogra to Okhrey – 136 km
- Time taken – 5 hours
Best time to visit
Mid-March to May is the Rhodendron blooming season. So if you intend to see the flowering trees at their peak and intend to hike, this is the best time to visit. Else, skip the monsoons, and come back in autumn or winter, if you want to experience the chill. For us, April was freezing cold as we come from hot and humid Mumbai. However, expect thunderstorms and bad weather anytime. Unfortunately, when we visited Sikkim, cyclone Fani, the worst tropical cyclone had struck Odisha and its repercussions were felt in Sikkim too. Everyday post 2 pm, the skies would be gloomy, accompanied by rains and thundering till late at night. So, be prepared for all types of weather.
What to do?
The answer is simple …. walk, talk, spend time with your companions, enjoy some me-time, go for a hike or a trek, walk in the village, talk to locals, eat local food, enjoy the scenery, breathe in fresh unpolluted air, inhale food for your lungs, increase stamina by climbing up the mountains and many other activities which you do not get to do in cities like Mumbai. The best location for rejuvenating your mind and body and soul.
What did we do?
Let me narrate the story from the very beginning.
We are on board the flight from Mumbai – Delhi – Bagdogra. It’s 9.40 am. I have Twinkle Khanna’s book “Pyjamas are forgiving” to be read on the flight. Would highly recommend reading a book on the flight, a super productive way of spending those few hours on the air. So, with excitement in our hearts, we finally land at Bagdogra airport at 3.40 pm. We have booked a vehicle and a driver beforehand for this entire trip of 13 days. Our ride is a Mahindra Xylo which will be our faithful companion for this trip. Our driver, Tashi, turns out to be of a Bhutia descent, who patiently answers all the questions popping out of our inquisitive brains. We start our journey at 4.30 pm. Bagdogra drive is not a very pleasant one, the roadsides are filled with filth, people seem very irresponsible towards maintaining their environment and surroundings. But the story is soon about to change as we crossover to the Sikkim border. After a quick snack in West Bengal close to the Sikkim border, we finally enter the state.
The sun is already on the other side of the horizon and we take a break at Jorethang. Its 8.30 pm.
We take a 15-minute walk around the town and get going. The road is a winding one and I can’t get myself to sleep. It’s a scary drive in the dark on winding roads without any street lights and the temperature is getting cooler. It’s just 9 pm but the streets seem haunted. People seem to settle down in their homes earlier, unlike the cities where we are used to see busy roads until midnight. We finally reach Okhrey and park our Xylo in front of ‘The Kyilkhor Homestay’. Its 10.30 pm.
The owner Mr. Urgen Sherpa is waiting for us at the entrance. We are shown our room, and we immediately get comfortable in this big and warm room. We had forgotten to inform Mr. Sherpa that we already had our supper, but since they had already prepared it for us, we oblige by having some rice and momos for dinner. Exhausted, we call it a day and doze off.