Yuksom – Rabangla Buddha Park – Gangtok
About Rabangla
A small town located between Namchi, Pelling and Gangtok. Ravangla or Rawangla or Ravongla is a small tourist town with an elevation of 8000 feet located in the South Sikkim district of the Indian state of Sikkim. It is connected by state highway to other major towns in the state and lies between Pelling and Gangtok.
About Gangtok
It is the capital city of Sikkim, highly populated compared with the rural sikkim. And a lot of cars resulting in traffic. All modern amenities available here. It is connected with all major cities of the country by road and there is an airport here as well. Pakyong Airport (IATA: PYG, ICAO: VEPY) is a seasonal domestic airport serving Gangtok, the capital of Sikkim, India.
Our Experience
So, here comes the day to say good bye to Yuksom. We are in love with this place just like Okhrey. Who says that love happens only once? I am falling in love with each location each day. A hearty breakfast and we say our good-byes to the Lord of mountains.
Now we are heading to Gangtok via Ravangla/ Rabangla / Rabongla. It is another popular hill station of South Sikkim, housing the Buddha Park also called “Tathagata Tsal”, featuring a 130-foot high statue of Buddha as its centerpiece. It was constructed on account of 2550th birth anniversary of Gautam Buddha.
Tathagata Tsal
We see a beautiful view of mountains (as could be seen from everywhere else in this mountain state), and clear view of Cho Djo Lake nearby. It is a Huge property and beautifully landscaped gardens and very serene.
We buy lots of mementos from the few gift shops in the campus. There are a couple of food joints here serving 100% vegetarian food, so this place is a boon for us. And we had the opportunity of watching an Oriya movie being shot here while enjoying delicious momos and chow-mein. I spoke to the actor of the movie briefly, he hails from Delhi, but forgot to ask his name or take a picture with him or the lead actress. Later I find out that the movie name is “Baisali” or “Baishali” or “Vaishali”.
Bottom left is picture of movie star cast with the local dancers. The other 2 pictures are us with the local dancers.
Gangtok
Today is a travelling day. Yuksom to Ravangla is 55 km, and thereon to Gangtok is 75 kms roughly. We reach Gangtok by 4 pm. A feeling of being in the state capital dawns upon us. Its a beautiful city, an urban dwelling set up in the middle of mountains but I am missing the rural Sikkim already.
Gangtok is a development on top of the mountains and one may wonder how could urbanization happen here. It would be so challenging to get modern amenities up the mountains. But our intelligent mankind has a solution for every challenge. It is not a hamlet, it is a city, small winding roads, 2-way traffic, endless lines of vehicles.
It took us one hour to reach our homestay from the moment we entered Gangtok borders, big cars on small roads pose a big traffic problem here.
We come across a lot of universities and colleges. Literacy rate is very high here. Teachers are highly paid, and they are given a lot of other perks too, as we find out from our Gangtok host who is a teacher in an international school.
Shopping is very popular pastime for tourists here. So, after settling down in our rooms we go to M G Road which is the popular shopping hub. Our hosts have suggested “osm” restaurant for dinner and food is true to its name. American cuisine was more authentic than what I had expected. Local cuisine was obviously awesome.
For the sports lover, Paragliding should not be missed. Depending on the speed and direction of the wind the paragliders are chosen. his picture here is of paragliding experience here. Its an experience which would stay in our memories forever.
- Summary
- Gangtok Altitude – 5,410 ft
- Distance travelled today – 130 kms
Homestay review – Green Tara Service Apartment.
We are staying at the Green Tara homestay. The home is such that there is a shop on the ground level, apartments on first level and apartment suites like ours on the second level and the third and fourth level is where the hosts stay. Haard is totally in love with our apartment suite, which has 2 bedrooms, a nice and clean bathroom and a kitchennette equipped with single electric stove, microwave and a few basic utensils along with a dining table and four chairs. Of course we have a TV, a little armoire and 2 chairs in the bedrooms – a very modern set up, newly done and very neat. Our meal package includes breakfast here.
- Rooms – Highly recommended – good clean rooms. Newly constructed, fully furnished, luxurious (by Sikkim standards), furnished kitchen (cooking facility available). One little armoire, 2 double beds. Tiny rooms, once our bags were in the room, there was hardly any place to walk around. We had opted for a 2-bedroom apartment with kitchenette. Any vessel/ dishes we use, had to be washed by us.
- Food – excellent, package included only breakfast (paratha-bhaji, bread butter jam, tea. Milk for kids was charge extra).
- Location – Good, cab takes around Rs 150 one-way trip from here to the M G road.
- Contact person – Mr. Sanjoy Pradhan
- Local places to eat – Osm restro and Lounge, very good multi-cuisine food. Nimtho Local cuisine, excellent for local food.
day 5 – Trek to Dubdi Monastary – Karthok Lake – Coronation Throne – Khanchendzonga National Park