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Sikkim Monastic Tour |
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Sikkim's near about 200
monasteries or Gompas belonging to the Nyingma and Kagyu
order have not only been influencing the cultural heritage
and lifestyle of the people, but also demonstrates the
ancient rituals in practice. Devoted Lamas robed in red,
chant ancient mantras to the rhythm of drums and trumpets
while soft lights flicker from decorative lamps placed
before statues of the great Guru Padmasambhava. Feel the
peace and quiet of being one with nature and close to the
almighty as sacred words mingle with the whirring prayer
wheels.
The Gompas are adorned with life-like frescoes of
hoary Buddhist legends, rare silk and brocade Thangkas.
Also preserved here, are ancient Tibetan manuscripts,
exquisitely carved wood work and icons of silver and gold. |
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Suggested Itinerary: |
| Day 01 |
Arrive Siliguri / Bagdogra / New Jalpaiguri –
Darjeeling (85 km, 3 hours)
Meeting & assistance on arrival and transfer to
Darjeeling. Overnight at the hotel in Darjeeling. |
Day 02
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Darjeeling - Full day sightseeing of Darjeeling. It
includes ;
Early morning sunrise view from Tiger Hill. The view
from this point is unforgettable, for colours changing
from grey to pink and to luminous gold. Mt. Everest
(8,848m), the world’s highest peak is visible from
Tiger Hill but being 170 km away does not stand out as
strikingly as the nearer Kanchenjunga.
After breakfast, visit Himalayan Mountaineering
Institute, the house of Late Tenzing Norgay, the
sherpa who first climbed Mt. Everest with Edmund
Hillary in 1953. Then visit Natural History Museum,
Lloyd Botanical Garden established in 1878 and the
Zoo, specializing in high altitude species.
Afternoon visit to Tibetan Refugee Self Help Centre
which produces and sells a wide range of Tibetan
artifacts and curios. Here you can see Tibetan
craftsman making traditional items like carpets,
woolen boots, wood carvings and leather boots. The
centre was established in 1954 to rehabilitate those
refugees who had fled Tibet with Dalai Lama in the
wake of the Chinese invasion.Overnight at the hotel in
Darjeeling. |
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Day 03 |
Darjeeling – Gangtok (98 km, 4.1/2 hours)
After breakfast drive to Gangtok. Afternoon free for
shopping and leisure. Overnight at the hotel in
Gangtok. |
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Day 04 |
Gangtok - Full day sightseeing including visit to ;
Enchey Monastery; it is a beautiful monastery, in an
equally beautiful setting, approached along an avenue
of hundreds of multi-coloured prayer flags. Government
Institute of Cottage Industries; here you can watch
young students being taught the traditional art of
thangkha paintings along with weaving, wood carving
and carpet making. Also visit the Institute of
Tibetology, housed in a beautiful building, built in
traditional Tibetan style, with mural decorated
columns and a wonderful smell of beeswax polish from
the creaky wooden floor.
Then drive through picturesque, terraced rice fields
to the headquarter of Dharma Chakra Centres (Rumtek
Monastery), the present seat of His Holiness, the
Gyalwa Karmapa, head of the Kagyupa sect. Said to be
the replica of the monastery at Tsurphu, Tibet with
its traditional architecture, exquisite paintings,
intricate wood work, housing treasures of manuscripts
and icons. Rumtek is a splendid example of Tibetan
monastic art. Overnight at the hotel in Gangtok. |
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Day 05 |
Gangtok – Kalimpong (77 km, 3 hours)
Morning drive to Kalimpong. Afternoon visit to Tharpa
Choling Monastery, belonging to the Gelugpa sect of
Dalai Lama. Then drive to Deolo Hill, the highest
point in Kalimpong at 5,500 ft, which offers good view
of the surrounding region. It also has two water
reservoirs, the source of Kalimpong drinking water.
Then visit Zong-Dog Palri Fo-brang Monastery followed
by visit to Gauripur House, the favorite retreat of
Rabindra Nath Tagore who wrote many of his works here.
Overnight at the hotel in Kalimpong. |
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Day 06 |
Kalimpong – Siliguri / Bagdogra airport / New
Jalpaiguri (80 km, 3 hours) |
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India Map...
Leh & Ladakh....
Darjeeling....
Central India....
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