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North Sikkim
The Travel spots are:
1. Phodong
Monastery
2. Seven Sisters Waterfalls
3. Mangan
4. Singhik
5. Chungthang
6. Lachung (8800 ft)
7. Copta Valley (13200 ft)
8. Yumthang (12000 ft, Valley of Flowers)
9. Yumthang Hot Spring
10. Lachen (9800 ft)
11. Thangu
12. Guru-Dongmar Lake (17800 ft)
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1. Phodong
Monastery
Distance - 38 km ( from Gangtok )
This monastery was built by the Chogyal Gyurmed Namgyal in the first quarter of the
18th century in Phodong of North Sikkim. It belongs to the Kagyupa Sect and it
is said to be the first Kagyupa monastery to be set up in
Sikkim.
The original monastery has been rebuilt and is one of the most beautiful monasteries in Sikkim. It possesses
the old mural paintings and has around 260 monks. Like the Ralong and Rumtek monastery the main annual Puja is performed on
the 28th & 29th days of the tenth month of the Tibetan
Calendar
when the religious dances are performed.
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2. Seven Sisters Waterfalls:
 It is located 32 Km away from Gangtok on the
NH leading to North Sikkim. To facilitate the tourists to savour
the pristine beauty and to be with nature, Sikkim Tourism
Department has set up a waiting shed and cafeteria where they
can take a break.
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3. Mangan :
Distance- 65 km ( from Gangtok )
Altitude - 3950 ft.
Mangan is the district HQs of North Sikkim, a little
hamlet with flower patches, and the water wheels strung with
bells set in exquisite miniature gardens more than compensate
for the primitiveness of the region. The Mangan Bazaar (market
place) is situated on the North Sikkim highway with around fifty
odd shops. The district collectorate is situated around two
kilometers uphill from market at Pentok. Just opposite to Mangan,
separated by river Teesta, is seen a sloppy villages namely
Lingdong, Barfok, Hee-Gyathang falling under Dzongu area. From
the Pentok area, the picturesque view of mount Siniolchu (a
range of mount Khangchendzonga) is also seen.
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4. Singhik :
Note: The area also has a number of interesting short nature
treks of 1 to 3 days along the higher ridges of the surrounding
hills.
Its 4 km from Mangan, from where one can take a
glorious view of Mt. Khangchendzonga, and its neighboring peaks.
Half an hour uphill walk takes you to an ancient monastery.
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5. Chungthang:
Distance - 95 km ( from Gangtok )
Altitude - 5,600 ft.
Chungthang is situated on the way to Yumthang. It is a small
town surrounded by high mountains seeming to touch the sky. Chungthang lies on the confluence of two hilly rivers Lachen and
Lachung Chu and the starting point of river Teesta has emerged
as a major subdivision settlement in North Sikkim. According to legend Chungthang was the
meeting place of Guru Rimpoche & Lepcha Chieftain Thekung Tek.
It was here from where the word Demazong originated according to
the prophecy of Guru Rimpoche.
From here the
road bifurcates for the Lachen and Lachung valleys. Chungthang is the rock on which legend has it
Guru Padmasambhava rested and the imprint on it is said to be
his footmark. There is a small opening in the rock which remains
filled with spring water Adjacent to the rock there is a small
stretch of land where paddy grows, defying the conditions which
are not conducive to the growth of this crop here, It is said
that while here Guru Padmasambhava had sprinkled a handful of
grain on this spot and paddy has grown here ever since.
It is
predominantly a Lepcha region.
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6. Lachung (small pass):
Distance - 116 km ( from Gangtok )
Altitude - 8800 ft.
Lachung is a very small town with scattered settlements,
dominated mostly by Bhutias. There is also an army cantonment
for the border protection. You can visit monastery, handicraft
centre, go around for village. If you are interested then you
can do trout fishing.
A Bhutia village has a unique local self-governing body called
the Zumsa which substitutes the Panchayat. It is located about
25 kms prior to Yumthang Valley. To get a glimpse of Lachung
Monastery you have to come to the opposite slope of the highway.
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7. Chopta Valley:
Altitude - 13,200 ft
 It has breathtaking alpine scenery with lofty snow capped peaks,
meandering rivers and alpine flowers that bloom in May-July. It
is about 20 minutes drive from Thangu. Nearby Gurudongmar Lake
is a holy lake at an altitude of over 17,000 ft.
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8. Yumthang Valley
Distance - 145 km ( from Gangtok )
Altitude - 12000 ft.
Note : It is a restricted area and special permits are required.
At 24 kms from Lachung lies Yumthang, the rightfully called the
Valley of Flowers as in Flowering season there blossoms vivid
colours of variety of Rhododendrons, chimals and blue poppies.
Yumthang is located on a flat valley and is near the tree line,
the surrounding mountains seems to kiss the heavens. The journey
from Lachung to Yumthang has a very picturesque landscape and is
lined with Rhododendrons & 108 other types of Orchids which
bloom in different colours. April and May promises colourful
flowers, where as November end to March usually sees snows. You see the flower bed in summer, you see snow bed
in the winter.
Yumthang valley is a mesmerizing scene with yaks grazing on
flower - carpeted meadows against a backdrop of towering peaks.
The breathtaking views can become a part of a
timeless scene without any kind of intrusion.
Yumthang is now open to foreigners
and has also caught the fancy of filmmakers. Although Yumthang itself is located
on a flat valley and is near the tree-line, the surrounding
mountains seem to touch the heavens. The route to Yumthang from
Lachung - adjoining the Singba Forest Reserve -has a very
picturesque landscape and is lined with rhododendrons which
bloom at their best in May. What is particularly interesting
about the rhododendrons of the Yumthang valley is that they
bloom in different colours unlike those in other parts of Sikkim
which are usually red. During the tourist season, the Sikkim Tourism Department
& Sikkim Travel Operators organizes package tours to Yumthang. Yumthang
has a Forest Department Rest House but tourists are normally
accommodated at the Tourist Lodge named Yaksey 6 kms from
Lachung towards Yumthang. Another 23 kms ahead of
Yumthang are the hot springs of Yumey- Samndong (Yumesomdung) on the river
Sebu-chu at the foot of the mountain on which lies the Donkiala
pass that connects the Lachung valley to the Lachen valley
Yumesomdung, the famous area name.
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9. Yumthang Hot Springs
Yumthang is well known for its hot springs. To reach, one has to walk
a few hundred yards from the road and across a pedestrian bridge
on
 the River Lachung. For the convenience of bathers a hut with
two pools in which the hot spring water collects has been
constructed. Hot water is rich with sulphur, emanates from a spring
just behind the hut and is diverted to the pools. It is
difficult to imagine that water so hot in its natural form could
be found in such cold place.
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10. Lachen: (big pass)
Distance - 122 km ( from Gangtok )
Altitude - 9800 ft.
 This small town is located at an alt of 2735m, which is 123 kms
from the capital. The journey takes almost 6-hrs drive and it is
also a base for the Green Lake trek most of the mountaineering
activities.
This new destination of the millennium, only opened on the 20th
of December 2000, for domestic and foreign tourists. It's a
natures gifted wonderland- in fact words will fall short to
describe the glory of this place. The people, culture,
monasteries, valleys flowers zone. The famous Yak race in Thangu,
Chopta Valley and Domestic Tourists can also visit upto Gurudongmar
Lake and Cholamu Lake, the source of river Teesta. Since this is
a new destination, the infrastructure is bare minimum and there
could be some difficulties but all troubles are compensated by
the beauty of the place. Its just too good, held annually at
Muguthang.
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11. Thangu :
The route continues from Lachen to gradual ascend of 28 kms
through the mountain ridge leads to Thangu. Its alpine meadows
are dotted with wooden houses and army camps. The calm water of
Teesta flowing through the valley presents a fantastic contrast.
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12. Gurudongmar:
Distance - 150 km ( from Gangtok )
Altitude - 17100 ft.
The Calm and crystal clear water of the Gurudongmar Lake in that
altitude is great to watch. This is also one of
the sacred lake and many pilgrims visit this place once in a
year. People with respiratory problem
should not go to this place.
Cholamo Lake is above Guru
Dongmar Lake and is the origin of Teesta River.
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