Western Sikkim
¤ Attractions of The Town
A 105km to the west of Gangtok lies the busy town of Gezing. It is
the major transport hub of the region as it is located at the
crossroads of the major bus routes. The town has a decent market and
it is a good idea to stock up your supplies before you take off on
your odyssey into the more remote reaches of western Sikkim.
Pelling is 9km from Gezing. Not unlike Gangtok, the once quaint
little town of Pelling, sits on a steep ridge overlooking sprawling
endless mountains. Yet again, not unlike Gangtok, the town is
mushrooming with new hotels, shops and restaurants every year.
You could visit the Sanga Choelling Gompa, 3km away from downtown
Pelling (for more details see section on The Monasteries of Sikkim).
The last point open to travellers in western Sikkim is Yuksum –
the first capital of Sikkim. Today it serves as the base camp for a
number of popular treks. The Dubdu Monastery is about an hour’s
walk away from Yuksum and is believed to be amongst the oldest
monasteries in the state. The monastery is the place where the first
chogyal or monarch was consecrated in 1614. |
