Travel

Khanjenjunga Mountain Range

Posted by Susan Sharma on May 04, 2020

 
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Mount Kanchenjunga

 

 

Any write-up on Sikkim would be incomplete if we do not cover Mount Kanchenjunga, the all pervasive mountain range which oversees Sikkim.

 

Kangchenjunga, also spelt Khangchendzonga, is the third highest mountain in the world. It rises with an elevation of 8,586 m in a section of the Himalayas called Kangchenjunga Himal.   Until 1852, Kangchenjunga was assumed to be the highest mountain in the world.

Kangchenjunga was first climbed on 25 May 1955 by Joe Brown and George Band, who were part of a British expedition. They stopped short of the summit in accordance with the promise given to the Chogyal(erstwhile rulers of Sikkim) that the top of the mountain would remain intact. Every climber or climbing group that has reached the summit has followed this tradition of stopping short by 10 feet. 

 

Kanchenjunga translated means “The Five Treasures of Snows”, as it contains five peaks, four of them over 8,450 metres.

 

Sikkimese worship Mt Kanchenjunga as their guardian deity. It is believed that the ‘mountain god’ played an active role in introducing Buddhism into this former kingdom.

 

 

Travel

Bird Sanctuary in Sikkim

Posted by Susan Sharma on May 03, 2020

 
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Bird Sanctuary

 

For serious birdwatchers, Sikkim has a bird sanctuary not very far from Gangtok, the capital city.  

 

Kitam Bird Sanctuary is a protected sanctuary located near Namchi, Sikkim. From Gangtok, it is 71 km away.

The bird sanctuary lies between 1200 feet and 3200 feet above sea level, and  occupies an area of more than 6 square kilometers within thick vegetation of shrubs and sal, pine forests. This sanctuary has two rivers namely, River Rangit and Manpur River. Sumbuk and Kitam are the two villages located in the sanctuary. Tumbol Schor, the highest point of Kitam Bird Sanctuary, offers great panoramic views of the surrounding mountains.

Kitam Bird Sanctuary is heaven for bird lovers and attracts domestic and international tourists around the year for birding. Kitam is the only low altitude bird sanctuary and remain open throughout the year. Home to over 200 species of birds, Kitam is also known for several beautiful butterflies.

There are many bird watching trails and a few watch towers and viewpoints in this sanctuary that are ideal for bird watching. 

The best time to visit this place is during the months of October to May, as in winters several colourful migratory birds come to visit here.

To enjoy birding in the early morning hours, one must opt to stay at a homestay in Kitam.  Look for Barbet Home Stay Kitam on google.   We had done a day trip from Gangtok. Here is a documentation of our trip

 

 

Travel

Darjeeling, West Bengal

Posted by Susan Sharma on May 01, 2020

 
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Darjeeling, West Bengal

 
Kanchenjunga at Tiger Hill, Darjeeling - a celebration to share
https://youtu.be/Gj0tv9tcui8

Near Darjeeling is a short and otherwise unremarkable hill. It is possible to walk up to the summit or hire a jeep to get there. Some even spend the night on or near this elevated place,  so as to catch the early morning sunrays on Khanjenjunga.

Tiger Hill offers a spectacular view of Kanchenjunga, that third highest summit on earth and peoples from far and near assemble to witness the sun strike, not just that lofty summit, but also the dawn awakening of the Himalayas. Due to the elevation of Kanchenjunga and the curvature of the earth, the sun touches here before lighting the lower Himalaya summits to the east. Residents of the area had long held this belief of first light to be true for thousands of years before the first man stood on the summit of Kanchenjunga(actually six metres below the summit in deference to local sentiments) and realized it was true.

Therefore, you have a magic place and a magic moment and an experience best shared. The dawn at Tiger Hill takes on a carnival atmosphere. There are men banging drums and those playing pipes. First, the cold wind stirs chill air and the many prayer flags begin to flutter then the crowd grows almost silent before the moment. Till then the darkness of 4 am is broken by cries of "Coffee" for those braving the chill.  The rising sun tips the summit with gold then blushes rose, the day has begun. Manmade music rises again as those around begin to dance, chant and worship. There are smiles on all the faces and the cold morning long forgotten.

Travel

River Teesta, Sikkim

Posted by Susan Sharma on April 30, 2020

 
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River Teesta

 

 

Anyone travelling in Sikkim by road cannot but be impressed by the mighty Teesta River.

 

Teesta(Tista) River is a 315 km long river that rises in the eastern Himalayas.  It flows through the states of Sikkim and West Bengal in India and through Bangladesh before entering the Bay of Bengal.

Flowing through the length of Sikkim, the Teesta River is considered to be the lifeline of the state. 

The Teesta River originates from the Pahunri (or Teesta Kangse) glacier above 7,068 metres (23,189 ft), and flows southward through gorges and rapids in the Sikkim Himalaya.

It is fed by rivulets and tributaries Rangit, Rangpo.  

A number of hydroelectric projects and dams have been built on this river.  The Teesta river dam projects have been approved with the requirement that they adopt suitable seismic coefficient in the design for the dam, tunnel, surge shaft and power house. The projects are cascaded over the length of the river, do not store large amounts water, have small reservoirs, and therefore the projects are expected to have very low risk from the reservoir induced seismic activity  in the area.

 

Melli (also spelled Malli) is a town on the West Bengal-Sikkim border near the River Teesta.

Lepchas are among the indigenous peoples of Sikkim, India and number between 30,000 and 50,000.   The Dzongu valley, an officially demarcated reserve for Lepcha community bordering Khangchendzonga Biosphere Reserve, known for its vast plant wealth is one of the least attended areas on ethnomedicinal aspects, for being sacred and restricted, especially to outsiders.

 

Travel

Sikkim Tour

Posted by Susan Sharma on April 30, 2020

 
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Visit- February 19th to 28th, 2020

 

Four of us, me, husband, brother and wife made a memorable road trp to Sikkim in the month of February 2020, and managed coming back just before the nation was caught in a lock-down.  Reliving the memories of that trip has been a pleasurable past-time during the lock down!

 

 

 

According to ABP live, since the corona pandemic reached Indian shore, the state of Sikkim has remained completely virus free.  Early measures taken by the state have so far been effective in keeping the virus at bay.  Since the state has a border with China, it was on high alert and very early issued mandatory screening at the border.  Even though tourist season had just started the state still ordered a ban on foreign tourists on 5 March.  And even before the nationwide lock-down, Sikkim declared self-quarantine by March 17.  Borders with neighboring state West Bengal were also closely monitored.

There are some other features of this Indian state which could have been a deterrent.  

Sikkim is the first fully organic state in the country.  Sikkim  has  registered a 4 percent increase in the state's forest cover since 1993. 

The total forest and tree cover of the State as per the latest India State of Forest Report 2017 is 3379 sq. km (47.62% of the total geographical area of the state)

In Feb 2020, when Aadu(Peach) trees were in full bloom and rhododendron were beginning to bloom, we entered Sikkim.  The date is 19th February,2020. This short video tells it all

 

Travel

Taxi service in Shimla

Posted by Sunil Sharma on April 26, 2020

 
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We are one of the best taxi service in Shimla and provide sightseeing to all the places around Shimla i.e Kufri, Narkanda, Chail, Naldehra, Tatapani, etc. We also provide all Himachal Tours with pick and drop from Chandigarh railway station or airport. We offer English speaking Drivers cum Guide for Foreign language customers.

**We also provide Hotel & Volvo service separately.**

For more details please click on this link. 

Travel

How one can spend huge time with a single Backpack in Rajasthan

Posted by primeadventure on April 14, 2020

 
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Having a backpack on your back has many misconceptions around it, especially when you are traveling for a long time. People may express shock to you when you tell them that you will be having only one backpack for an entire year, including winters! Nonetheless, it is only you who knows and understands that it is practically possible to live like that with minimum things possible. It just comes down to being creative and picking up the right things to live the minimalist lifestyle.
Minimize the things you don’t really need
80% of the things in the travelers’ suitcases are the ones that they use only once in a while. Even if there are things that you use only once in a week, it is useless for you as a traveler. Basically, you need to learn to survive without those items that see the light of the day only rarely. If you pack items for the ‘just in case’ scenario, you need to rethink and drop those items.
The necessary things 
Toiletries are the only things that you need on a daily basis. Shampoo, conditioner, and moisturizers are the few items that you do need regularly, but you can get them anywhere in the world, almost! Try not to be picky about your brands and specifications, and try to adjust to any brands according to your skin. Pantene and Dove, for instance, are the shampoo brands that are available almost in every country. If you need something that you need particularly from your home country, you can carry it in large quantity. Rest everything can be refilled on the go.
Invest in crucial things
A few investments are meant for travelers, one of which is a packing organizer. You can buy in a clean and dirty split cube, also known as packing cube. You can separate your clean clothes from the dirty ones in this organizer. The mesh compartment is meant for the dirty and sweaty clothes and it keeps the moisture out of the clothes. You can wash the soiled clothes whenever you get time. The best part is that you get clarity and peace of mind when you know that you don’t have to touch the dirty clothes and reach directly for the clean ones without getting confused.
You must buy a sturdy backpack as well because it goes a long way with you compared to the weak bag that can ditch you anywhere on the go. You would not want to get stranded in the middle of the road, if you are in a desert in Rajasthan, want to book rajasthan tour taxi 
for example.
Meeting new travelers 
When backpackers meet other travelers like them, they are happy to help each other. You can share a 
hire taxi in jaipur, for instance, or swap your clothes if you are tired of the garments in your bag. Every backpacker is equally bored of their limited clothing options, so they are happy to exchange their clothing while traveling together. You can always buy new clothes wherever you go, unless the place is very expensive, and save on the check-in baggage fees.
You need to assess the special needs of a place, if any. Otherwise, you can comfortably travel with minimum items in your backpack and still survive!

you can book car rental in udaipur too

Travel

camel safari in jaisalmer

Posted by Heritagetaxiservices on April 13, 2020

 
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Heritage taxi services offers the best camel safari in jaisalmer that takes the guts and soul of each human. Heritage taxi services Packages leads you to witness the desert lifetime of Jaisalmer whereby you’ll be able to feel the pleasure of Desert safari that energizes you by its graven beauty.

Travel

Places of interest Jaisalmer and surroundings: Tips & info

Posted by Heritagetaxiservices on April 13, 2020

 
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Jaisalmer is also called the "golden city" because of the yellow-colored sandstone from which most buildings are built. The fortress dominates centrally, which towers above the lower houses like a medieval city. It is reminiscent of an Indian version of Carcassonne.

The name Jaisalmer literally means "the hill of Jaisal", a reference to Maharawal Jaisal Singh, the Rajput king who founded the city in the 12th century AD along the caravan route between East and West. It is a very nice place to explore, wandering through the maze of streets and past the many restaurants and shops. There is an almost medieval atmosphere and it seems as if you have ended up in a story from One Thousand and One Nights. Click here to get taxi service in jaisalmer.

  1. Jaisalmer Fort

The Jaisalmer Fort is the undisputed eye-catcher of the city. It is actually an urban district in itself. It is an ancient residence of the Maharaja and his household. Furthermore, people of the first (Brahman - priests and scholars) and second (Rajput - warriors and kings) also lived there. In the past, 5,000 people lived within the walls of the fortified fort. Today there are still 4,000 and the caste system plays less strongly here.

The fort towers 76 meters above the city and is surrounded by its own 17th century fortification wall of about 9 km long with 99 bastions. In the meantime, 3 bastions have collapsed due to water erosion, which are being restored and the other bastions are being reinforced further. In the fort you will find several impressive Jain temples in addition to various palaces.

Jaisalmer Fort

  1. Sunset Point

Sunset Point is a popular point for tourists because it offers a beautiful panorama of the city and the fort at sunset . Another special feature of this place is that it is a cremation place for Hindus. Cremation is a common tradition for Hindu funerals because it is the fastest way to reincarnation according to their beliefs. You will also see many small mausoleums that have something magical in the evening.

A funeral at Hindus lasts a total of 12 days. During the cremation, the deceased is wrapped in cloth and placed on 4 layers of branches, usually of sandalwood. Then the body is covered with a fifth layer of wood. The layers of wood symbolize the natural elements (wind, water, earth, fire and air). The cremation ritual lasts about 3 hours. The family remains until the deceased is completely burned out. The ashes are then scattered in the Ganges.

Sunset Point

  1. Gadisar Lake

Gadisar Lake or Gadi Sagar is perhaps one of the most idyllic places in the entire Rajasthan region. It is an artificial lake that used to serve as a water basin. The charm is formed by the small pavilions that stand on the water. There, the former Maharajahs went in search of cooling during the hottest days.

Also notable is the 14th century entrance gate, Tilon Ki Pol, on which a temple is built on top. That would have been done to prevent people from breaking down the gate. It is said to have been built by a courtesan or mistress of the monarch. Therefore, it was said that people who walked to the lake through the gate "through her legs". The scandal raised fears that the gate would be destroyed.

The lake is magical at sunset. So try to pass here in the evening if you can.

Gadisar Lake

  1. Nathmalji-ki-Haveli

India is known for the havelis or homes of former noblemen and wealthy citizens. Also in Jaisalmer you will find some beautiful specimens, of which the Nathmalji ki Haveli is one of the most striking. The house was built in 1885 by two brothers. They also had their own say in the structure and the decorations applied.

Today, the haveli is still inhabited by the family's descendants. They show tourists around and there is also a souvenir shop.

Also visit: Rajasthan tour packages

Nathmalji-ki-Haveli

  1. Patwon-ki-haveli

Another well-restored haveli is the Patwon ki Haveli, which dates from 1805. Actually, this is a group of 5 havelis that were built for 5 brothers. One of the havelis now houses a museum and shop, but the other havelis can also be visited. In the 5th haveli there is a gallery with work by local artists.

From the roof terrace you have a beautiful view of the city and surroundings.

Patwon-ki-haveli

  1. Spend the night in the desert of Sam Sand Dunes

The sand dunes of Sam are a very famous tourist attraction. Every day you see dromedaries and people waiting for the sunset. Here you have an excellent opportunity if you have always wanted to sit on a dromedary. You can also dredge on foot through the soft desert sand or do a jeep safari in jaisalmer.

There are also many (luxury) tents where you could spend the night if you have always wanted to sleep in the desert. Do expect it to get very cold at night, unlike the heat during the day. Interested in a safari on a camel or dromedary? Several tours are available in the Sam area.

Sam sand dunes

Sam Sand Dunes desert camp

  1. Jaisalmer Desert Festival

The Jaisalmer Desert Festival is an annual event that takes place in the Hindu month of Magh (February) and three days prior to the full moon. The festival is celebrated amidst the beautiful dunes of the Thar Desert in Sam. The festivities of this festival bring the desert to life.

The pageant starts with a morning procession from Jaisalmer Fort to Shahid Poonam Singh Stadium. The locals then costume in regular costumes .They sing and dance with choreographies around the tragedies and achievements of the desert. The Gair and the fire dance are the main highlights of the festival. The Kalabaz or the Nat's are also popular: a group of nomads who perform gymnastic activities. The Langhas and Manganiars of the Bhopa play gripping folk music and ballads.

Attend unique sports events such as camel polo and camel race

You can also attend unique sports competitions such as camel polo and camel racing. There are stunts on the back of camels and choreographies with camels. Other competitions include tug of war, turban tying and the longest mustache competition. The grand finale of the festival is the Rajasthani folk concert following an air force show, cricket match and skydiving.

The festival ends on Poornima (day of the full moon) in the dunes of Sam with the fort "Sonar Qila" Jaisalmer in the background in a fairytale atmosphere.

Jaisalmer Desert Festival

  1. Khuldara

On the road between the sand dunes of Sam and the Thar desert you will find Khuldara . About 400 years ago, this village was completely abandoned overnight. Legend has it that Salim Sing, then Prime Minister, had his eye on a girl from the village. However, the village did not want to give the beautiful girl to the minister. When the latter insisted, the people decided to leave the village overnight, never to return. Nobody knows where they left.

The village mainly consists of ruins, but the government does make efforts for tourist development here, as a result of which the houses and the temple are increasingly rebuilt. It is best to visit Khuldara with a local guide, who can tell you more about the village.

  1. Movie: The most beautiful sights in Jaisalmer

Curious about what Jaisalmer and its special sights look like? In this video you will join a short tour through Jaisalmer. If you want to admire this special city in real life, you will of course have to travel to Jaisalmer yourself!

  1. Don't miss anything during your tour of Rajasthan with our travel guide!

 

Recognizable : You want to make sure you don't miss anything during your tour of Rajasthan? We have already done the research work for you. 

Travel

Himalaya Trekking Package | Himalayas tour package

Posted by brahmandtour on April 10, 2020

 
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Himalayas tour package has constantly been one among the most sought destinations. Known for the very best mountains in the world maximum trekkers set out straight closer 

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