Sikkim's Tea Trails

The dramatic terrain of Sikkim guarantees stunning vistas of snow-capped Himalayan peaks and challenging biking on roads lined with a wide variety of rhododendrons. This landlocked northern Indian state is bordered by Nepal, Tibet and Bhutan, and the influence is seen in the people, the majority of whom are ethnically Nepali, and the two predominant religions of Hinduism and Vajrayana Buddhism.

We start our tour at the state capital of Gangtok, which is also a centre of Tibetan Buddhist culture and learning. On our first day of riding we'll take an easy cycle to get used to the higher altitude of 1,437 metres (4,715 ft) and use our bicycles to visit the 200-year-old baroque Enchey monastery. The next day we'll continue our exploration of Tibetan Buddhism when we ride to Rumtek Monastery, the largest in Sikkim. Now our daily ascents and descents begin in earnest!

We'll be riding down into valleys and then up over passes (none higher than 2,100 m) where we'll have the the Kanchenjunga mountain range as our backdrop. There are five peaks in the range, and include Kanchenjunga, the third highest mountain in the world, with an elevation of 8,586 m (28,169 ft). We take breaks to visit Tibetan Buddhist monasteries, make a wish at Sikkim's holiest lake, sample tea from local plantations, and ride a toy train in the colonial hill station of Darjeeling. The lush green landscape punctuated with colourful rhododendrons and orchids is breathtakingly beautiful, the ancient monasteries and Tibetan Buddhist culture is enriching and the tea is superior, welcome to Sikkim.