The forests of Sikkim are enormous and if you were told that a magical beast lived there you’d believe it. The Himalayas rise in the near distance, rose-petal pink in the morning: Kachenjunga, Kumbhakarna, Kabru. Monasteries limpet to the side of rock, adorned with fluttering flags and creaking prayer wheels.

Inside, butter tea is served and the air is thick with juniper. Novice monks perform ancient rights with diligent insouciance in hypnotic Tibetan, robes drawn against the chill, noses sniffling with a shared cold. A cacophony of chanting rises, crashing cymbals, drums and horns like the sounds of a mountain rousing itself from slumber.

Here in Sikkim, Buddhism is different to the more austere Burmese school. This is Tibetan Buddhism. Louder, brighter, confrontational. The Rainbow Buddha winks. Others can be found in flagrante. Skeletons cavort with naked goddesses; ogres sit on thrones of flame.

At Yuksom is a plinth where the first religious king of Sikkim was crowned in 1641. This, by most accounts, was the start of Sikkimese history. Everything before is uncertain.

Like the fog that envelopes, like the bottomless tankards of cloudy thongba millet beer, much of Sikkim, like its history, remains shrouded in mystery. Behind the curtain, beyond the next mountain.

Trekking in Sikkim

Trekking in Sikkim provides enthusiasts with an opportunity to explore the unspoiled beauty of the Indian Himalayas. The trails in Sikkim weave through lush greenery, dense forests and picturesque meadows. It is an ideal destination for both trekking and hiking in the Himalayas.

As one of the prime hiking destinations in the Himalayas, Sikkim boasts a blend of cultural richness and natural splendour. Adventurers seeking trekking in Sikkim are treated to an array of options. Treks range from short walks suitable for beginners to challenging high-altitude routes that test the seasoned hiker’s mettle.

Sikkim’s allure extends beyond trekking, offering a wide array of explorations in the Himalayas. From cultural experiences to adventure-filled escapades, India’s Himalayan region beckons travellers with hidden histories, breathtaking vistas and piping-hot momos!

History of Sikkim

In the Sikkimese capital of Gangtok, as well as nearby town of Kalimpong, the political history of the Himalayas – from The Great Game to the Cold War – can be uncovered.

The Tibetans used to refer to Sikkim as “denjong” meaning “hidden country”. In Bhutan it was known as “Beyul Demazong” meaning “hidden valley of rice”. Squeezed between its much larger neighbours of Bhutan, Nepal and Tibet, not much is known of the history of Sikkim.

Under the influence of Tibet, it became a Buddhist Kingdom in the 1600s. In the small Sikkimese town of Yuksom, it is possible to visit the site where the first king (“chogyal”) of Sikkim was crowned in 1641 by three Tibetan lamas, as prophesized by the Guru Rinpoche. The site is known as Norbu Ghang: a small, shaded hillock, where still remains four stone seats – three large ones for the lamas, a smaller one for the king.

Sikkim later came under the suzerainty of the Chinese Qing dynasty, and later still was a princely state of the British Raj. When the British left in 1947, Sikkim remained an independent entity, albeit under the suzerainty of India.

China’s annexation of Tibet in 1950, made the Indian government in Delhi regard Sikkim as a hugely important buffer. In the 1970s, with tensions peaking in the Cold War, and the Nepalese in Sikkim (mostly immigrants from the days of the British) clamouring for democracy, after years of legal wrangling and plenty of underhand skullduggery, Indian troops surrounded the Sikkim royal palace in Gangtok in May 1975 and the kingdom was annexed to become the 22^ndstate of India.