Sikkim
For those with little time, and no inclination to undergo the rigours of a hard mountain trek, a walk up the meadows of Dzongri will be just befitting.It offers a truely Alpine experience, within a span of a forthnight or less. Your journey starts from Darjeeling. It is well connected to Calcutta by air, road and rail. Though Darjeeling has lost much of the charm of it's yester years, still it is one of the most famous hill stations of eastern Himlayas.Darjeeling is a bustling tourist hot spot, with breath taking views of the Kanchenjungha to offer. From Darjeeling, travel to Gantok by road.Gantok is far more attractive than Darjeeling as it is still unscathed by the commercialisation Darjeeling has had to suffer.Gantok is the capital of Sikkim and is best known for its Buddhist monastries and exotic orchids. From Gantok, drive down to Yuksom. Yuksom literally means 'meeting of the three lamas'. It is the seat of the Red Hat sect of Buddhism which fled from Tibet in the 17th century and took refuge here.Yuksom is not only aplenty with natural beauty, but also an important centre for Buddhism.After Yuksom, make your way to Bakkim. The trail crosses over jungles of rhododendrons, magnolias and ferns. It crosses the Prek Chu river and ascends steeply before arriving at Bakkim.Over night halt at Bakkim in tents under starry skies. From Bakkim, make your way to Tshoka. Tshoka is a tibetian settlement, and is a lovely village, tucked away into the obscurity of these mountains.After a short halt, put your walking shoes back on, and trudge your way to Pedang.Next day make your way to dzongri from Pedang.The gain in altitude is pretty considerable at this point, and it is advisable to take a day getting acclimatised to it.Pitch your tents and enjoy the splenderous view of Koktang, Rathong, Kabru and kanchenjungha. Next day, rise at dawn to watch the sun rise over Kanchenjungha. Prepare yourself for a day long excursion to Lakshmi Pokari.The trial goes through jungles of Rhododendrons and open lush green pastures to reach Chamaray.From here begins the ascent to Lakshmi Pokhari which is a big lake cupped in a deep crater.Enjoy the panoramic view of the snow capped mountains all around, and if your fitness permits you can also brave a walk to kabur rock, which is definitely worth a visit.Complete the day, by coming back to Dzongri and setting up camp for the night.From Dzongri, retrace your footsteps to Yuksom and then to Darjeeling to conclude your journey.