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Most travelers will want to avoid the torrents of monsoon season (June to mid-September) in favor of shoulder season: hundreds of orchids bloom in March and April, and from late September through October the nights are cool and clear.
American Airlines (aa.com) and Continental Airlines (continental.com) fly direct from the United States to Delhi. From Delhi, connect to Bagdogra via Indian Airlines (indian-airlines.nic.in) or Jet Airways (jetairways.com). From Bagdogra it is a 30-mile drive to Kalimpong and a 50-mile drive to Gangtok, Sikkim’s capital. Arrange ground transportation ahead of time through your travel agent. We recommend T+L A-List agent Ellison Poe. A tourist visa ($73) is required to enter India, and must be obtained at an Indian embassy or consulate before arriving in the country. A second “inner line” permit is needed to enter Sikkim. Obtain from an embassy or consulate, or a tourist office in India.
There are no true luxury hotels in Sikkim, but these two options are clean, comfortable, and safe.
Upper Cart Rd., Kalimpong, West Bengal; 91-3552/255-248; himalayanhotel.biz; doubles from $65.
Tibet Rd., Gangtok, Sikkim; 91-3592/222-374; doubles from $96.
The best time to visit Sikkim’s Buddhist monasteries is in the morning, when monks gather to recite prayers. For regularly scheduled or customized guided eco-tours through Sikkim and Ladakh—including a rhododendron trek, a snow leopard quest, and visits to important Buddhist sites—try KarmaQuest Ecotourism and Adventure Travel (650/560-0101; karmaquests.com).
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