Posted in Assam, Environment, tagged Manas on March 30, 2009 | 1 Comment »
Manas – A land endowed with varied biodiversity, exceptional beauty and rich cultural traditions
Colour Sergeant mating
Great Pied Hornbill
Sunset over the Manas
See more of the winged beauties
Take a peek of Manas’ biodiversity
Posted in Sikkim, Travel, tagged Khecheopalri, lake on December 8, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
Local legend has it that any wish you make will be granted by the lake, hence the pseudo name ‘ The Wishing Lake’. Though my only wish is that the tranquil lake along with it’ surroundings remain as is, despite the onslaught of hoards of tourists. The very first time I visited Khecheopalri in 2007, [...]
Posted in Travel, tagged flora, sikkim, singalila on December 2, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
The Singalila range which borders West Bengal, Sikkim and Nepal is a biodiversity hotspot for flora and fauna alike. On my recent trek came across many of these beauties , mainly above Lower Yambong (3200 M). Whether it was the mauve colored slopes mingled with green and yellow, or the lilac aster or the freaky [...]
Posted in Community development, Sikkim, Travel, tagged Kangchendzonga, Naya Patal, singalila, trek, Yambong on December 1, 2008 | 1 Comment »
‘Permit Blues’ is what I was suffering from after three wasteful days in Gantok. Getting my KNP permit from the Forest Department was proving to be more frustrating that I had anticipated , aggravated further by a bandh and the half yearly bank closing. Like a pawn on the chess board I was shuffled from [...]
Posted in Community development, Travel, tagged chongri, ecotourism, Kangchendzonga, nambu, sangkhola, sikkim, trekking, yuksom on September 26, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature’s peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop away from you like the leaves of Autumn.
– John Muir
Most of us trekkers don’t bother too much about [...]
Posted in Sikkim, Travel, tagged hot springs, Lachen, Tarum on August 26, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
Imagine yourself climbing the Empire State building, now transport the stairs from the concrete periphery of the building to the ever green temperate forests and you find yourself climbing the Stairway to Heaven. This very aptly summarizes our trip to Tarum hot springs.
Our initial plan to do a three day trek to Lachung is shot [...]
Posted in Travel, tagged flora, Lachen, Lashar, rhododendron, Thangu on August 10, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
The variety of flora to be found in the Lachen valley is simply amazing. The great explorer botanist J.D. Hooker was completely awed by the variety of flora he found in the Lachen valley during his exploratory trip in 1849, making the following entry in his diary ” At first it appears incredible that so [...]
Posted in Sikkim, Travel, tagged Lashar, Sibu la, Thangu, Zachu on July 25, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
Both of us were ready by seven am, waiting for our guide Pema to accompany us to Lashar valley or Zachu, as the locals popularly called it. Last evening Pema had seemed a bit skeptical about our intention to go to Zachu valley in a day. According to him, it would take us a good [...]
Posted in Community development, Sikkim, Travel, tagged Alexandra David-Neel, Dewthang, Lachen, Lama Angden, Lashar, Tarum, Thangu, Zachu valley on July 19, 2008 | 1 Comment »
Was really glad to be back in Lachen, after spending nine long and boring days in rainy Gantok. As luck would have it the weather in Lachen was much better, it being bright and sunny and with slopes having more chlorophyll induced grass and plants due to the melting snow on top. Everything seemed to [...]
Posted in Community development, Travel, tagged kitam, sumbuk on July 14, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
It seems to me that every village in Sikkim wants a share in the tourism pie, which resulted in our short trip to the villages of Kitam and Sumbuk for checking the feasibility of tourism over there. Kitam, which is around 12kms. from Namchi at an altitude of 2200 feet, has very recently [...]
