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Sandwiched between Nepal in the west and Bhutan in the east, Sikkim shares border with these kingdom, the border that is full of gigantic mountains and stretch of rugged lands. Douglas Freshfield in 1899 was the first person who set out to examine the great western face of Khangchendzonga. Douglas Freshfield had traveled to Green Lakes , along with the famous Italian photographer Vittorio Sella', who had photographed Siniolchu from Zemu Valley .

Mountaineering starts from Yoksum village (1880m), where the motorable road ends at an altitude of 1770 meters, further to Tshoka, Dzongri (3950m), Thangshing, Samiti and finally Goechala Pass (5000m). It can take approximately five/six days to reach Goechala and two and three days to return back to Yuksom. Loacal Porters can be found at Yuksom which is cheaper at the rate of Rs 200/- to 400/- per day or at Gangtok through many travel agencies who tend to overprice it upto $35 (Approx Rs. 1,600) per day. It's hard to predict good weather at Goechala, but In case of good weather, one can see breathtaking view of gigantic mountains, glacier landscape and a closest view of the the third highest mountain in the world, the Kanchenjunga.

The season to climb in Sikkim is from March to May, September to November. If you want to be assured of clear sight of the snowy ranges as well as clear sky, then the best months to visit this region would be mid-October to mid of January. Over the last vew years, it has been noticed that the monsoons even extended to the third week of October. It does however tend to get very cold in December and January.

Mountain expeditions require more planning and paperwork as clearance is required from the Indian Mountaineering Foundation, New Delhi . In addition, Sikkim Governments also impose royalties on certain peaks. Foreign expeditions must book a peak.

Many travel agencies in Sikkim conduct mountain expeditions, but only handful of them are experience enough. So it's good idea to have proper knowledge about the experience of travel guide. If you are with a good travel agency, they will take care of everything for you, from porters, horse, tents and camping gears to food items. However it is advised that you re-check all the essential items by yourself.

Drinking un-boiled water can lead to several intestinal diseases because of bacteria and parasites. In snow, one becomes prone to frost-bite which manifests itself by causing numbness and loss of sensation of the limbs due to exposure to cold. Wearing warm clothing, thick woolen socks, gloves, and snow boots can prevent frost-bites. If frostbitten, warming one self by sitting too close to the fire can cause burns. Just sitting at a warm corner near the fire can bring sensation back to the affected area. Severe cases of frost-bite can cause gangrene and require immediate medical attention.

Mountain sickness is caused by lack of oxygen at high altitude. The symptoms are headache, mild nausea, lethargy, vomiting, difficulty in breathing, gurgling sound from the chest, water sputum and tiredness. If no precautions are taken, mountain sickness can develop into pulmonary Edema. To avoid mountain sickness one should avoid excessive exertion and walk steadily. It is advisable to get couple of days acclimatization at lower altitudes before moving to higher zones.

The glare and dazzle of snow can cause snow-blindness or photophobia. To prevent snow-blindness it is essential to use dark goggles in area which are covered with snow.

Food should be taken in smaller quantity but more frequently.

Travel in Sikkim

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