Visit Shimla or Sikkim areas in May 2014
Jan 4th, 2014, 05:34 PM
#1
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Visit Shimla or Sikkim areas in May 2014
We are active 60 year olds looking to spend 14 days from May 14th in either the Shimla or Sikkim area. We enjoy culture, site seeing and day hikes. Can anyone advise on the advantages / disadvantages of either areas.
Jan 4th, 2014, 05:47 PM
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I have not been to Shimla, but my reading leads me to believe it would be more similar to Darjeeling than to Sikkim. We visited Sikkim a few years ago and loved our time there. It is an opportunity to see Tibetan Buddhism practiced as it has been for hundreds of years. Much of the Tibetan Buddhist culture has been eradicated in Tibet. Sikkim and Tibet have a long history and there have been Tibetan Buddhist monasteries in Sikkim far before the Chinese invasion of Tibet. Sikkim, an independent kingdom for many years has a very different feel from India, which it has only been a part of for a few decades. Darjeeling is quite different, definitely India in a way that Sikkim is not.
You might find my trip report helpful:http://www.fodors.com/community/asia...p-to-india.cfm
Photos at: http://www.marlandc.com/sikkim-2010.html
Knowing what I know now, I would have chosen to spend all of our time in Sikkim and I would have skipped Darjeeling.
You might find my trip report helpful:http://www.fodors.com/community/asia...p-to-india.cfm
Photos at: http://www.marlandc.com/sikkim-2010.html
Knowing what I know now, I would have chosen to spend all of our time in Sikkim and I would have skipped Darjeeling.
Jan 4th, 2014, 06:27 PM
#3
When you say "area", does that mean more than one location in the vicinity of one or the other? I've been to both areas, Shimla more than once, but the best time of all I spent about 2 weeks divided among Sikkim (outside a village on a farm, not in a town), Darjeeling and Kalimpong. They are close together and all very different from one another and all in view of Kanchenjunga, surprisingly thrilling when it comes out from behind it's clouds. I would do it again in a heatbeat.
Jan 5th, 2014, 06:05 PM
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Thank you both for your reply. We throughly enjoyed reading your trip report Kathie and yes MmePerdu we mean more than one location in the vicinity. We have decided on Sikkim we now have to do our homework on the time and towns/villages we want to visit and also research on a travel agent to assist with the booking.
I am excited as I have always wanted to visit India.
I am excited as I have always wanted to visit India.
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