East Sikkim’s Silk Route, which is available to tourists, is really a section of the old Silk Road. The Ancient Silk Road was a vast network of ancient trade routes that connected Asia to the Mediterranean, passing via China, India, Persia, Arabia, Egypt, Greece, and Italy. This route was formally created around 130 BC during China’s Han Dynasty. Between 130 BCE and 1453 CE, it connected parts of the ancient world through commerce.
The Sikkim Silk Route as it exists now is a derivation of the Ancient Silk Road. Indeed, it is simply a portion of the old silk road that connected Tibet’s Lhasa to West Bengal’s Tamralipta. Yes, Lhasa was once a hub of historic commerce and trade. Tamralipta, or modern-day Tamluk in West Bengal, was the closest seaport to Lhasa.
The Ancient Silk Road
This whole Silk Route stretched over 900 kilometres from Lhasa to Tamralipta, beginning in Tibet’s Chumbi Valley, passing via Nathu La and then across the highlands of East Sikkim before reaching the plains of Bengal. The Chumbi Valley is connected to Sikkim to the southwest by the Nathu La and Jelep La mountain passes. It is the sliver of territory between India and Bhutan that is most well-known for the India-China Doklam standoff.
Along the Silk Road, a variety of goods were exchanged. Chinese silk was considered a luxury material and was traded from Asia to Europe. Additionally, textiles, tea, spices, colours, pharmaceuticals, glassware, fruits, and even camels were represented. Apart from goods, these ancient channels were also used to transmit information, ideas, and culture. To be sure, the Silk Route is mostly irrelevant now because of geopolitical limitations. If you want to plan a trip, take the best North East India Holiday packages now!
East Sikkim Itinerary
Ideally, four days should be allotted for exploring this route. That location, with everything it has, is deserving of that length of time. However, a two-night, three-day excursion may suffice. It would only provide you with an incentive to return eventually.
DAY 1: Depart from NJP / Bagdogra and go to Sillery / Pedong / Kalimpong / Reshikhola / Rongli / Aritrar / Mankhim via Sillery / Pedong / Kalimpong / Reshikhola / Rongli / Rongli / Aritrar / Mankhim. Alternatively, one might add a day here to see two of the locations.
DAY 2: Arrive in the morning in Rongli and receive the permissions. Following that, continue down the Silk Route. Consider spending the second night at Padamchen / Dzuluk / Nathang Valley.
DAY 3: At Eagle’s Nest or Thambi Viewpoint, witness the sunrise. Visit Kupup, Tukla, and Baba’s Bunker, among other places. Otherwise, one may descend to any location in the foothills for the night or travel to Gangtok.
DAY 4: Return or Continue to a different location
If travelling from Gangtok, head to Nathang Valley or Zuluk for the first night after visiting Changu, Nathu La, and New Baba Mandir. On Day 2, begin touring after sunrise and go to any location in the foothills, thereby departing for Day 3’s return.
When is the best time to visit?
One can travel via the Silk Route. Sikkim is open all year save for the rainy season and the winter season’s peak days. However, May and October are the greatest months to experience the true spirit of the silk route. The environment is ideal for exploration during these months, and the roads are impervious to the fury of rain and snow. The months of April, May, and June saw an astronomical increase in travel.
If you want to discover India’s hidden beauty, take a road trip with North East India Holiday packages. In this essay, I’ll take you on a virtual journey through the Himalayas’ less travelled regions. The silk road is a millennia-old trade route that connects central Asia to the Mediterranean sea. Apart from commerce, the silk route was critical to the development of civilization.
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