Nathu La-Tsomgo Lake-Baba Mandir circuit fare revised

GANGTOK, August 30: In a bid to protect tourists from being fleeced by ‘jholey’ tour operators and streamline tourism traffic, the State Tourism department has notified the revised rates of package tours along the lucrative Nathu La-Tsomgo Lake-Baba Mandir circuit.
The revised rate of package tours to Tsomgo, Baba Mandir and Nathu La will stand enforced from Tuesday, September 1 as the tourism season for Sikkim approaches.
Most importantly, the revised rates of transportation and other expenses are chargeable by registered travel agents who are registered with the Tourism department which effectively delivers a KO to seasonal tour operators and taxi drivers fishing for tourists for the Nathu La-Tsomgo Lake-Baba Mandir circuit.
The total rate for a package tour to the above three destinations from Gangtok in a Mahindra Max or Sumo is Rs. 5,795 with provisions for 15 percent service charge for the concerned travel agent who has arranged the tour. These include environmental cess of Rs. 2000, transport fees of Rs. 2500 and remaining amount for contingencies.
Traveling in luxury vehicles of SK06 series, an extra Rs. 800 will be charged.
For tourists wishing to go only Kyangsola/Tsomgo Lake in Mahindra Max or Sumo, the travel agent can charge Rs. 2,300 as taxi fares and other expenses including 15 percent service charge on transport cost. For luxury vehicles, an extra Rs. 800 will be charged.
The rate for Baba Mandir tour has been revised to Rs. 2,737 in Mahindra Max with an additional Rs. 800 to be paid in case of luxury vehicles. For vans or cars, the total cost has been revised to Rs. 2117.
“This package rate should be followed strictly”, warns the Tourism department.
At the same time, it may be added here that the above rates are only for registered travel agents, the rates to above destinations for drivers is as per the Motor Vehicle department rates.
Expectedly, the new revised rates have greeted with kushi by local tour operators registered with the Tourism department as they are now entitled to service charges with respect. The rates will also bring discipline and streamline tourism sector, it is said.
Despite much talk about decongesting tourism traffic from Gangtok, the triumvirate of Nathu La-Tsomgo Lake-Baba Mandir still remains the ‘lifeline’ of Sikkim Tourism. Thousands of domestic tourists swarm to these tourism hotspots during peak season like salmons returning back to breed.
And the existence of grizzly bears feeding on the harvest is known when tourists complain of being fleeced or charged exorbitant rates which usually find much space in local media. Introspection of such cons reveals that the tourists had been taken for a ride by opportunistic drivers or fly by night tour operators.
Tourists used to be charged as much as Rs. 8000 for a ride to Tsomgo earlier. Even the collection by Pokheri Sangrakshan Samiti was felt as a burden for the overcharge tourists and it is not seen for what purpose the fees are being collected, it is claimed.
Now, with the much needed official rates for registered tour operators, such undesired incidents may come to a halt. The rates are expected to be displayed prominently in tourism office, tourist information centres and websites for the knowledge of tourists.
The registered tour operators and travel agents are also protected by the new rates from being dragged into unnecessary distractions, it was pointed out.

Land Slides at 17th Mile cut off Tsomgo Lake

27th Mile sinks along NH 31A disrupting traffic
One BRO labourer killed in the 17th Mile slide
GANGTOK/RANGPO, August 1: The holy trinity of Sikkim tourism - Nathu La border, Tsomgo Lake and Baba Mandir - has been rendered inaccessible till further notice with torrential overnight downpour triggering a mudslide along the Jawaharlal Nehru (JN) Marg stretch at 17th Mile near Kyongsala in East Sikkim.
The road leading to the above tourism spots have been completely washed near Kyongsala Falls during the slides which occurred in the wee hours of the morning.
The landslide also claimed the life of a Border Roads Organization (BRO) labourer working a machine man.
Till the time of filing this report, the combined team of Sikkim police, Army and BRO personnel are engaged in trying to recover the body of the BRO labourer.
However, there are no reports of any standard tourists or people along the JN Marg as the slide took place early in the morning forcing the tourists to call off their visits to the above tourism spots.
The local people has attributed the slide to the back cutting of the J.N .Marg by BRO during its widening works which has left most of the lands fragile and vulnerable to slides.
“None of the vehicles plying to Tsomgo Lake and Baba Mandir will be allowed until the process of restoration of the roads gets over”, said the police.
It was not only the high altitude areas of East Sikkim that was reeling under slides, same pictures have arrived from the NH 31A stretch under Kalimpong subdivision.
The Highway, Sikkim’s lifeline, has been suffering from various disruptions over the past few months caused by bandhs, reports of GLP misbehaviour and now slides.
Two trucks had broken down at the slushy 27th Mile along the national highway which disrupted traffic for almost four hours. Though the light vehicles managed to scrape thorough the slushy mess, heavy vehicles remained standard for most hours of today.

A PHOTO FEATURE ON LAKES OF SIKKIM

All Photographs courtsey:

Information &Public Relation deptt.

Govt.of Sikkim

Heaven - 12,400ft above sea level!

Changu or Tsongmo lake is a 40km uphill from gangtok at about 12,400ft. It takes about 90 minutes to get there. Every curve, every view on our way up there is truly exotic. One would be spellbound when one reaches Changu lake. It should be around -3 , -5 Deg. C. during december.The lake gets frozen!