With the New Year 2024 just around the corner, it’s high time when a large chunk of families wonder about a suitable vacation destination to visit with their loved ones.
Talking about the suitable vacation & not giving a thought to the North-eastern region of the country is barely possible. The terrains, exclusively unique food habits as this region’s cuisines offer variegated recipes besides a vibrant yet highly civilized culture with fullest of hospitality simply draws you towards itself.
Out of the many North-eastern holiday destinations, Sikkim tops the list of the most untapped yet exciting regions in the country for multiple reasons. Being one unique and beautiful region in the country’s northeast, Sikkim has much to offer you. Its cuisines, culture, flora and fauna rank among the best. Out of the various types of adventure sports, travellers can enjoy paragliding in Sikkim for which it is a perfect destination in the North-eastern region as it is not far behind.
The ‘bird sport’, as paragliding is popularly referred to, has already gained its immense popularity among the Indians today. From Sanasar in Jammu & Kashmir to Vagamon in Kerala & from Kamshet in Maharashtra to Shillong, Meghalaya in the North-eastern regions, this adventure sports has taken over across almost whole of the country. The Sikkim-Darjeeling is up there with the best in the country as far as providing facilities for this adventure sport is concerned.
6 Amazing Paragliding Spots In Sikkim
Once you make up your mind about paragliding in Sikkim, you shouldn’t be hesitant going ahead with that. Here’s your go-to list of the 10 most popular places for paragliding in Sikkim that can re-energize your adventure sports spirit during a tour:
1. Baliman Dara
Located nearby the state capital city of Gangtok, Baliman Dara – Resithang Village in Sikkim remains a take-off point for a Medium Fly Flight. Situated at an altitude of 1,400m, paragliding here means you can enjoy a complete view of the whole city. The landing point for the same is at the Resithang Sports Village’s Stadium. In Resithang, Medium Flight of 1,700 m for 10 minutes & 1,850 m for 12 to 15 minutes also takes off at the Ani-Gumpa & Takse Road respectively.
Price: Usual cost of paragliding in Sikkim is Rs. 1,000 to Rs.2,500 per person.
Location: Lower Sichey, Near Jhanjhari Waterfalls, Ranka Road, Gangtok.
Weather: Temperature fluctuates between 11 to 20 degree Celsius.
How to Reach: If traveling by Air then Bagdogra Airport in West Bengal is just 128 km from the Gangtok City. By train, Gangtok is a 123 km drive from the nearest New Jalpaiguri Station of Siliguri in West Bengal. Roadways connect Gangtok to all the nearby cities.
Must Read: 6 Amazing Things To Do In Yuksom On A Culture Trip To Sikkim
Sikkim-Gangtok-Darjeeling Holiday Packages On TravelTriangle
2. Bulbuley Dara
Those of you willing to go for paragliding in Sikkim can’t ignore the Bulbuley Dara. The take-off point for a High Fly Flight in Bulbulay Dara is located further up from the Resithang Village. It is situated at a height of 2,200m with the beauty of the Gangtok City on the display from there.
Price: Rs. 1,200 to Rs.5,000 per person.
Location: Situated in the middle with the Gangtok City on the left & beautiful Kanchenjunga on the right sides respectively.
Weather: Temperature usually ranges from 15 to 20 degree Celsius.
How to Reach: From either Bagdogra Airport or the New Jalpaiguri Station in Siliguri in the neighbouring West Bengal state, you can easily drive towards the Gangtok city.
Suggested Read: Top 7 Things To Do In Sikkim
3. Chakung Durpiney Dara
When it comes to delving into best paragliding in Sikkim, you can’t ignore the Chakung Durpin Dara site. Located 1,700m above the Sea level, the landing zone for this spot is the Jorethang River Beach. The landing here happens at 300 m above the Sea level. The paragliding here covers approximately 1,400m in the duration of 15-20 minutes.
Price: Rs. 5,200 per person.
Location: Situated in the West of Sikkim at a location of 82 km from the Capital Gangtok city.
Weather: The temperature varies between 21 to 29 degree Celsius.
How to Reach: Reach Gangtok either through Bagdogra Airport or from the New Jalpaiguri Railway Station of Siliguri in the neighbouring West Bengal state. Then a drive from either will take you to this destination. You can also opt to take a road route from Siliguri but it’s not in the best of the conditions. So, reaching Gangtok and then hitting the road should be a convenient option.
Suggested Read: Sikkim In December: Find Exciting Experiences
4. St. Pauls
St. Pauls – Lebong Route in the nearby Darjeeling hills in West Bengal state offers you ample avenues for paragliding in Sikkim surroundings. Here paragliding takes off point is near the St. Pauls School in the Jalapahar area close to Sikkim. One can reach this point with the help of an operator or an uphill walk of approximately 30 minutes. During the flight, you will witness the view of the beautiful and highly appealing breath-taking landscapes of this region.
Price: Rs. 3,000 per person.
Location: Situated 9-10 km north of the Darjeeling city close to Sikkim.
Weather: The temperature here rallies between 12 degrees Celsius to 22 degrees Celsius.
How to Reach: It is located just on the outskirts of Darjeeling hills. One can reach to Darjeeling after a 3-hour drive from either New Jalpaiguri Junction Railway Station or from Bagdogra Airport which is the nearest airport.
Suggested Read: Top 7 Places To Visit In Yuksom In Sikkim For A Unique Trip Experience
5. Tukvar Tea Garden
Situated at the north from Darjeeling, this location is at most a 30-minute drive from the city. Take off takes place from the Tukvar Tea Garden and lands at the famous Jamuney Ground. Entire fly clocks around 15 to 30 minutes depending upon the weather conditions in a particular time while paragliding is done here.
Price: Rs.3,500 per person.
Location: 9 km towards the north of the Darjeeling city.
Weather: The weather condition here is generally pleasant with temperature in an average range of 16 to 24 degree Celsius.
How to Reach: One of the exceedingly beautiful places around Darjeeling which attract loads of tourists is a simply one small taxi ride away from the Darjeeling city.
Suggested Read: Gurudongmar Lake: Visit This Pristine Lake In Sikkim
6. Kalimpong
The surrounding areas nearby Sikkim facilitate excellent paragliding avenues to the adventure sports lovers to indulge for a newer experience of their lifetime. The Dello Hills area in Kalimpong nearby Sikkim is a notable paragliding point. It seeks the attention of the tourist with the scenic beauty of the northeastern tea gardens until the Darjeeling hills which cannot be overlooked.
Take off point for the flight is from the Dello Hills. The flights offered are Medium & High while both of them last for 15 minutes & 30 minutes respectively. It is worth noting that irrespective of the same starting point the landing points for both of them are different. For the Medium Flight, the landing point is at the Home’s Garden while for the High Flight the landing happens at the Relli River Ground.
Price:
Starts at Rs.3,699 per person.
Location: Located 50 km to the North-East of the Darjeeling City.
Weather: Having a pleasant weather throughout the year, the temperature stays in the bracket of 13 to 28 degree Celsius.
How to Reach: You can experience the beauty of the mountains around during a 2-hour journey either by your own car or a hired taxi.
Further Read: 15 Vibrant Sikkim Festivals To Enjoy On A Vacation
When it comes to paragliding in Sikkim, you are dually benefitted to enjoy the adventure sports in the lap of nature. The entire region is just one of the many beautiful destinations you may look up for your memorable and topmost paragliding experience in India. So make your Sikkim trip worthwhile by trying out this sport in at least one of the above-listed spots.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Paragliding Spots in & Around Sikkim Region
How does one reach Gangtok?
Although Sikkim has its Pakyong Airport which is about 28 km from the capital city Gangtok, it’s not fully operational nowadays. Therefore, for tourists coming by air from any part of the country or world, nearby Bagdogra Airport in West Bengal is the nearest one at 128 km to Gangtok. The ones coming from the train can reach to the New Jalpaiguri Junction, Siliguri in West Bengal which is only 123 km from Gangtok. You can hire a taxi for Gangtok from the railway station and also roam around the tiny state’s capital city in private taxis with peace of mind.
What is the pricing system for paragliding in Sikkim?
There are 2 types of flights namely Medium & High which operate for paragliding in and around Sikkim. It’s on the height of the flight that its price usually depends. As one can guess from the height, Medium Flight would cost less & last for a lesser time than a High Flight. The pricing varies from Rs.1,000 to Rs.5,699.
Is there any particular manual to be followed for going ahead with paragliding?
Basically, for giving a green light to any such adventures one must do proper research. You should obtain sufficient information for the precautionary measures and also ensure that trained persons are there for rescue and take care of your safety. Here are a few points you must keep under consideration. Following them will further help you safely enjoy paragliding adventure sports:
1. Not to proceed in the Bad Weather condition
2. Listen to the instructor carefully and follow the instructions
3. Rather than being half-minded, you should be fully prepared
4. Valuable belongings should be left on the ground before the takeoff
5. Ensure that the equipment required is fully in place
What are other activities one can go for in the Sikkim region?
Sikkim region is one of the most exciting tourist attractions in India. So, in totality, one has got a lot to explore here. If you have made up your mind to go on a vacation, the following awaits you there:
1. River Rafting on the famous Teesta River
2. Cycling across the beautiful landscapes
3. Trekking in Gangtok & the nearby places
4. Excursions to the 7 Sister Waterfalls
5. A drive to remember through the Nathu La Pass
6. Yak Safari to the Tsomgo Lake
7. Tea Gardens, Zoological Parks, Monasteries
What’s the best time to visit this region?
Usually these places with such variety of scenic beauty, one may not pay much heed to the season or the weather before going ahead with the trip. Interestingly, Sikkim and its nearby locations often witness impromptu changes in weather conditions throughout the year. Although valid concerns such as the safety quotient, value for money etc., also have to be taken into account, this region can be at best enjoyed as a summer getaway & also during September-November post-monsoons.
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