Kaluk Travel Guide - the Tourist Retreat at West Sikkim

The first week of December was almost over. The temperature had just started to drop and the humidity was reducing. The weather was turning pleasant. We were already feeling that it was time to go for another tour once more. So, we decided to hit the road once more and include amazing places, such as Kaluk and Pelling.

When you're living in Kolkata and planning a trip during winter, you can go almost anywhere! You can head for the sea beaches, forests, mountains - whichever place you wish. It's all about the destinations that actually beckon you at that moment. But we thought it was quite long since we had visited Sikkim - the state that offers alluring scenic beauty. So, the decision was unanimous - we wanted Sikkim travel. So, our next destination was going to be the land of the mighty Himalayas - it was going to be Sikkim.

Sikkim has so many wonderful places that it's quite difficult to zero in on a certain spot when you're planning Sikkim travel. However, we had our priorities set - we wanted a lazy trip during which we will just relax and stare at the elegance of the Himalayas. Kaluk, one of the best places to visit in Sikkim, is a perfect location to do that. Situated at a height of 5600 feet, Kaluk is one of the most charming locations in West Sikkim.

How to Reach Kaluk

There are quite a few ways to reach Kaluk. You can take a flight to Bagdogra Airport and take a cab from there to this serene hamlet on the Himalayas. You can also take a train to New Jalpaiguri Railway Station, Siliguri. Cabs are easily available for hire outside the station. You can book one of them and head to Kaluk.

Booking the Cab

It was almost ten in the morning when the Darjeeling Mail entered the New Jalpaiguri Station (NJP), Siliguri - almost a couple of hours late. Unlike our other trips, we had not booked any car beforehand. We knew we won't be facing any problem getting a car from the stand right outside the railway station. After much bargaining, we booked an Indigo car for INR 4300. It was supposed to drop us at our hotel in Kaluk, Sikkim.

The first view

It was the beginning of winter and the weather was extremely clear. But even then, we didn't expect to have such a view! Mount Kangchenjunga, the third-highest mountain in the world became visible right after we started from the New Jalpaiguri Railway Station, Siliguri. And thankfully, it stayed with us for a long time.

Close to 11 AM and we were already hungry. So, we stopped at a roadside restaurant, stuffed ourselves with steaming hot chicken momo, and started for Kaluk once again.

The Untimely Stop

The road to Kaluk is like almost any other mountainous road in the Himalayas. It's narrow and steep. Yet, several large vehicles also have to ply on these roads. The trucks need to carry food and other amenities from the plains to the small hamlets and villages nestled on the lap of the mountains. We started our journey toward Kaluk. However, about 3 Kilometers from the hamlet, close to Rinchenpong, we had to come to a sudden stop.

A truck coming down from Kaluk had slipped a few feet down the slopes of the mountain through orchids full of orange trees. Efforts were on to pull the truck up. So, the road was blocked.

We had to wait for a couple of hours till the road was cleared. In between, we just enjoyed the views of orange trees bowing down with the burden of fresh fruits and wild flowers of various colors brightening the mossy slopes of the mountains.

Reaching Kaluk

After the road was cleared, it took us around 20 minutes to reach Kaluk. Our car dropped us at the Pine Village Retreat, Kaluk. We had booked a room at Pine Village Retreat, a renowned hotel in Kaluk. This hotel is just above the more popular Ghonday Resort, Kaluk, is a little below the level of the main road.

We received a warm welcome and a few souvenirs from the Kaluk hotel staff as we reached the Pine Village Retreat, Kaluk. After that the staff guided us to our room, which offered a sumptuous view of Kangchenjunga from Kaluk. 

The room at Pine Village Retreat, the hotel in Kaluk, was spacious with an attached balcony that offered a clear view of the Himalayan range. There were glass windows across one side of the room. The moment we entered the room, we looked right through the window at the majestic Mount Kangchenjungha. And decked in the golden colors of the sun, the grand peak smiled back at us.

Where to Stay in Kaluk

We had an excellent experience staying at the Pine Village Retreat in Kaluk. In addition, there are several hotels in Kaluk. You can also find hotels in Rinchenpong, the nearby village. These include:

• Ghonday Village Resort, Kaluk
• The B's (A Boutique Hotel) in Kaluk
• Kanchan Valley Tourist Lodge, Kaluk
• Green Hill Resort Kaluk
• Mandarin Village Resort, Kaluk
• Reesum Resort, Rinchenpong
• Orchid Villa

There are also quite a few homestays that provide cozy lodging options in this hamlet. Some of these are:

• Astha Homestay
• Shalom Villa
• Presum Homestay, Kaluk
• Nervilla Residency
  
  

Exploring Kaluk

The temperature at Kaluk was below ten degree Celsius. So, we decided to have a quick stroll around the village and return to the hotel by evening. We climbed up the steep slope from Pine Village Retreat, Kaluk, to the main road and walked toward the center of the town.

Well, calling Kaluk a town is exaggerating it significantly. All you need is a stroll of about 10 minutes to cover the whole of the hamlet. Kangchenjunga from clearly is visible from the main road of Kaluk.

There's a small Police Assistant Booth at the intersection point of Kaluk-Rinchenpong Road, Kaluk-Bermiok Road, and Nanda Kumar Gurung Soreng-Kaluk Road. We approached the police personnel who was seated there and asked him what is the best place to visit in Kaluk. The friendly police welcomed us with a broad smile on his face and told that there's absolutely nothing in this little Himalayan hamlet. There's a bazar with only a few dozen shops. We got a few souvenirs from one of the shops and headed toward our Kaluk hotel.

The Charm of Kaluk, Sikkim

At first glance, Kaluk is just like any other small Sikkim village nestled on the slope of the Himalayan range.

Then why is it so popular among the tourists?

Why do people love to go to Kaluk, Sikkim, and nature lovers flock there on a regular basis?

If it's such a small hamlet with almost nowhere to go, then why is Kaluk travel so popular among the tourists?

There's only one reason for it.

The view of Kangchenjunga from Kaluk is really outstanding.

It does not matter whether you're taking a stroll on the Kaluk road or relaxing on your couch inside the hotel room, the Kangchenjunga is always visible - unless you're unlucky and thick clouds arrive from some unknown place and cover its face.

Things to Do in Kaluk

Kaluk, the little village in the Himalayas, is becoming an increasingly popular tourist spot for the sheer natural beauty it offers. You can just sit back on a couch in your hotel room and enjoy the view of Kangchenjunga, the third-highest mountain in the world. We did just that. Later, we booked a cab and went to visit some of the places to see in Kaluk.

Kaluk can be a great place if you want to walk along the roads in a place that lets you stay close to nature. If you're visiting during spring, you can also visit the Varsey Rhododendron Sanctuary, which is about 30 kilometers away from Kaluk, and enjoy a walk there to experience the Rhododendron plans in full bloom.

Places to Visit from Kaluk

The next morning dawned with the view of Kangchenjunga and its range from the room of our Kaluk hotel. The rays of the rising sun had changed the white, snowy peak of the mountain golden. We gulped the view down with a delicious breakfast of chicken sandwich and coffee before going out to visit some places to see in Kaluk.

Azing's Model Farm

Have you ever tried any organic wine?

They are not extremely intoxicating; yet they taste delicious. And if you're a connoisseur of wines, you'll surely not like to give Azing's Model Farm a miss.

It is a family-owned farm, which produces organic fruit wine. This place offers a detailed view of the ways in which the plants are managed, fruits are harvested, and wines are made at the farm from the fruits there.

Some of the organic wines available at the Azing's Model Farm, Kaluk, include:

• Grapes Wine
• Guava Wine
• Banana Wine
• Peach Wine
• Ginger Wine
• Orange Wine
• Pineapple Wine

There are a number of plants in the grounds around Azing's Model Farm with fresh fruits.

Different types of fruit wines are sold at the Azing's Model Farm, Kaluk. We bought a couple of wine bottles to bring them back to Kolkata with us.

Azing's Model Farm is surely one of the best places of attraction near Kaluk for wine lovers. However, if you have any heart ailment, it's better to avoid it. You have to go down a flight of 270 steep stairs on the slopes of the mountain. You might not find that too exhausting. However, climbing up those stairs to return to the road is surely difficult.

Rinchenpong Monastery

While retuning from Azing's Model Farm, we stopped at Rinchen Chholing Monastery at Meghi-Dara. More popular as the Rinchenpong Monastery, this monastery is located at an altitude of 5500 feet above sea level. It dates back to the 18th Century and was established by Ngadakpa Lama way back in 1730. This enchanting monastery stands tall to this day with the mesmerizing view of the Kangchenjunga as its majestic backdrop.

The Rinchenpong Monastery, the third oldest monastery in Sikkim, is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Kaluk. It houses a blue colored statue of Adi-Buddha or the Primordial Buddha.

The statue is in the Yab-Yum position, which depicts the male Buddha in union with his female counterpart. It represents the union of male skill and compassion with the female insight.

Other Places of Interest in Kaluk

There are several other places of tourist attraction in Kaluk. These include the Hee Bermiok, the cluster of villages that are extremely serene and beautiful. You can also visit the SDDPL Cheese Factory at Dentam or the even Kanchenjunga Falls. However, most of these places are closer to Pelling and are considered as the places of tourist attraction that are visited from that town.

Moving Along

We returned from the Rinchenpong Monastery and had an early lunch at the hotel in Kaluk. Soon we were ready to start. Our final destination on the trip was going to be Pelling, the town in West Sikkim with a magical view of the mountains.