BUDDHIST TOUR
See mediattion caves, hermitages in the high mountains and wonderful monasteries
ALEXANDRA CAVE
Alexandra David-Neel was a famous French explorer who was the first female foreigner to enter the forbidden city of Llasa in Tibet disguised as a female Buddhist Practitioner. Before she entered Tibet, she stayed at Alexandra cave in the Kalep Valley near Lachen for over 18 months (not 3 years) under the direction of Lama Lachan Ghomchen Rinpoche who had his hermitage further up the mountain. He was a great meditator and known as "The Flying Lama"
YUKSOM
Yuksom is my favourite village in Sikkim because its not commercialised. Its has a festival each year celebrating it's eco-diversity and a great place to get away from the city. The village is used as a starting point for trekkers to climb to the base camp of Kangchenjunga where the summit is at 28,000 feet. For the Buddhist enthusiast, there are many places to visit here
TASHIDING MONASTERY
Tashiding monastery is the most scared and holiest monastery in Sikkim which is situated in Western Sikkim. It's a monastery that belongs to the Nyingma tradition of Tibetan Buddhism which is the oldest
It is said that Guru Rinpoche shot an arrow and where it landed, he sat in meditation which eventually became the site of the Monastery
KHECHEOPALRI LAKE
Khecheopalri Lake, is located 91 mile west of Gangtok in West Sikkim
The lake is sacred for both Buddhists and Hindus, and is believed to be a wish fulfilling lake. This means that water from the lake has healing properties and is used by Buddhist using a bumpa (healing vase) in ritual ceremonies.
It is said that the leaves are not allowed to float on the lake, because the local birds work effortlessly to pick them up. This lake was use by Guru Rinpoche to preach to 64 yoginis