from $5,750* per person	13 Days	February-April, October, November
Boutique accommodations		Exertion level: 4
Operator: Geographic Expeditions		18 people max

Nestled into the heart of the eastern Himalaya and bordered by Tibet, Nepal and Bhutan, Sikkim offers some of the most breathtaking views in India. Beyond the allure of its scenery and fabled mountain, Kangchenjunga, this erstwhile Buddhist Kingdom entices the traveler with its arresting cultural beauty, warm people, and tranquil atmosphere. It is a wonderfully diverse region where ethnic Nepalis, Bhutias (descendants of Tibetans), and Lepchas, Sikkim’s aboriginal inhabitants, live in harmony. And as a former Buddhist kingdom, Sikkim is linked to Tibet by more than just an ancient trade route, with over two hundred monasteries of the Nyingma and Kagyu sects dotting its hillsides.

This jaunty trip envelops us in much the same superb scenery that Lt. Col. Howard-Bury described as “magnificent forests of evergreen oaks . . . covered with ferns and orchids and long trailing mosses. . . . It was impossible to imagine anything more beautiful, and every yard of the path was a pure delight.” It gives us a good look at Gangtok and Darjeeling (to which we can make day trips from our base at the lovely Glenburn Tea Estate). And between these two Himalayan icons, Village to Village in Sikkim forgoes everyday hotels for the equally satisfying hospitality of the Sikkimese. We’ll hike along those purely delightful paths, staying in small, family-run lodges and village homes, visiting active Buddhist temples and monasteries and soaking up a serene, little-known culture.