The Brothers
Gangtok

Modern Tour & Travels
Gangtok

Travel as light as possible with least minimum clothes , toiletries and other essential commodities and you could leave the excess baggage at Gangtok hotels cloak room & as these areas is cold throughout the year it is advisable to carry warm woollen clothes, woollen mittens & gloves, cap etc.

If you give the impression of being from a different place, chances are that you might be stared at, in the smaller towns. Don't be offended - they mean no harm, it is just curiosity. Make sure you don’t raise your voice while talking with the locals it is considered impolite.

 Public toilet facilities are few and far between. Take every opportunity you can to use a clean toilet in places such as hotels and restaurants. Make this a habit wherever you go.

Drink only bottled water. Many popular brands are available. Non veg is not served in Modern Residency. Eat non-vegetarian food only in restaurants en-route. These food joints available in North Sikkim highway are with very basic choices.
Good quality vegetarian food is not easily available on north Sikkim highways it is always advisable to carry biscuits, chips, dry fruits, fruits etc.
Curd or yoghurt is served with most meals. It is a natural aid to digestion and helps temper the spicy food. Branded Foreign Liquors / Alcohols are not available there.

There are no shops in North Sikkim to shop around. There is a handicraft centre in Lachung try to shop only in government handicraft shops. There the prices are fixed and the quality is certified.

In hotels and restaurants, tips are not normally included in the package. The standard tip is 10%. In hotels, room service attendants are normally tipped at the end of the stay, though an early tip is likely to get you better service.

Dress codes for religious places monasteries can include covering your head, being barefoot etc. Ask, so that you don't unwittingly give offence.

The sun is strong. Remember to use sunscreen on exposed parts of the body. Wear sunglasses to screen out harmful rays.
Photography is not always permissible, and at many places it is permitted only at a fee. There is usually a higher fee for using a video camera.

It is advisable to bring specific medicines as there is no pharmacy shops in Lachen nor Luchung. Always drink bottled water or boil water. Eat fruit you can peel. Always wash fruit well before eating it.
Always carry a kit of the basic emergency medicines you might need for diarrhoea, fever etc, also band aids and an antiseptic ointment.
If you do catch a bug, do not panic. It will go away in a few days - but try the following tips to keep it down:

Everything in India takes time - longer than in most places. So always give yourself extra time for whatever you may have to do - even it is just a visit to the Post Office or changing money.
Indians joke about the concept of "Indian Stretchable Time" (IST). Certainly, if you're a super-punctual sort, India can be frustrating. Make allowances for this.

There are frequent power cuts in these areas so it is advisable to be mentally prepare and carry necessary gears.

Keep extra photocopies of the relevant pages of your passport. This will be required for permits. Also, keep extra photographs of yourselves. These will be required for permits, filling out forms etc for foreigners.