Adventure · Aritar
Aritar as the first night of the Silk Route
Sleep at Aritar before the Silk Route instead of driving straight to Zuluk. You get the lake and Mankhim, a night at a comfortable height, and an easy hour's drive to Rongli for the permit the next morning.
The classic Silk Route mistake is trying to do too much in one day: the plains or Gangtok to Rongli, the permit, then the climb to Zuluk at about 2,900 m. Putting a night in Aritar at the start fixes that. You drive in the afternoon, walk the lake and maybe see sunset from Mankhim, sleep at about 1,400 m, and reach Rongli about an hour later the next morning, ready for the permit and the climb through Padamchen.
The same works in reverse. Coming down from Zuluk or Gnathang after a couple of cold nights, a night at Aritar feels warm and easy, with a proper meal and a hot bath before the long drive back to Siliguri or NJP. Several Gangtok and Siliguri operators already build their Silk Route trips this way; if yours does not, ask.
Plan the permit first. Give your driver or Aritar homestay copies of your ID and photos in advance so the Rongli permit can be ready when you arrive. If NH10 along the Teesta is closed, the Kalimpong–Pedong–Rhenock road reaches Aritar directly, which makes it an even more natural first stop. Check current status before you travel.
Cost: Homestay ₹1,500–2,200 pp · car hire extra
Questions people ask
Good to know
How far is Aritar from Rongli?
Rongli is roughly 20–25 km from Aritar, about an hour by car. That makes Aritar a convenient first or last night of a Silk Route trip, with an easy morning drive to Rongli for the permit before the climb to Padamchen and Zuluk.
Do we need a permit for Aritar?
No special permit is needed for Indian travellers visiting Aritar. You need the Silk Route permit only for the restricted road above Rongli. Foreign nationals need the standard Restricted Area Permit to enter Sikkim. Check current status before you travel.
Can our Aritar homestay arrange the Silk Route permit?
Many Aritar homestays work with drivers who arrange the Rongli permit, given copies of your ID and photos in advance. Ask when you book, and confirm the cost of the permit and the car for the Silk Route days.
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