Aritar Offbeat
Aritar
Aritar, a relatively new tourist destination in the Eastern border of Sikkim under the Rongli Sub-Division, is famous for its picturesque scenic landscape and a beautiful lake called Lampokhri. At an altitude of 4600 ft (1,400 m) it is the only lake with boating facility in Sikkim.The place is covered with lush green forest, mountains and meandering rivers. Aritar offers an amazing view of Mt Kanchenjunga and some great nature trails, monasteries, waterfalls and village tour. Moreover it is also the perfect stopover for the tourists travelling to “The Silk Route†tour as Aritar offers comfort and natural beauty both.
What to see:
The other attractions of Aritar are Dak Bunglow which is Popularly known as Ari-Bangla, is an old British built bunglow. Aritar Gumpa, a monastery of the Kagyuapa order,considered as one of the holiest and oldest in Sikkim. Parbateyswar Shivalaya Mandir, Mankhim or “Mangkhimâ€Â, a Temple of the Rai of Nepali origin is located at a height of 6500 ft at “Maity Village†(Kheselakha) . Hattipailay is another virgin village where the visitors can see elephant footprints on rock. Kali khola falls (Lonely falls) which is 100 m in height (Rorathang-Rongli road. Lungchok valley which is a Trekking destination (Lokdara, Chujachen) and Love Dara, a Low hill picnic spot.
How to reach:
Aritar can be reached by road from NJP/Siliguri.There are no regular transport services to Aritar. But one can break the journey at Kalimpong or Pedong or Rehnok and can hire a personal vehicle from there.
Where to Stay:
There are few hotels in Aritar one of them is a luxurious resort with breathtaking view of the lake and the forest. It will be a nice destination for group tours as well.
