Top 5 Sikkim Festivals One Should Definitely Witness

Sikkim Festivals
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Ohh! The beauty of Sikkim- This is a place which looks like the legit shooting spot for all the fairytales that we have ever heard of. The pristine waterfalls at every turn, the picturesque Himalayan backdrop, colourful monasteries, stunning glaciers – everything just perfect in the nature’s department has fallen in land of Sikkim. But even with all this perfection, one thing that takes away the spotlight in Sikkim ‘Touristy things’ is – “The Sikkim Festivals”. The festivals in Sikkim take you to a distant dreamy landof story telling with animated visuals. The famous festivals of Sikkim draw many tourists every year and while Losoong Festival takes away the credit of being the most famous Sikkim Festival, the list of festivals doesn’t quite stop at it.

Visiting Sikkim anytime is a good idea, but if you are really smart and savvy, you will book your next vacation around the time of important festivals in Sikkim. Here we are cataloguing the 5 most celebrated festivals of Sikkim that you must witness at least once in your lifetime (and we will tell you why)

Top 5 Famous Festival of Sikkim

  • Losoong Festival
  • Sonam Lahsang
  • Saka Dawa
  • Pang-Lhabsol
  • Maghe Sankranti
  • Bhumchu Festival

Losoong Festival

losoong festival of sikkim

This is one of the most anticipated and celebrated festival of Sikkim. It marks the beginning of New Year of local Sikkimese people. It falls on the 18th day of the 10th month of every year, as per Tibetan Lunar calendar. It falls around December, as per English calendar. This is the time when harvest season in Sikkim ends and farmers having the leisure time, after hard work in fields from many months, celebrate this festival with great zeal and fervour.

Details
Dates – 27 December – 31 December (for 2021 calender)
Duration – 5 Days
Booking Details – 75 spots free – details here

Why you should witness Losoong atleast once?

Sikkim is the melting point of two great cultures and religions. This festival brings the vivacity of both of them in full peak. If you are seeking a profound conversation with authentic Sikkimese culture, then this is the time when you can have one. Losoong Festival will pull you up in colourful world of traditional performances, religious rituals, and cheerful ceremonies. And to top it all, you will get the best quality authentic Sikkimese cuisine in its full prime in these days as every local is in zeal of festivity and will want you to have the best time while having a rendezvous with their culture.

Highlights of Losoong Festival
Cham Dance performance by monks
Acrobat performances my masked artists
Traditional parades with colourful and vibrant ensembles
Archery competitions
Sikkimese Cuisine

Sonam Lahsang

Sonam Losang festival Sikkim

Sikkim is a land of diversity and is known for its rich variation in ethnicities. One of the tribes, “Tamang Tribes” is the biggest and most dispersed community in Sikkim. Sonam Lahsang marks the end of harvest season and beginning of a new year for this community. This is Tibetan New Year and follows the lunar calendar of Tibetan culture. It falls in Magh season and is celebrated immensely among the local tribes. You will get to see well dressed locals taking parts in, any religious and cultural activities.

Dates – 12 February (for 2022 calender)
Duration – 3 Days (lasts upto 15 days)
Booking – 56 spots free. Book here

Why to book your vacation around Sonam Lahsang?
Tamang tribe is one of the most culturally rich tribe of India. There history dates back to ancient times and they have preserved the cultural heritage of their ancestors with great pride. During this festival, you can get a little window to see back in time through the rituals which are still performed the same way the village ancestors performed, hundreds of years ago. During Sonam Lahsang you will get a glimpse of age-old culture and their religious rituals. This festival is also celebrated in Nepal and Darjeeling.

Highlights of Sonam Lahsang
The unique tribal dance Tamang Selo
Damphu
and Tungna shows
Masked Dance performances
Folklore performances
The amiable aura of place

Saka Dawa

Saka Dawa

This day is associated with three important events in life of Buddha – his birth, enlightenment and his parinirvana. These few days are most sacred days in Tibetan Buddhism. In Tibetan language, “saka” means – “name of closest star to earth” and “dawa” means “month”. This literally translates to month in which the closest star to earth is prominently visible.
Details
Dates – 04 June(for 2022 calendar)
Duration – 10 Days
Booking details – 89 spots free, book here

Why to witness the grandeur of Saka Dawa at least once
The locals believe that if you do a good deed at this time of year, then the results of it increases many folds and hence during this time, locals believe in donating and providing to the poor. Birds and animals are also set free to their natural habitat. People gather in crowds of thousands to perform the elaborated routines depicting winning of good over evil. A lot of donation goes to monasteries and monks. This festival celebrates the ‘joy of giving’ in true sense.

 Highlights
Cham dance – A Buddhist prayer dance performance
Setting birds and animals free
Providing to poor
Mask Dance

Pang-Lhabsol

pang lhabsol festival sikkim

Sikkim festivals provide you the opportunity to get in perfect rendezvous with the local culture and traditions of Sikkimese people. The general vibe of the place lets you deep dive in a different perspective and could be a life changing experience.

Due to the heavy Tibetan influence in Sikkim Culture, the festivals celebrated in Sikkim are very differently from their Indian counterparts. The significance of them swiftly adheres you to the rich cultural abundance of Sikkim, while the celebrations swiftly fly you off to one other worldly land where stories are played in perpetual colourful loop.

Covid Precautions and Safety Guidelines for Sikkim Tourism

Adhere to Govt. Issued safety measures
Always wear a mask
Hotel staff should always wear a mask
Adherence to social distancing rules and guidelines
Sanitizer facility at the entrance of property

Frequently Asked Questions About Famous Festival of Sikkim

Which is the most famous Sikkim Festival?

Losoong Festival is one of the most important festival in Sikkim culture. It is celebrated with great zeal and enthusiasm. If you are planning to book your vacation around upcoming Losoong Festival, then you are going to have the most amazing journey of your life.

Our travel packages are being quickly booked for this auspicious occasion, and just a few spots are remaining. We provide various customized services for Sikkim Travel and booking your Sikkim vacation with us will mean booking a wonderful experience filled with local folklores, laugh and stories with our driver guides.

How should I plan my 5 Day Sikkim Trip?

Depending on your interests, budget and preferences there are many options to explore in Sikkim. You can either choose to soak in the spiritual essence of its scenic beauty or can dive in the world of adventure sports.

We have several 5-day packages that cater to your customized needs for your Sikkim Trip.

How much it cost to travel to Sikkim?

It depends on your budget and preferences.  You don’t have to burn your pockets to have a memorable Sikkim trip. We have several budget plans which will land you in the heart of Sikkim – Gangtok. You can imbibe the panoramic views of Himalayas and can seek the thrills with adventure sports.

Is there any COVID-19 restrictions to travel to Sikkim?

Tourists who have taken both the vaccine shots can travel freely to the state but people below 18 years of age, are required to carry their negative RT-PCR test report, which should have been conducted within 72 hours of travel.

Do you need special permit to visit Sikkim?

Sikkim is under restricted area regime due to its close proximity with neighbouring countries like China. Therefore, all foreign nationals require Restricted Area Permit to visit any part of Sikkim.But if you are an Indian national, you do not require this.

What are the best Sikkim Tour Packages?

If you are looking for budget Sikkim tour package options, we have packages starting from 9,500 INR. If you are looking for relaxed staycations, then we have an elaborate travel package for 7 nights that will cover entire state and take you to untouched locations. If you are a travel junkie who has a knack for adventure sports, then our customized travel package will let you to world of paragliding, river rafting, trekking.

5 Nights 6 Days North Sikkim Tour

7 Nights 8 Days Sikkim Darjeeling Gangtok Tour

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