Sikkim

Sikkim, a stretch of land measuring 7096 Square Kilometers tucked in the eastern slopes of the mighty Himalayas was a tiny kingdom ruled by a sovereign monarch as a protectorate of India till 1975 when it joined the Indian Republic as its 22nd State. It shares boundaries with Nepal, Bhutan and Chinese Tibet. The population of this tiny Indian State is approximately 6 lakhs, and the population density per Square Kilometer is 76. The temperature oscillates between maximum 21 - minimum 13° Celsius in summer and maximum 13 - minimum 05 ° Celsius in winter. The climate ranges from tropical in the southern reaches to alpine in the north of the state. Sikkim is a land of varying altitudes ranging from almost sea level to 28,208 feet, which is Mount Kanchenjunga the highest peak in India and the world's third highest peak. The nearest airport linking Sikkim with the rest of the country is Bagdogra situated in the vicinity of Siliguri town 124 kilometers away and around three hours drive from Gangtok, the capital city. The nearest railway stations are Siliguri and New Jalpaiguri 114 Kilometers and 124 kilometers respectively from Gangtok. Sikkim has seven helipads with regular helicopter flights from Bagdogra.