Aritar and Lampokhari: a slow first stop in Pakyong

Why Aritar works so well

Aritar sits on a broad green shelf above the Rangpo valley, about 10 km from Rhenock and close to the West Bengal border at Reshi. At roughly 1,400 m it is warm enough to be comfortable in every month, high enough to be clear of the plains' heat, and low enough that nobody gets a headache. Paddy terraces, cardamom under the trees and scattered houses surround a long lake, and on clear mornings the Kangchenjunga range shows over the ridges to the north-west.

For Silk Route travellers it has three practical advantages. It is on the way: Aritar to Rongli is about 20 km, so the permit stop fits neatly into the next morning. It is outside the protected area, so foreign friends can join you here even though they cannot go on to Zuluk. And it gives your body a night at moderate height before Padamchen, Zuluk and Nathang, which is the single best thing you can do for comfort on the high road.

Lampokhari Lake

Lampokhari, usually explained as long pond in Nepali (lamo, long; pokhari, pond), is a narrow natural lake at about 1,400 m, set in a cup of forest and fields. Its Wikipedia article describes it as one of the oldest natural lakes in Sikkim and the only one equipped for boating. Paddle boats and rowing boats are available for a small fee, usually in the range of ₹100–300 per person depending on the boat and time; check at the counter.

A footpath runs around much of the shore, and the walk takes about 45 minutes at an easy pace. Early morning is the best time, when mist sits on the water and the boats are still tied up. By late morning on weekends and holidays, day visitors from Gangtok and Kalimpong arrive and the lake gets busier. Birders should look in the trees along the shore; the forest edge is good for common hill species such as bulbuls, laughingthrushes and sunbirds.

The dak bungalow and Sikkim's first police post

Above the lake stands Aritar's oldest building, the dak bungalow known locally as Ari Bangla. According to the Wikipedia article on Aritar, it was built in 1895 by John Claude White, the first British Political Officer of Sikkim, as a rest house on the road between Kalimpong and the Tibet passes. The same article records that Sikkim's first treasury was set up on the premises and that Sikkim Police was raised here, with its first outpost working from 1897.

This puts Aritar firmly on the old trade line. Mule trains and officials heading for Rongli, Zuluk and Jelep La passed this way, and a rest house a day's march from Kalimpong made sense. The bungalow has been restored and is used as a government rest house, so access to the inside depends on bookings and permission. Seeing it from outside, with the lake below and the Rhenock hills behind, is enough to place Aritar in the larger Silk Route story.

Mankhim and the walks above the lake

The best short outing from Aritar is the climb to Mankhim, a hilltop temple of the Rai community at about 1,980 m. The Rai are a Kirati people, and Mankhim is a place of worship and gathering for them; behave as you would at any temple, and ask before photographing ceremonies. The drive up takes about 30 minutes from the lake, and a short walk from the road brings you to the top.

From Mankhim the view opens in every direction: Lampokhari lies below like a drawn line, the Rangpo valley drops away to the south, and on a clear day the snow peaks stand to the north-west. Many visitors come up for sunrise. A longer walk through forest and villages connects Mankhim with Aritar village if you would rather walk down than drive; ask your homestay for a local guide, which costs a few hundred rupees.

Aritar also has a small monastery and several viewpoints along the road, and the drive towards Rhenock passes cardamom groves and old village houses.

Getting there, costs and stays

Aritar is reached by road only. From NJP or Bagdogra the usual route is via Sevoke, Rangpo and Rorathang, about 110–115 km and 4–4.5 hours. From Gangtok it is about 70 km and 3 hours via Ranipool, Pakyong and Rorathang or via Rhenock. When NH10 is closed in the monsoon, drivers come from Siliguri via Kalimpong, Pedong and Reshi, which is a beautiful road in its own right. Shared jeeps run from Gangtok and Siliguri to Rhenock, and local vehicles cover the last stretch.

Aritar has a mix of family homestays, small lodges and a few larger hotels around the lake and along the road to Mankhim. Lakeside rooms book out first on weekends. For a Silk Route trip, ask for a room facing the lake and an early breakfast, so you can walk the shore at dawn and still reach Rongli before the permit office gets busy. Food is simple Sikkimese and Nepali home cooking: rice, dal, local greens, chicken or pork curry, and momos on request.

Where Aritar fits in a trip

Most people give Aritar one night, but two is better if you want the lake at dawn, Mankhim at sunrise and an unhurried afternoon. Here are the ways we use it:

• First night of a Silk Route trip from NJP: arrive by mid-afternoon, walk the lake, sleep low, then reach Rongli early for the permit.
• A 2-night weekend from Gangtok or Siliguri: lake, Mankhim, village walks and a quiet evening, no permits needed.
• A mixed group with foreign friends: everyone stays at Aritar together while the Indian members go on to Zuluk.
• A stop between Gangtok and the Silk Route on a 5- or 6-night trip, so nobody sleeps at Nathang on their first or second night.
• A slow village stay with Rolep or Rhenock, for travellers who want rice terraces and river walks more than high passes.

When to go

Aritar is pleasant all year. October and November bring the clearest views of the snow peaks and golden paddy before harvest. December and January are cool and clear, with frosty mornings but no snow at this height. March to May are warm and green, with flowers around the village and haze on the horizon. The monsoon, from late June to mid-September, is wet and lush; the lake is full and quiet, but leeches come out on forest paths and the approach roads, especially NH10, can be cut by slides. Check current status before you travel.

Aritar is busiest on long weekends and during Durga Puja and the Christmas–New Year week, when day trippers from Gangtok and families from Bengal fill the lakeside. Midweek in November or February it is quiet, and you may have the lake path to yourself at dawn.