Pedong stands on the old silk route that connected India and Tibet through Jelep La. This quaint little hill station is one of the few in north Bengal which an avalanche of tourists has not managed to spoil.

Nearly 22km from Kalimpong, Pedong is a picturesque hamlet situated on a ridge and surrounded by pine forests. It commands a majestic view of the Kanchenjungha.

The Teesta flows for almost the entire length of the journey from New Jalpaiguri to Pedong. We passed the Coronation Bridge, Kalimpong, Algaraha and several other tiny hamlets before reaching Pedong.

Our sightseeing at Pedong started with the pine-covered Sillery Gaon, situated at an altitude of 6000ft. From Sillery Gaon we proceeded to the Ramitey viewpoint, from where you can see the Teesta meandering through the valley with the majestic Kanchenjungha in the backdrop. The queen of the Himalayas can be seen playing hide-and-seek with the clouds.

Tin Chuley is another hilltop around Pedong. It also provides a grand view of the forest-covered valley, the Kanchenjungha range, the towns of Sikkim, Jelep La and Nathu La.

Trekking our way to the Tin Chuley summit was a great experience. We finished our day tour with a view of the lush green Valley of Silence and Sangchhen Gumpha, a Bhutanese monastery built in 1706.

We had to give Damsang fort a miss, as local residents warned us about the deplorable road condition.

Coming back after a late lunch at our guesthouse, we went for a leisurely stroll to Cross Hill. In 1882 a Frenchman, Fr Desgodins, had built a cross here to symbolise a place of pilgrimage.

As evening descended, the chirping of crickets and other insects broke the silence of the hills. We sat in the balcony and looked at the mountain slopes dotted with dim lights while enjoying baked trout, hot momos and steaming cups of tea.

The next morning we left for Rikkisum, Rishyap and Delo. Rikkisum is situated on the way to Lava. There is an old bungalow, built in 1902 by the British, ideal for picnic or camping.

The beauty of Rishyap cannot be enjoyed fully without spending a night here. Delo is covered by lush green coniferous forests and flower gardens. The hilltop offers a panoramic view of mountain slopes.

Reshi, 17km from Pedong, is located on the banks of the Reshikhola, a small stream that runs through the border of West Bengal and Sikkim. Our destination was the Reshi Eco-Tourism Resort.

We checked in one of the small wooden cottages and got ready to take a dip in the stream water. Bathing in Reshikhola was quite a pleasant experience.

We had lunch by the riverside and headed for Aritar in East Sikkim. It is 26km from Reshi and is famous for the Aritar Lake.

The evening in Reshi was quite romantic. The babbling river, the starry sky and dots of dim light on the hills — all came together to take us to a land of dream.

Going

The nearest railhead is New Jalpaiguri and airport is Bagdogra. You can hire a car from NJP or Bagdogra. Pedong is 97km from NJP via Kalimpong.

Staying

There are many hotels in Pedong. Some of them are:

Damsang Guest House, near St. George’s HS School. Contact: 9933615828, 9933390727; Pedong Holiday Resort, Rai Niwas, Pedong. Contact: 9932758187, 9932516125; Damsang Sillery Village Homestay, Sillery Gaon. Contact: 993274440, 9932680170.

There are two resorts in Reshi:

Reshi Eco Tourism Resort, Reshi River. Contact: 9932744407, 9932680170; Prakriti Eco Retreat, Reshi River. Contact: 9933489717.