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Sikkim, India
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The word Darap comes from “Tan-lop” which means flat land in the local language. Darap is home to some 300 families, most of who belong to the Limboo community. Livelihood is agrarian but with increasing tourist influx, a few families have opened their houses as homestays. The locals till their small parcels of land, sell their produce in the local market, run community stores or eateries, or commute to Pelling or Geyzing for work.
Though it is located only 8 km from Pelling, West Sikkim’s tourist hub, Darap is still relatively unknown. Most visitors who travel to Darap are preparing to trek the high-altitude Goecha La or the Dzongri trail. Some come to this offbeat destination in Sikkim to seek solitude. Internet is slow which means you can get a break from your mobile phone. There’s little in terms of sight-seeing but a lot to experience for discerning travellers.
The only problem with the Sikkimese village of Darap is that it will make you want to stay forever. It’s pretty, this postcard-perfect village where every house is adorned with flower pots. No matter where you are in Darap, you will be rewarded with breath-taking views of the wooded mountainside peppered with clutches of brightly painted houses. On lucky mornings, you might get a glimpse of the sun-kissed Khangchendzonga or witness bright rainbows arching over the deep valley! Far from the maddening crowd, Darap is truly an offbeat destination in Sikkim.
Here's a list of enticing places to visit near Darap-
Things to note:
For a customized tour experience you can contact Karma at +91-7669503993 or email to contact@ourguest.in
Go on a guided village walk or walk on your own around the village at leisure. There are shops and some houses along the main drag but most of the rural communities have settled higher in the mountain. To reach them, you have to climb up staircases that have been hewn into the mountainside. Terraces have been cut to cultivate maize, paddy, potatoes, peas, and other crops. The major crop is black cardamom. Though Sikkim produces the largest amount of this spice in the country, it isn’t used widely in the local cuisine. You can see the locals toiling in their fields or feeding the livestock. Stop to chat or extend your help, if you may.
In spring, there are flowers all around the place. Every house in the village is decorated with little flower pots. Life is slow and simple here. Women in brightly coloured cardigans leave bottles of pickles and ears of corn in the sun. Girls with bright, red ribbons in their hair walk to school. Kids play football in the street. Roosters strut their plumage outside their coops. In the little market, you can see locals stopping to greet shopkeepers. The atmosphere is convivial; everyone knows everyone and everyone has time for everyone.
