Tucked away in the lofty mountains and lush meadows, the villages of Sikkim reflect rich history and humble lifestyle that depends largely on natural resources. A few years ago, Sikkim opened doors to village tourism, a noble gesture that allows travellers to appreciate the opulent culture, beliefs, festivals and unpretentious life of the people in this paradisiacal destination. Short trekking expeditions often on the rugged trails take one to the rustic villages of Sikkim, where warm hospitality and interesting people of Lepcha, Bhutia and Nepal sects, with vivid narratives, myths and history await.
Sikkim village tourism revolves around staying with locals at their houses (homestay), dining with them, and witnessing and partaking in their daily chores like milking cows, making butter, fodder collection and feeding cattle, cardamom weeding and harvesting. The tour will also include witnessing the cultural programmes (folk dances & music), for that matter, participation in popular festivals and day hikes to famous pilgrimage sites. However, the major highlights of village tour in Sikkim are crossing cane and bamboo bridges, visiting traditional village healers and preparing local food and beverages.