National-level subsidised trekking programme in Sikkim next month

Gangtok, Aug 28 (UNI) Sikkim Tours and Travels, is organising a fortnight-long national-level trekking programme next month.

Christened as Sikkim Himalayan Trekking, the programme is being sponsored the State's Tourism Department and supported by Travel Agents Association respectively.

Programme Director Lukendra Rasaily told mediapersons here the programme would start on September 22 and would conclude on October 6.

Mr Rasaily said the programme aimed at inculcating a habit of adventurism among the youth, promoting adventure tourism, generating employment opportunties and fostering a spirit of national integration and friendship.

He said a website launched about a month ago to promote the trekking programme received more than 2000 hits so far, mainly from the states of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi. He hoped that around 100 people from these states would participate in the trekking programme.

The trekking route would follow the traditional route of Yuksom- Bakhim-Tshokha-Dzongri at 4000 metre altitude and cover a distance of 70 km (to and fro).

The participants would be allowed in a batch of 10 to 15 and would be accompanied by experienced guides.

The trekking programme would be an annual feature and would be organised during the pre-trekking season of autumn and post-trekking season of spring every year, Mr Rasaily added.

More and more trekking routes would be included in the programme in coming years, he said.

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