Gangtok/Darjeeling, Dec 30: A sharp dip in temperatures across the Darjeeling hills and snowfall in the upper reaches of Sikkim have triggered a surge in tourist arrivals since Christmas, with visitors flocking to the mountains to experience the winter chill.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast light to moderate snowfall in higher-altitude areas by the weekend, further boosting tourist interest in the region.
Although widespread snowfall has been limited in recent years, the prevailing cold conditions have been sufficient to attract tourists to popular destinations such as north Sikkim and Darjeeling. Officials in the Sikkim tourism department said hotels and other accommodation facilities, particularly in north Sikkim, are nearly fully booked.
“There is currently a huge turnout of tourists, and almost all hotels in north Sikkim are fully booked,” said S.K. Subba, adviser to the Sikkim government’s tourism and civil aviation department.
He said more than 6,000 tourists visited Nathu-la Pass and the Tsomgo Lake area in east Sikkim on Sunday, while heavy tourist inflow led to traffic congestion along the Mangan–Gangtok road on Monday.
Tourism officials said many visitors have been heading to north Sikkim since Christmas in the hope of witnessing snowfall. “Snowfall has already been reported at Zero Point. Tourist inflow has increased steadily, and most hotels are operating at full capacity,” a tourism department source said.
Several locations in Sikkim recorded low temperatures over the past 24 hours, including five degrees Celsius at Gyalsing, 6.5 degrees Celsius at Mazitar, and 6.8 degrees Celsius at Pakyong.
An IMD official said weather conditions are expected to remain largely dry for most of the week. “From Friday onwards, moderate rain and snowfall are very likely in the high-altitude areas of Mangan, Gyalsing and Gangtok,” the official said.
Temperatures have also dropped significantly in the Darjeeling hills and adjoining plains of north Bengal. Darjeeling recorded a minimum temperature of 3.8 degrees Celsius, while Kalimpong registered nine degrees Celsius.
In the plains, Raiganj was the coldest, with the mercury falling to 11.5 degrees Celsius.
The IMD has also warned of dense fog in most districts of north Bengal’s plains, which may affect visibility until late afternoon.
Meanwhile, officials of the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR) said all toy train rides are fully booked until January 2, reflecting strong tourist demand during the winter season.
“Most hotels in Darjeeling are recording occupancy rates of over 90 per cent. Homestays are also full in most locations as tourists continue to arrive daily to enjoy the winter,” said Tanmoy Goswami, a travel operator based in Siliguri.
He said the surge in tourist footfall is expected to continue throughout January, providing a much-needed boost to the tourism industry.
“This comes as a relief after setbacks caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, the glacial lake outburst flood in Sikkim and intermittent landslides along hill highways,” Goswami added.
