Hee Birmiok

It is a delight to enjoy the first rays of sun falling over the summit of Mount Khanchendzonga and the mountain turning from golden to pink. After crossing Ranipool, the gradient of the road was is manageable and in a relatively short span of time i.e. from Siliguri / Bagdogra Airport / New Jalpaiguri Railway Station via Meli to Jorethang will be soothing as it pass through smooth road and through thick sub-tropical forests. A distance of nearly 155 kilometers and a 4 - 5 hours drive. Journey to Hee Bermiok takes about four and a half hours from Gangtok. Surrounded by Kalez Khola in the North, Hee Khola in the West, Rangit Khola in the East and Samdong reserve Forest in the South is the position of Hee Bermoik. A hamlet in a in West Sikkim with a beautiful setting. Sirijonga Yuma Samyo Mangheem or Limboo temple, Alley caves, Pheng doji falls,  Srijanga Cave, Wadhan Falls, Shivalaya, Kailaspati and Phur Cha-Chu (hot water spring) Legship are some of the places to visit staying here. The drive will be scenic and there will be flowers on the way side of the road occasionally.  Shocking red flowers in bloom and a few other wild flowers with occasionally monkeys and birds appeared on the road. From Jorethang one will have to take a right turn towards Reshi, Rinchenpong and Kaluk. From Kaluk to the final destination of Bermiok and Hee can be reached safely for the lunch provided one start early.  On the way before reaching Rinchenpong view of snow-clad peaks is a added gift. Large cardamom plantations and marigold flowers, off the highway can be spotted. A famous trek but very few have time to pursue is the Hee Birmiok trek spanning nearly 20 days. The route is Hee Bermiok - Samma Taar Nature Camp (8 kilometers) - Barsey 6 kilometers - Jorebotey (8 kilometers) - Phoktey (7 kilometers) - Chewabhanjyang (4 kilometers) - Neytham (11 kilometers) - Chongri (10 kilometers) - Nayapatal (7 kilometers) - Lower Yambong (6 kilometers) - Upper Yambong (7 kilometers) - Gomathang (6 kilometers) - Panding (9 kilometers) - Dzongri (10 kilometers) - Thansing (8 kilometers) - Lamune (5 kilometers) - Goechala back to Thansing (5 kilometers) - Tsokha (8 kilometers) - Yuksom (8 kilometers). Nowadays all prefer to trek to Dzongri from Yuksom. This area is dominated by Limboo, Bhutias, Lepcha community live here with their own religious and cultural heritage. Nearly twenty home stay facilities are available here. Tourists can trek to nearby ranges through rhododendron, lush green silver fir, oak forests and cascading waterfalls. A wetland nearly two acres is being converted to a Lake as an added attraction.The main attractions are mountain biking, nature walk, visit to villages, Sirijunga Yuma Mangheem, Sirijunga Holy Cave at Martam etc. The adventure lovers can enjoy two and a half hour trek to Varsey. Apart from having an annual tourist festival, impressive village tourism facilities are available. 

Places of Interest

• Pelling
• Legship
• Monastary
• Singshore bridge
• Rinchenpong
• Kaluk
• Dentam
• Singshore Bridge
• Keochopalri Lake
• Solophok
• Chaar Dham
• Namchi
• Uttarey
• Varsey
• Chayataal

Communication

Hee Bermiok is nearly 100 kilometers from Gangtok and is nearly 120 kilometers from Siliguri. Road from Siliguri takes 05 - 06 hours drive by car and is roughly 122 kilometers from Bagdogra Airport (IXB) / New Jalpaiguri Railway Station (NJP). The route followed is Siliguri - Jorethang - Soreng - Kaluk - Hee - Berrmiok . Three off shoot route are Rinchenpong from Kaluk, Pelling after Dentam and Chayataal after Dentam. Namchi, Soreng, Pelling, Geyzing all are within short distance from Sribadam.  It is nerarly the same time from Gangtok. Sreebadam to Rinchenpong is 8 - 9 kilometers. Rinchenpong to Uttarey is roughly 40 kilometers, Kaluk to Uttarey is nearly 55 kilometers and Pelling is nearly 30 kilometers. 3 - 4  hours from Darjeeling and Kalimpong and 1 1/2  hours from Pelling – Uttarey in extreme West Sikkim is  Hidden Paradise on Earth, and also is popularly known as the Base Camp of Adventure Tourism for the Singalila Range Eco-Tourism Trekking Trail Towards Khangchendzenga and also an important Gate Way of International-Indo-Nepal Border Trade Route through  Chewabhanjyan pass.Journey to Hee Bermiok takes about four and a half hours from Gangtok. One can also reach here from Pelling, the journey taking one and a half hours.