Sikkim

The landlocked Himalayan State of Sikkim is wedged in between China in the north, Nepal in the west, Bhutan in the east and the Indian State of West Bengal in the south. The Singalila Ridge containing Mt. Kanchenjunga (28,146 feet) on the west and the Chola Range on the east is capped in the north by the main Himalayan range, trapping Sikkim in a gigantic mountainous horseshoe. This large strip of rugged montane country feeds the mighty Teesta which runs north to south across Sikkim. Sikkim broadly has three altitudinal zones : The Tropical Zone upto 4000 feet which extends down to the foothills of the outer Himalayas , the Moist Temperate Zone extending to 8000/9000 feet and the Temperate Zone which goes all the way up to 13,000 feet. The telescoping of terrain has created a divergent range of climates and vegetation making Sikkim an unique home for over 500 bird species.