India, July 30 -- Few places in India feel as raw and elemental as North Sikkim. Tucked into the Eastern Himalayas, close to the Tibetan Plateau and the Chinese border, this remote region lies far beyond the curated comforts of Gangtok or Darjeeling's cafe scene. Travelling here demands patience. Roads narrow into ridgelines carved by landslides. The higher you go, the more the mountains take over, slowing you down, stripping away urgency. Some of the most memorable tourist places in North Sikkim - Lachen, Lachung, Gurudongmar, Yumthang Valley - sit along what was once the Silk Route. Monasteries cling to cliffs, yaks graze across high-altitude meadows, and Lepcha and Bhutia voices echo through quiet villages.

We visited North Sikkim ove...