A walk through the glass skywalk in Sikkim and the natural advances that come with it!

Have you walked or imagined walking on a see-through bridge? In either of the cases, advancing slowly on the first-ever glass skywalk in Sikkim is an authentic, adventurous experience, as the travellers we spoke to claim!

While going to the glass skywalk in Sikkim, Kritika Sharma observed many natural and exotic things. She noticed beautiful mountains all around. As she says, even the bridge was unique, lying in the middle of the mountains covering the statue of Buddha. Visiting the first-ever glass skywalk in India gave her a surreal experience!

Currently, India has a few glass skywalks for tourists, but the charm of the "firsts" remains unexplainable, and that too, if it lies in the beautiful northeastern state of Sikkim. Located at the height of 7,200 ft. above sea level in the pictorial town of Pelling, the glass skywalk gives a direct peek into a cliff, a thousand feet down, which might give one chill. But when were such heightened skywalks ever built for the faint-hearted?

Kritika Sharma, who visited the skywalk in the initial month of this year, says that her overall experience was “breathtaking.” “What I liked the most was how the entire area was peaceful in and around the skywalk and the temple of Buddha,” the Mumbai resident says. She also adds that tourists are not allowed to wear footwear on the glass skywalk so that it is not damaged. “It is built in such a way that one can catch a glimpse of the Buddha statue from anywhere by standing on the skywalk,” She adds that watching the sunset from the skywalk is also a fanciful experience.

For the beloved ‘Chenrezig’ at the glass skywalk in Sikkim

The skywalk was constructed in 2018 with the intention of providing people with a panoramic view of Chenrezig, an earthly incarnation of Lord Buddha for the locals of Sikkim. As it is a state of the majority of the followers of Lord Buddha, the glass skywalk has been packed with tourists and locals alike since the time of its opening. The statue of Chenrezig is 137 feet long and appears larger than life for the tourists visiting the skywalk.

Also Read: Rising tourism in North-East India: Travellers and locals speak of the causes, benefits and drawbacks

Another tourist from Bengaluru, Suveditha S., who went to the skywalk in January this year, could not call it anything else but “adventurous” to be able to walk on the skywalk. She says, “It is an adventure to walk on the glass skywalks. Being India’s first skywalk, I loved how it has been built with a magnificent view of the Chenrezig statue.”

Suveditha also gives us a glimpse into the surroundings and says, “The location of the skywalk is much more suitable, surrounded by the lush green nature and serenity when visited during the off-peak travel season.” She also states that the ‘Golden prayer wheels’ at the entrance give positive vibes and a one-of-a-kind experience.

Along with the glass skywalk, the place offers a gallery and a cafe for tourists who come from far distances. Radhika Radhakrishna, who resides in Seattle, Washington and visited the skywalk in December 2021 had an amazing time. In her words, the drive to the glass skywalk was beautiful with the village’s backdrop. “The ghat roads are super tidy and fit for a perfect journey. The fresh and aromatic breeze from the apple farms takes away the tiredness,” she says.

However, not only the journey, as per Radhakrishna, even the destination was beautiful. “The bird’s eye view of the Buddha Statue with mountains in the background is a must-watch. The golden light on the Kanchenjunga mountains is another spectacular experience. The feeling of walking over clouds with the above two sightings is only possible when you are on the skywalk,” she says, adding that photography and drone shots are a bonus!

While Radhakrishna mentioned that the staff was friendly and the premises were also clean, Kritika Sharma highlighted that the increase in the number of tourists is a threat to the place. “The number of people should be limited on the bridge as there has been overcrowding nowadays,” she says.

Nevertheless, the place and the glass skywalk are still a calm and majestic hidden treasure in Sikkim that, at least for some time, soothes your mind and relaxes your body. And, not to be forgotten that the skywalk offering a splendid view of Teesta and Rangit rivers must be another added splendour here!

Also Read: This is how mountaineering courses and the training helped a traveller climb Mount Frey!

For more such stories follow Local Samosa on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Telegram