Aritar is a small village in the east of Sikkim, close to the border with West Bengal, and its great attraction is a lake. Aritar Lake, also called Lampokhari, lies in a fold of the hills with green slopes around it, and locals take boats out on the water at weekends. The village lies on an old branch of the Silk Route that once carried wool, salt and tea between Tibet and the plains of India through the Nathu La pass. The nearest towns are Rangpo, about fifteen kilometres away, and the capital Gangtok, about seventeen, and the bigger one has the fuel stations and shops.
The riding in this part of Sikkim is typically Himalayan foothills: narrow roads clinging to steep slopes, hairpins following hairpins, deep valleys filled with cloud, and terraced fields where farmers grow rice, maize and cardamom. The surface can vary from smooth tarmac to potholes and landslide damage, especially after the monsoon, which arrives in June and lasts until September. Land slips are common, and trucks and shared jeeps use the same roads, so keep to your side and sound the horn on blind corners, as local drivers do.
The Silk Route circuit is rich in history. Sikkim was an independent Buddhist kingdom ruled by the Chogyal until it joined India in 1975, and the old trade link to Lhasa shaped its culture. Monasteries in the hills fly prayer flags, and in the valleys you see white flags planted for the dead. People here are a mix of Lepcha, Bhutia and Nepali communities, and the food reflects that: steamed momos, thukpa noodle soup, and strong milky tea.
For a rider, the best seasons are October to December and March to May, when skies are clear and the mountains show. On a good morning, you may see Kanchenjunga, the third highest peak in the world, shimmering white far to the north. Plan fuel carefully, because small villages like Aritar do not count on a pump, and carry some cash, as cards are unreliable. A homestay by the lake with dal bhat and a view across the water is a fine way to end the day.