• Air : The nearest airport is Bagdogra in North Bengal, 124 km from Gangtok, Sikkim's capital. Indian Airlines operates flights from Calcutta, Delhi, Patna, Imphal and Guwahati.
• Rail : The nearest railheads are Siliguri and New Jalpaiguri, 114 km and 126 km respectively, from Gangtok.
• Road : Gangtok is well connected by road with Calcutta (721 km), Darjeeling (139 km), Guwahati (589 km) and Patna (584 km).

Sikkim Trekking /Trekking in Sikkim

Yuksom To Dzongri & The Goecha La Trek

Duration: 11 Nights and 12 Days
Highest Altitude: 4,940m
Best Time To Trek: June To September & October To Mid November India Guide

Day 01: Pemayangste - Yuksom
It is 35-km by car and 16-km by trekking which takes about six to eight hours. After visiting the monastery, one of the oldest in Sikkim, the pilgrimage starts and the six to eight hours trek gives glimpses of Sikkimese life and provides a good acclimatization for the next few days.
Passing through terraced fields of rice, barley and corn, the track is dotted with Nepalese, Shepra and Lepcha huts. Crossing first, the Rimbi 'Chu', the trekker gets to the turbulent mountainous streams of Sikkim. A tableland of barley and apples, Yoksum provides beautiful vistas of mini lakes with the Himalayan background. The night can be spent in tourist huts.
Day 02: Yuksom - Bakhim (2,750m or 9,000 ft)
The trail now runs through rice wood hills abounding in flora and fauna going, as it does, though moss-laden forests of Oak, Spruce, Chestnut, Fir, Pines, Giant Magnolias and Rhododendrn a botanists' paradise. Not to be outdone, the naturalist's can view hundreds of varieties of exotic of birds, butterflies and orchids. It takes six hours before the Bakhim forest bungalow is reached for the night.
Day 03: Bakhim- Dzongri (4, 550m or 13,221 ft)
8-km and six hours away, each step to Dzongri leads to the world of the famed Kanchenjunga massive. The spectacle at dawn and dusk tinted in softest hues, is one never to be missed - a supernatural vision of ethereal beauty. Camp in tents or yak huts.
Day 04: Dzongri-Thangsing (3,930m or 12,467 ft)
7-km from Dzongri, the four hours' trek leads through meadows and valleys down the burrows leads into the most beautiful valley of all situated at the base Jopine peak. To reach the camping grounds dwarfed in the giant valley, one crosses a wooden bridge over the stream under the watchful even of majestic Pandim.
Day 05: Thangsig-Chemathang (4,800m or 15,748 ft)
Situated at the base of mighty Pandim, Chemathang is 8-km from Thangsing and takes 6 hours to trek.
Day 06: Chemathang-Goecha La (4,940m) - Chemathang
Still higher and steeper, is the Goecha (also spelt as Guicha) pass about 5-km away but taking a good three hours to cover. This is the northernmost and highest point of the trek.
Day 07: Chemathang - Thangsing
This is the return journey and is spent looking for rare high altitude birds and blue sheep roaming in the wilderness of high cliffs and snows, among the thick and low bushes.
Day 08: Thansing - Dzongri
It is a four to five hour climb through Rhododendron forests to the camping grounds.Side Trip To Chowrithang (4,380 metres or 14,370 ft)
It is an eight-hour and 10-km trip to the Chowrithang falls at the Rohtang glacier. Here is the base camp of the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute of Darjeeling, world famous as a centre for training would be mountaineers. Splendid views of the peaks, Frey, Koktang, Kabru, Ratong, Chandra Peak and the Kabru Dome are obtained from here. En route one passes the forbidden Kabur Rock, which none is allowed to climb. From Chowrithang a two-hour walk along the glacier leads to the Houe-Chu Lake, the special feature of which is its accumulated milky water. Also ten years from Chowrithang on the way to Bakhim is Zamling Gaon, named after Tenzing's son and a good place to break the journey.
Day 09: Dzongri - Bakhim via Jamlingthang (Zamling Gaon)
This different route to Bakhim passes through one of the most spectacular forested areas of Sikkim engulfed in the fragrance of magnolias, which is all the more beautiful in the spring when the giant magnolias and more than ten types of Rhododendron are in bloom and the trail runs through the garden of flowers.
Day 10: Bakhim -Yoksum
A leisurely walk of about four hours bring one back to Yoksum.
Day 11: Yuksom-Tashiding (1,470m or 4,822 ft)
A pleasant 6-7 hour steady and beautiful trail through fields and Cardamom groves, giant bamboos and orange gardens leads to the Tashiding monastery which crowns the hill-top. One can camp near the monastery
Day 12: Tashiding - Legship (520m)
This is the last day and a 4-5 hour walk down hill all the way brings the trekker to the village of Legship along the Rangeet valley ending the delightful 'Pilgrimage Trek'. From here, there is transport available to Dar/places/cities/darjeeling/index.htmljeeling, Gangtok or Kalimpong.

Sikkim and Kanchenjunga Trek/ Kanchenjunga Base camp Trekking

Day 01 Arrive Delhi, where you will be met and transfered to your hotel. (Hotel B&B)

Day 02 Delhi – Bagdogra (by plane) – Darjeeling (2130m) by car.
A charming 4-hour journey,through Assam tea plantations and tiny villages takes us to Darjeeling. Built on top of a ridge, Darjeeling faces the Himalaya and is a popular destination for Westerners and Bengalis alike.

Day 03 Darjeeling - Pemayangtse (2080 m) in 5 h.
We visit Pemayangtse monastery, one of the oldest and most impressive gompas in Sikkim.

Day 04 Pemayangtse – Uttarey (1960) in 5 h.
Jeep ride to Uttarey, small village located near the Nepali border.

Day 05 Uttarey - Chewabhanjang (3200m) in 5 h.
Today is a steady climb up as we trek towards the international border of Sikkim and Nepal. We follow a good trail, heading through dense rhododendron forest.

Day 06 Chewabhanjang - Dhor (3750 m) in 7 h.
After a steep climb through the rhododendron forest, the path switches between Nepal and Sikkim with spectacular views down either side of the ridge. It is obvious why the trail clings to the ridge top, there is simply no way down on either side, so dense is the rhododendron forest!

Day 07 Dhor - Paharey Megu (3900m) in 5 h.
Spectacular views of the mountains ahead. We follow the ridge on a good path which once again switches from side to side along the ridge with many short ascents and descents. Camp on open grazing slopes.

Day 08 Paharey Megu - Camp before Daphe Pass (4100 m) in 5 h.
Steady climb on the west side of the ridge. The terrain becomes more open as we follow a wide valley, turning east, in the direction of a large waterfall. Camp by the holy lakes on the west side of the pass.

Day 09 Camp before Daphe Pass - Daphe Pass (4450 m) - Gomathang (3750 m) in 5 h.
Today is one of the most beautiful walks of the trek, as we cross a high mountain pass, offering spectacular views to the north, of the high mountains of Sikkim, including Kangchenjunga (8585m.), Kabru (7317m.) and Pandim (6691m.). We follow at first an easy trail which skirts the edge of two lakes, surrounded by prayer flags, then a steep zig-zag path that climbs to the pass. The walk down to the valley floor follows a good trail across open slopes at first and then down through the pine and juniper forest.

Day 10 Gomathang - Panding (4200 m) in 6 h.
Up and down through the rhododendron forest. After Yangshep (3900 m) we follow a steep path up to Panding.

Day 11 Panding – Dzongri (4020m) in 5h.
We head towards the north-east, descending at first to a river we cross on a plank bridge. Then we start the climb to Dzongri where we meet the original "Sikkim and Kanchenjunga trek" itinerary.

Day 12 Dzongri – Thansing (3930m) in 4h.
We descend through rhododendron forest towards the the glacial Prek river. We establish our campsite on the grassy pastures of Thansing. The southern ridge of Kanchenjunga and the Onglakhing glacier are visible directly ahead and there are close-up views of Pandim.

Day 13 Thansing – Samity Lake (4200m) in 3h.
A pleasant walk below the west side of Pandim, through dwarf azaleas and rhododendrons to Zemathang. We take our first footsteps on the Onglakhing glacier, and climb up to the shores of the Samity lake, reputed to be the sacred source of the Prek river. Ringed by prayer flags, the lake reflects Forked Peak, Kabru North, Gocha Peak and other snow-capped peaks.

Day 14 Samity Lake – Gocha La (4940m) – Thansing in 7h.
We have to leave quite early this morning, as fog and clouds descend on the pass shortly after sunrise. The track to Gocha La climbs steeply through moraines. From the pass, ringed with colorful prayer flags, we can see Kanchenjunga and beyond that, the Talung glacier.

Day 15 Thansing – Lam Pokhari (4230m) in 5h.
After a steep descent, we climb through alpine areas and pass by tiny lakes.

Day 16 Lam Pokhari – Kasturi La (4500m) – Kasturi Odar (3500m) in 6h.
A steep ascent leads to the pass, from where wedescend through a luxuriant tropical forest.

Day 17 Kasturi Odar – Labdang (2000m) in 6h.
Today we will walk in the half-light of the undergrowth, through a dense forest, where lianas tangle and moss and orchids hide tree trunks.

Day 18 Labdang – Tashiding (1740m) in 5h.
An easy walk, in an atmosphere becoming more humid and heavier as we descend.

Day 19 Tashiding – Martam by car (4h).
We visit the Tashiding monastery, one of the most isolated in Sikkim, perched on the top of a hill set between two rivers.

Day 20 Martam – Gangtok by car (1h).
En route we visit Rumtek monastery, reputed for its religious Tibetan art. Visitors are welcome to attend prayers. Afternoon at leisure in Gangtok.

Day 21 Gangtok – Bagdogra (by car) – Delhi (by plane). (Hotel B&B)

Day 22 At leisure in Delhi. Safety day for your international flight. (Hotel B&B)

Day 23 Transfer to airport and fly back home