Goechala Trek

The trek from Yuksom to Sachen/Bakhim takes about 5 to 6 hours (Sachen) and 8 to 9 hours (Bakhim). There are a lot of steep slopes that you will have to climb on this trek, especially if you are planning to ascend Bakhim. You should be carrying about 2 liters of water, you will come across streams where you can later fill your bottles from. The trail involves dense dark forest for about half an hour from where you can see a shelter on the way, this is the exact spot where you will find a bridge standing over Pha Khola. Pha Khola is a thick forest that will engulf you with its variety of flora and fauna, the forest has cool vibes and you see the temperature difference once you step out of the sheltered branches. The trail gradually ascends.

While walking for another hour and a half you will begin to see beautiful waterfalls called the Tshushay Khola Falls. About 50 to 60 meters ahead you will see a sturdy iron bridge which will take you further into the trek. After walking for one more hour, you will see a small cement bridge that is at the height of about 7,100 ft and is about half an hour away from your destination Sachen. Once you reach Sachen, you will find a log hut, which houses several rooms for the travelers (approximately 6-7 people), and a small pantry to cook. For groups comprising a larger number of people, there is a campsite opposite the shelter when you can rest in the open.

It will take 5 to 6 hours to reach Tshoka if you start from Sachen. The climb is through dense Oak forests which are a blessing to trek in, overshadowing trees and pleasant air will surround you at all times. Half an hour into the forest you will start seeing rhododendrons flooding the forest with their charm and color. With the increase in altitude, you will experience the air get cooler and thinner. The trail will climb up to a ridge which will then continue till to reach Bhakim.

At Bhakim you will find a forest rest house as some travelers prefer to stay at Bhakim for a while before continuing their journey ahead, the reason being the famous and beautiful Yuksom valley and its amazing view you get from the Bhakim range. You will, however, have difficulty in finding a caretaker, so you can opt to trek till Tshoka which is only at an hour’s distance from here. At Bhakim you will find a tea stall, which will provide you with some snacks as well, after this rest, you begin your great climb to Tshoka, the trail will now have multiple climbs and which will overlook Bhakim. At about 9,000 ft and rhododendrons all around the forest, the trail will get dark as the forests will get denser, the canopy of trees creating a dark atmosphere and blocking the sunlight. After walking for a while, you will come out of the shade of the forest into a plateau and the campsite of Tshoka, there’s a hut as well as a camping site to satisfy all kinds of travelers. The hut is a building fully made of wood that can house up to 20 trekkers. Other than that, a forest rest house is at a little distance uphill from the hut where you can reside for the night as well.

Tshoka is a great place to explore, you will find local cafes that cater to a malt beer known as Tumba, you can also visit the monastery which is nearby, to get the spiritual touch of the place. A monastery is a place where you can find peace, away from the hustle and bustle of the city life, and only calm spread all around you. A very limited number of people reside in Tshoka, therefore, there is usually peace and quiet here at all times.

The Kanchenjunga peaks blossom more from Tshoka, you can see them at a nearer distance and the snow covering the peaks creates a magical view of the scenery and it is a breath-taking experience. There is also Mt. Pandim which covers a major part of the skyline. To get the best photo results you can climb a little higher and get great panoramic shots of the various peaks surrounding the area.

For your next destination, move towards the dame monastery and keep following the trail. There are steep climbs on the way and within minutes you will find Tshoka disappearing from the view. You will enter a forest full of rhododendrons and adding their bright colors to the trail. During the months of May, the whole slope is covered with bright rhododendrons which gives a fiery effect. The is a difficult climb which lasts for half an hour which soon eases into a comfortable climb.

This path changes to a woody one and you see wooden benches lined up on either side of the trail, it starts to look like a park and you feel like taking at the moment, the peace and scenery all in. There is also this beautiful scent of the forest and flowers and trees which spreads all across the way. The stony trail along with the long path is easy to climb as the slope is quite gentle and you reach Phedang in 20 minutes. From Phedang you experience a spectacular panoramic view of the snow-capped mountains, you will find huts and wooden benches here as well. After having lunch, you start your journey towards Kockchurang. Spring will show up after 15 minutes from where you can refill your bottles and then resume your trek to Dzongri.

The trail will start to brush off with small rhododendrons covering the way. The next challenging climb is through a ridge where the trail will fluctuate between either side of the slope. After about an hour you will begin to see the prayer flags lighting up your way all the way to the top.
Here you can visit and gather your blessings from a local shrine which many travelers visit, and then you start to descend towards Dzongri. The hut situated in Dzongri appears at a bend, you will find a stream of water running beside the hut which can house 30 trekkers at a time. Dzongri is a vast meadow with peaks surrounding you from all sides, you can spot the Kanchenjunga peak and other peaks which are covered with shimmering snow, in fact, the view here is so attractive and breath-taking that people often stay here and head back from here only.

You start this day with a small trek to Dzongri Top located at the height of 13,778 ft, it is the maximum altitude you can reach to get the best panoramic views of the surrounding mountain ranges and the tows you’ve traversed so far, only they will look like miniature houses and forests from up here. The majestic peaks of Singalila and Kanchenjunga ranges are clearly visible from here and the best photographic experience for shutterbugs.

The Dzongri climb is a 2 hill climb from the residing hut/campsite at Dzongri and tasks at most one hour to reach. For people who love a beautiful sunrise, 5 am is the best time to reach Dzongri Top and feel the fresh rays of the sun hitting your soul and enlightening your body, the sun rays also light up the Kanchenjunga peaks and give you a view of a lifetime. If you start your trek from 4 am with headlights and torches you will reach at the right time of hitting dawn.

Now as you climb up the Singalila range begins to expand at the bend and Kanchenjunga and other respective peaks beside emerge from there. The color of the sky and the mountains changes with the rays and direction of the sun. The best way to enjoy the Dzongri is by taking long soothing strolls in the region and taking in the nature and beauty of Dzongri. It is also a paradise for shutterbugs as you get great views of the Himalayan peaks. If you are planning to spend the day in your tents, then think again and choose to explore and roam around.

This path is again like most of Sikkim trails covered in beautiful rhododendrons which blossom along the way with their vibrant colors and alluring design. You need to descend for about 2 hours, it is a very gentle descend. The rhododendrons which were earlier scattered in the form of shrubs now take the shape of full-grown forests and make way for your eyes. It is in the forest that you will find the descent getting steeper and more difficult, therefore be very careful.

You can spot many birds in this forest and also capture their photos if you have the time and patience, the birds are totally camouflaged with the trees and rocks and it will take a lot of time to separate the bird from its natural surroundings. You will find a beautiful spring called Kockchurang spring, from here a route leading to the forest where you have to head next, it will lead you to Phedang. You can’t place your campsite at Kockchurang but there is a river 100m away, where the campsite is usually set up for trekkers to halt for the night, the river and the weather together make a great camping experience for the trekkers.

From Kockchurang you will have to take a bridge across Prekchu, where you can explore and take a breath of fresh natural air. You can see the river which is running at freezing temperatures and you can see the clear way flowing below the bridge. Thansing is 2 km away from the bridge and the terrain in between changes from dense forests to its extreme opposite which is rocky and barren. When you finally reach Thansing you will see a wide clear meadow and a trekkers hut situated in the meadow is also visible. However, you cannot reside in the hut, so tents have to be put up anyway.

The trek to Lamuney is comparatively very gentle and calm and you will come across pasturelands and wide meadows which will soothe the mind and soul with their space and beauty. Once you reach Lamuney you will have a delicious lunch and then you can think about exploring the area further.

From here you can further go up to visit the popular lake Samiti and spent a few hours taking in the beauty and serenity of the lake, the trek will ascend from Lamuney it should take about 1 hour to reach lake Samiti, once you’ve successfully scaled the climb, it will open on to a wide flat area followed by the lake with is glistening pure water and mesmerizing beauty. The waves of the lake change according to the wind direction and you can see the harmony of nature with itself.

It is advisable to spend considerable time here taking in the beauty and shutterbugs capturing it as well. The lake’s purity is unchanged as it hasn’t been exploited by the man at all. the lake has the most beautiful shades of blue and you can also spot bluebirds matching the lakes color and domestic animals can be found here too. However, you cannot camp near Lake Samiti so you will have to return back and spend the night at the Lamuney campsite, which is equally petty with wide pastureland and cool breeze which will calm your nerves from the city life.

You will be briefed about the big day which will ascend you to your final destination Goecha La and you should also at this point think about resting and recharging yourself for the following day.

This is the oomph day of your trek, you will finally be reaching the destination you have been working so hard to get to, this trek will be the longest and toughest trek of all the days you’ve trekked up till now. The trek from Lamuney to Viewpoint 1 and back is long and it can take about 12 – 13 hours to complete. You start off this trek at the earlier hour of 1 am in the morning, the trek starts at this hour so that you have more time in hand to reach viewpoint 1 on time. Starting at this time also gives you a chance to witness the sunrise in full bloom.

Your first destination is the well-traversed Samiti Lake which some if you have already visited the day before, for those who will come here for the first time it will be an amazing experience as the fresh crystal clear lake is shining bright and creates a picture-perfect view to mesmerize your eyes for a while, you just don’t want to look away from the view, you also see the reflection of the beautiful massive mountings surrounding the area falling on the laze, people with DSLRs can capture this moment forever. The trek from Lamuney to Samiti Lake is a one-hour trek. From here you will ascend on a very steep slope which leads towards Goecha La viewpoint 1 at a towering altitude of 15,100 ft and about 5 km from Lamuney. On your way, you will experience the spectacular sunrise and the fresh sun rays hitting the mountain tops which are fully covered in shining snow. The bright sin light to the contrasting dark Rocky Mountains and soft snow will combine and make a view that is breathtaking. You will be able to locate many peaks from this point like Kabru South, Kabru North, Kabru Dome, Gocha Jupano, Kanchenjunga, Pandim, Tenzingkhang and Sinvo, shutterbugs should make use of the opportunity and capture the beauty of nature in their cameras, the rest of us, we can simply enjoy the view from Goechala viewpoint.

After spending some time at Goecha La viewpoint and taking in the beauty of the place, you start to descend to Lamuney. You will then have a delicious warm lunch at the campsite and start packing for your next descend to Thansing. Once you reach Thansing, you halt for the night to prepare your descent journey the next day.

On this trail, you will again enter the rhododendron covered forests and it will create its magical effect to beautify the forests and their vibrant colors will light up any trek. The total distance to reach Tshoka from Thansing is 16 km. Mountain peaks of Mt. Pandim and Kanchenjunga are visible all throughout this trail. You will come across the trail of Phe Dang and it will take about 4 to 5 hours to reach depending on your group’s speed.

After reaching Phedang you will finally begin your descent to Thansing retracting your steps back to where you came from. The path is pretty simple with gentle descents, the rich and lustrous forests which are untouched by human beings give you a sense of spiritual healing, you will come across plant species which you have never seen and the overall beauty of these enchanting trails will engulf you whole. Mt. Pandim is a view to behold, the snow-covered peaks peeping out of places and the glorifying height of the mountain top are something you will call tall buildings in cities. You will set up a temporary campsite for a little halt and have your packed lunch, you can have a power nap, explore around, click the pictures or simply sit down and feel the serene nature and let the cool breeze hit your face. After everyone is well-rested and refreshed with their energy levels full again, you start your remaining journey to Tshoka.

From Phedang it will take about 6 km to reach Tshoka, the trail still remains surrounded with dense rhododendron sprawling forests, it’s like walking on another planet similar to earth which is untouched by humans. There will be some difficult descents so it is advised to walk slowly and carefully, but once when you do reach a stable ground, try taking fewer breaks so that you reach Tshoka on time before it gets dark. On reaching Tshoka you will be served with dinner and everyone will go and rest calling it a day and prepare for the next day.

It takes about 6 hours to reach Yuksom the base camp from Tshoka, the total distance covered is approximately 15 km. the day will start with an energetic group which is well-rested. You will carry packed lunch so that time can be saved during breaks. You simply retrace your steps as you have to scale down the exact path you climbed a while back. The trek is also faster as you descend. And the majestic Himalayas will show their glory even from here, they will accompany you throughout the trek like a fixed wallpaper. From Sachen, you will see an irregularity in the terrain with lots of ups and downs and zig-zag roads in between and the last stretch has a couple of climbs which are a little challenging, the town of Bhakim will also come on your way back to Yuksom. There will be Hillock which will be the final hurdle of the trek, once you cross those, the trek will be over and you will find yourself standing in the Yuksom neighborhood. As soon as you are back to civilization, you will find cellular phone networks and you can contact your loved ones about the success of the trek. You can then settle down at the guest house, take a refreshing bath, get a power nap, and prepare to bid farewell to Sikkim.

But for the people who still want to hang on to Sikkim for a while longer can explore the town, explore the rich culture, try local cuisines and buy local handicrafts. If time allows you should definitely visit one of the Sikkim monasteries to get the spiritual touch of the area. You can look for small souvenirs and gifts to take for your loved ones and one for yourself too, so that it reminds you of the journey and beauty of the trek and Sikkim itself.

This is indeed one of the most beautiful treks of the Himalayas which gives you an opportunity to visit Sikkim as well. You will take much more than just mountains and camping from this trek, you will take some great memories and learning which you will cherish for a lifetime.

This is the actual final day of the trek when you actually prepare to leave Sikkim altogether, you should start your journey early because an exhausting and a long drive awaits you. You begin your day with the beautiful sunrise of Yuksom, taking in the cool and fresh breeze in as you breathe. Along with that you also pack your luggage and head out for a delicious breakfast in the morning sun. the ideal time to start would be 8 am so that you can reach New Jalpaiguri Railway Station by dusk. The total drive distance from Yuksom which can easily be covered within 8 to 9 hours of driving, but your overall time will depend on the traffic, weather, and the condition of roads, since Sikkim is prone to landslides, a lot of roads and bridges are under construction.

The journey by car back to Jalpaiguri is as exciting as your time in Yuksom, as the Himalayas will remain fixed to your car window and the beautiful rural life running past your eyes, this will make the ride very pleasurable. You will take a halt at Jorthang where mouth-watering lunch will be served and you can find many kinds of cuisines like Chinese, Indian, continental and the local delicacies of Sikkim.

The halt is short-lived as you still need to catch your train and so you immediately get on with your remaining journey. Since the travel time is not fixed and there can always be a delay in reaching Jalpaiguri on time, you should book an onward journey, which could be a couple of hours later than your ETA. You can even book tickets for the next day if you don’t want to take risks because sometimes trains aren’t available at night.

Once you reach Jalpaiguri and have some time in your hands, you should definitely explore of Jalpaiguri, it is a prominent district of West Bengal. It has a very popular market called Hong Kong Market which should definitely be on your list, it’s rarely about 4 km from the Railway station. There’s also a Bidhan market 5km away from the railway station, it is famous for its food, especially local eateries.