North Sikkim – The place where I left a piece of my heart!
I had been dying to visit Sikkim for a long time, especially North Sikkim. My heart would skip a beat every time I saw a picture of North Sikkim in social media and I was counting the days when I would be there.
I finally made the trip to Sikkim in November with my family and this by far has been the best trip of my life!
We booked our North Sikkim package from an agency outside NJP station. You can book it either in NJP or in Gangtok (Further details in the Planning Guide at the end).
North Sikkim Itinerary
Day 1: Roadtrip From Gangtok To Lachung. Overnight stay At Lachung.
Day 2: Visit Yumthang Valley & Zero Point. Overnight Stay At Lachen.
Day 3: Visit Gurudongmar Lake. Roadtrip Back To Gangtok.
Note: All North Sikkim tours start from Gangtok so I have started my itinerary from there. But you should definitely spend a few days in Gangtok before heading to North Sikkim.
Read: Gangtok And Around
Day 1: Roadtrip From Gangtok To Lachung. Overnight Stay At Lachung.
We started around 10 in the morning for Lachung. Although the journey is quite long, the beauty all around will keep you engrossed throughout.
We crossed countless streams and waterfalls on the way. Three of these waterfalls are quite popular and are definitely worth stopping at – Seven Sisters Waterfall, Naga Falls and Bheema Falls.
Did you spot the rainbow? 🌈
It was around sunset when we left Naga Falls. It was totally dark when we crossed Bheema Falls and could just hear the sound of the waterfall.
We reached our accommodation in Lachung around 7 in the evening and we could feel the chill in the air. Temperature was around – 2°C!
Note: Almost all North Sikkim tour packages provide basic food and accommodation (usually in a homestay).
Day 2: Visit Yumthang Valley & Zero Point. Overnight Stay At Lachen.
We started early morning for Yumthang Valley. The landscape began changing just a few minutes later and suddenly it started to snow! We were in disbelief at first. This was the first snowfall of our lives! 🌨️❄️
Slowly the entire road and trees got covered in snow and it was the best sight ever!
It stopped snowing after a while but the landscape around us kept getting better and we could see snow covered mountains nearing, until we drove into this gorgeous valley surrounded by mountains all around!
There is a small settlement in Yumthang Valley where we stopped. We had breakfast in a tiny shack there and the makeshift fireplace provided much relief in the freezing cold.
Our driver told us that we will be going to Zero Point first and then stop at the most scenic part of Yumthang Valley on our way back.
Zero Point was an hour’s drive from Yumthang. It was freezing cold and super windy when we got down at Zero Point and we could feel the sharp wind cutting through our bones!
The stream of water running through the valley was frozen and people were playing with snow.
Travel Tip: Rent these gumboots from where you have breakfast in Yumthang, otherwise it will be difficult to walk in the snow in Zero Point.
I had fallen asleep for a couple of minutes on our way to Zero Point since the journey was very hectic and we had to wake up super early in the morning as well. When I woke up, my mom told me they saw frozen waterfalls on the way. I was sure she was teasing me and I didn’t believe her. When we were returning from Zero Point, she pointed out of the window and, lo and behold, it was frozen waterfalls indeed!!
I obviously ran out of the car, totally ignoring the fact that it was freezing cold and the temperature was around -8°C (as per Google)!! The clouds slowly moved past, revealing this beautiful sight!
We stopped at Yumthang Valley on our way back and the scenery was right out of a postcard!
Yumthang Valley is a nature sanctuary with streams, hot springs and grazing pastures surrounded by the Himalayan mountains. I heard that Yumthang Valley is called the ‘Switzerland Of India’ and you can very well see why!
Yumthang Valley is also known as Valley Of Flowers and looks totally different during the flowering season, from late February to mid June, when countless flowers bloom to carpet the valley.
We went back to our homestay in Lachung, had quick lunch and left for Lachen.
Since we had arrived at Lachung late last night and left very early in the morning, we didn’t get a chance to admire the beauty of Lachung until then.
We stopped at Bhewma Falls which we had missed last day.
Our car broke down on the way but we didn’t mind the view!
We made it to our homestay in Lachen after sunset and the rooms in this one were quite above homestay standards to our surprise!
Day 3: Visit Gurudongmar Lake. Roadtrip Back To Gangtok.
We started out super early once again for Gurudongmar Lake. This day was the toughest because we had to be on road for almost 15-16 hours!
After an hour’s drive, we saw the sun rise through snow capped mountains and it was the most gorgeous sunrise I have ever seen!
We stopped at Thangu Valley for breakfast. A sip of hot coffee was just what we needed in this bone chilling cold.
The landscape enroute Gurudongmar Lake was quite different from that of Yumthang Valley. I guess that’s the beauty of Sikkim, each route brought in a fresh set of surprises!
We crossed bridges with water gushing below, frozen streams, yaks grazing on fine pastures surrounded by hills and snow covered mountains to finally reach the most spectacular landscape I have seen till date!
Gurudongmar Lake is one of the highest lakes in India and the world, located at an altitude of 17,800 ft. And this place is nothing short of paradise!
Me & my Dad walked some distance to catch a better view of the lake.
A lot of people have breathing trouble here due to the high altitude. If you face breathlessness, take it slow, take deep breaths and don’t make fast movements. If you feel fine, you should definitely get down to the lake and spend some time admiring this stunning gift of nature.
We went back to our homestay in Lachen and left for Gangtok after grabbing lunch. Our car headlights went out midway and it had gotten quite dark by then. We drove back through the steep hill slopes using something like a flashlight, which was another adventure in itself (thank God we made it back alive)!
As we drove through the silence of the night, the gorgeous sights kept flashing in front of my eyes and I knew I was leaving a part of myself behind! I can’t wait to return and visit the rest of Sikkim soon.
Camera Gear Used For Photography:
- Canon EOS 77D 24.2MP Digital SLR Camera
- Tamron SP AF17-50mm F/2.8 XR Di II LD Aspherical [IF] Lens for Canon DSLR Camera
Check out my ‘What’s In My Camera Bag‘ blog post for more details.
Planning Guide
How To Reach
The only way to reach North Sikkim is through Gangtok. All the North Sikkim tours always start and end in Gangtok.
Here’s how you can reach Gangtok:
- New Jalpaiguri is the nearest major railway station. The nearest airport is the newly opened Pakyong Airport. Bagdogra Airport is the other alternative. You can also avail bus service from Kolkata or other nearby cities to Siliguri.
- You can hire a cab from there to reach Gangtok. Car fare from NJP to Gangtok is Rs. 2500 (for Sumo/Scorpio etc). You can also take a shared cab which costs Rs. 200 per head. Larger cars are not allowed near MG Marg, so it will drop you at the car parking. You have to take a local taxi from there to your hotel, which will cost Rs. 150.
- [Note: If you book any sightseeing package from a tourist agency outside NJP station, like we did, they will offer you a lower cab fare to Gangtok. We were charged Rs. 1500 instead of 2500. But make sure they are charging valid rates for the sightseeing packages.]
- Alternatively, you can take a bus/car from Siliguri to Gangtok.
Accomodation & Food
The accommodation and food is usually included in the package. There are many homestays in Lachung and Lachen and rooms are decent enough to spend the night. But don’t expect anything fancy. The food they provide is basic but taste quite good.
Visiting other parts of Sikkim as well? Check out Booking.com for great hotel deals or rent an Airbnb for longer stays (and get ₹3,500 off on your first trip – for new sign-ups only)
North Sikkim Tour Package Cost
We were charged Rs. 24,000 for four people for 2N 3D including permits, car fare, accommodation and food.
Note: Permits are mandatory for visiting North Sikkim and are arranged by the tourist agencies. You will need photo ID proof like Passport / Voter Card/ Aadhaar Card (PAN card is not accepted) and two passport size photos each.
An additional of Rs. 2500 is charged if you visit Zero Point from Yumthang Valley and has to be paid directly to the driver.
You can also visit Kalapathar on the way to Gurudongmar Lake by paying Rs. 2500 extra to the driver.
Shared trips are also available and cost around Rs. 4-5000 per head. Since the journey is long and tedious, they take 6-8 people in a car instead of the usual 10 and is a great option if you are travelling solo or as a couple.
Best Time To Visit North Sikkim
- Mid March to mid June is the best time to visit North Sikkim as the weather is ideal. You can also experience Yumthang Valley in full bloom at this time.
- If you love winter, October to mid November is the perfect for you and there is a high chance of experiencing snowfall as well.
- Avoid mid November to mid March because roads are usually blocked during this time due to heavy snowfall.
- Avoid the peak monsoons because of landslides and road blockages.
I have been told that you have to be really lucky to successfully complete the North Sikkim tour since there can be unpredictable landslides and road blockages anywhere at any time! I know a lot of people who couldn’t make it even after trying more than once, so make sure you do adequate research about choosing your time of visit.
I really hope you enjoyed reading this article and you’ll find the information useful whenever you plan to visit Sikkim.
You can also Pin it for later use!
Also, don’t forget to check out the YouTube videos I made on this trip!
Happy Travelling! 🙂
Disclaimer: There is a very good chance that this post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through them, we may receive a small commission (for which we would be deeply grateful) at no extra cost to you.
