Lachen: How Green is my Valley

North Sikkim is on its way to becoming a top-notch tourist destination, but travel infrastructure can still be touch-and-go, and travelling by yourself might be more hassle than it is worth. In addition, the earthquakes in 2011 and 2012, which also resulted in flash floods, caused dramatic and tragic loss of infrastructure in the region. Things are looking up though, with efforts to stabilise the area and to avoid a situation where its residents might be completely cut off from the rest of the state, as they had been due to the floods.

There are many tour operators in Gangtok who organise trips to both Lachen and Lachung, varying from four days to over a week. This option also saves you from the hassle of arranging permits required to visit the area.

Though there has been a push to make Lachung the premier tourist destination in north Sikkim, Lachen and its environs are nothing to scoff at either.

With a dramatic backdrop of pine-clad mountains and peaks covered in snow most of the year, Lachen is a pretty village that has seen some development, but not enough to scar its natural beauty.

Lachen and its surroundings are best visited on a four-day itinerary. Set up base at Lachen and visit both the stunning Tsopta Valley and Gurudongmar Lake.

Entrance to the Phodong Monastery

Prashant Panjiar

THINGS TO SEE AND DO

The road leading from Gangtok to Lachen, via Chungthang, has several important stops on the way; therefore you are likely to only reach Lachen by the end of the first day. Only 17 km north of Gangtok is the 300-year-old Phensang Gompa, a small gompa, which belongs to the Nyingmapa school. It is beautifully decorated, and the prayer halls are well worth a walkaround. The annual festival of Chaam is celebrated here on the 28th and 29th days of the 10th month of the Lunar calendar.

Eight kilometres away is Phodong, which lies on a spur of the hill one kilometre away from the main road and commands superb views. The Phodong Gompa is considered one of the six most important monasteries in Sikkim. It consists of a simple main temple, some outhouses and residential quarters. Inside are extensive murals as well as a large statue of the 9th Karmapa. The gompa was built in the early 18th century and was Sikkim’s most famous Kagyu monastery until the growth of Rumtek in the second half of the 20th century.

Chungthang, located at the confluence of the Lachen and Lachung chus (‘chu’ meaning river), is a major town in north Sikkim. A short visit is definitely recommended to the place where Guru Nanak rested while on his epic Himalayan odyssey. From here it is a short way to Lachen (27 km), at around 2,750 m, in a beautiful valley.

Colourful houses on stilts, Lachung Valley

Prashant Panjiar

Lachen Village

A half-day can be spent in the village of Lachen, walking past old wooden homes built on stone bases and decorated with multi-hued window frames constructed Tibetan-style. It is recommended to let yourself get acclimatised to Lachen’s height of 9,000 ft, before you head to Gurudongmar, which is at a staggering height of over 17,000 ft.

Thanggu and Tsopta Valley

Another 32 km ahead of Lachen is Thanggu, located close to the Tibetan Plateau, and as far as foreign tourists are allowed to go. Indians can take a break and enjoy a hearty meal here before making their way to the lovely Tsopta Valley, only 2 km away from Thanggu by road (or 5 km one-way as a great dayhike option). This is a beautiful spot, rich in alpine vegetation, including stunning orchids and rhododendrons. Those with time on their hands might want to take the two-hour trek up to a couple of caves that are said to have been used for meditation for a period of two years, between 1914 and 1916 by Alexandra David-Néel, the famous Belgian-French Buddhist traveller.

Gorgeous, pristine waters of Gurudongmar Lake

Prashant Panjiar

Gurudongmar Lake

Past Tsopta Valley, about 30 km north, is the stunning Gurudongmar Lake, located right on the border with Tibet. This is one of the highest lakes in the world at 17,100 ft, and just being there is sure to leave you breathless, literally and figuratively.

The lake enjoys a stunning setting, with perennial snow peaks all around. While some attribute the lake to Guru Nanak, others claim that it is named after Padmasambhava or Guru Rinpoche, and it is a pilgrimage site for both Buddhists and Sikhs. According to legend, the lake remained frozen most of the year and therefore could not be used a source of water by those living in its vicinity. When Padmasambhava passed by here on his way to Tibet, the spot where he bathed never froze again. This water is considered holy and people of both faiths now congregate to bottle some of the ‘blessed’ water. A small stream that emanates from the lake joins one originating from the nearby Cholamu Lake, and builds up into the Lachen Chu or the Teesta river.

It is advisable to spend no more than an hour at the lake, as the altitude can be dizzying. Carry plenty of drinking water, and the warmest clothing you’ve brought along with you. You should start early in the morning and be back in Lachen latest by lunch time.

A cottage at the Apple Orchard Resort

WHERE TO STAY AND EAT

In Lachen

The Apple Orchard Resort (Cell: 09474837640; Tariff: ₹8,990 with meals; W theappleorchardresort.com) is a comfortable option located above the village.

Lachen View Point (Cell: 098670513511, 09434867312; Tariff: ₹5,000, with meals) offers satifying meals and decent rooms.

If you have a tour operator, then it is most likely that there will be a hotel chosen for you.

When to go March to September, or between November and December, which can be freezing but stunning at the same time Location Located in the district of north Sikkim, Lachen lies is at an elevation of 8,500 ft Air Nearest airport: Bagdogra Rail Nearest rail: New Jalpaiguri, Siliguri