Day 01:
Arrive Bhadrapur Airport (Nepal) and transfer to Darjeeling
(2130 meters). A charming 5/6 hours journey through the
Tea Gardens and tiny villages takes us to Darjeeling.
Built on top of a ridge, it faces the Himalayas and is
a popular destination for the domestic and overseas tourists.
O/N Hotel.
Day 02: Early morning trip to Tiger Hill
to see the sunrise over Mt. Kanchendzonga, the third highest
summit in the world. Afterwards we visit the famous Ghoom
Monastery which enshrines an image of the Maitreya Buddha
(the Coming Buddha). Later on we can step in the Himalayan
Mountaineering Institute, Zoological Park, and Tibetan
Refugee Self Help Centre and visit the nearest tea plantation.
In the evening, stroll around The Mall or souvenir shopping.
O/N Hotel.
Day
03: Darjeeling – Yuksum (1760 meters). En route
we pass the commercial hub of Sikkim, Jorethang and a
quiet river town of Legship trailing alongside the River
Rangit. The journey takes almost 5 hours. Yuksom was the
first capital of erstwhile Kingdom of Sikkim. The first
Chogyal ( King) was crowned here and the stone throne
is located in the Norbughang Chorten. Today, Yuksom serves
as the base from where all treks into the alpine heights
of Dzongri and Kunchendzonga begin. The trekking routes
beyond Yuksom are reputed to be the best among the high
altitude trekking areas of the world. This is a very popular
trekking route with “Dzongri”as the destination. O/N Hotel
Day 04: Trek from Yuksom – Tshoka (3030
meters) in 6 hrs. The trail runs up the Rathang valley,
through thick semi-tropical forests. Afterwards a steep
climb takes us to the tiny Tibetan village of Tshoka.
The landscape has now changed into alpine, rhododendron
and magnolia forests. We get excellent vistas towards
the whole Himalayan range and Mt. Kanchendzonga. O/N Tent
or trekker’s hut.
Day 05: Trek from Tshoka – Dzongri (4020
meters) in 5 hrs. A steep trail zigzags up through temperate
forests and large stands of rhododendrons, to the vast
clearing of Phedang. During April and May (perhaps the
best trekking season), the spectacle is gorgeous, as the
land becomes a mass of flowers (400 species have been
listed so far). After 3000 meters, we follow the ridge
line to Dzongri, a pasture area for Yuksom yaks from April
to October. O/N tent or trekker’s hut.
Day 06: Acclimatizing: According to the
fitness of the group, we could head northwest to the Dzongri,
where the panorama is stunning over Rathong glacier and
far out, towards the Nepal’s border summits. We can also
organize a shorter ascent towards Dzongri peak (4320 meters)
and enjoy a great vista of the Kanchendzonga (8586 meters),
the third highest summit in the world. O/N tent or trekker’s
hut.
Day 07: Dzongri – Thansing (3930 meters)
in 4 hrs. We descend through rhododendron forest towards
the banks of the glacial Perk Chu River. We establish
our campsite on Thansing grassy pastures. The southern
ridge of Kanchendzonga and the Onglakhang glacier are
visible directly ahead and there are close up views of
Mt. Pandim to its grandeur. O/N tent or trekker’s hut.
Day 08: Thansing – Samity Lake (4200
meters) in 3 hrs. A pleasant walk beneath the west side
of Pandim, through dwarf azaleas and rhododendrons in
Zamathang. We take a foothold onto the Onglakhing glacier
and climb up to the shores of Samity Lake, reputed to
be the sacred soured of the Prek Chu river ringed by prayer
flags, the lake reflects Forked Peak, Kabru North Gocha
Peak and other snow capped peaks.
Day 09: Samity Lake/Goche- La (4940 meters).
Thansing, in 7 hrs. We have to leave quite early this
morning, as fog and clouds come to stick to the pass shortly
after the sunrise. The track to Goche-La climbs steeply
through moraines. From the pass, ringed with colourful
prayer flags, we can see the Kanzhendzonga and beyond
the Talung Glacier.
Day 10: Goche-la to Samity Lake. O/N
tent or trekker’s hut.
Day 11: Samity to Thansing. O/N tent
or trekker’s hut.
Day 12: Thansing to Dzongri. O/N tent
or trekker’s hut.
Day 13: Dzongri to Tshoka. O/N tent or
trekker’s hut.
Day 14: Tshoka to Yuksom. O/N Hotel.
Day 15: Yuksom to Gangtok the capital
of Sikkim. O/N Hotel.
Day 16: Transfer from Gangtok to Bhadrapur
and fly out to Kathmandu.
