Itinerary -
Day 1: Arrive Yuksom(1750m)
You arrive at Yuksom and check-in the hotel. Meal will be followed by an orientation session and a brief for the next day with the GIO team. Stay for the night in hotel.
Day 2: Trek to Sachen(2400m)9 kms, hike/4-5 hrs
The morning starts with breakfast at the hotel, and commencing the trek to Dzongri. Get past the National Park Gate to enter a thick green forest filled with all kinds of flora and fauna, keep an eye for the minute details on the trail as walking up and down will be the schedule for today. You cross a few bridges and streams before reaching Sachen, a small empty spot inside the evergreen forests of KNP. Spend the evening reading a book and enjoying the rich healthy eco-system, before retiring to your tents.
Day 3: Trek to Tshoka (3040m) hike/4-5hrs
Sachen to Tshoka is a nice arduous trek with demanding walk after the last bridge. Walking at a slow and regular pace is advised, as getting winded will increase the fatigue thus taking more time to reach the destination. Sitting at an altitude of 3040m, this village has a pond, a monastery, a few trekker huts and a restaurant that severs food and beer. Spend the evening watching a transition of colours over the snow peaks, while the sun sets in a dramatic fashion. Stay for the night in trekker hut.
Day 4: Trek to Dzongri (3930m) hike/5-6hrs
Wake up to an early and clear morning as the sun comes out quite early. You get spectacular views of the Kanchendzonga range from here, although the mighty peak won’t be showing up until you mount to the Dzongri top. Today’s hike is a bit strenuous than the previous, since you climb up to the top of the mountain, climbing almost 1000m in less than 6 hrs. Pre-monsoon season in these mountains is cloudy, while one can witness clear skies in the months of September till summers. By the time you reach the snow fields of Dzongri, all your fatigue turns into euphoria. Play around in the snow before getting into dry clothes. Enjoy a delightful dinner and retire to your sleeping bags. Stay for the night in trekker hut.
Day 5: Hike to Dzongri Top to catch the sunrise. Post breakfast trek back to Tshoka
Wake up at 3 in the morning, have tea with some cookies and go for a hike to Dzongri top, to catch the first rays of the sun illuminating the snow-capped peaks. It’s a small hike with, chilling cold and snow, as the only challenge. After witnessing a breathtaking sunrise, descend down to the campsite, have breakfast and rest a bit before heading back to Tshoka. Today’s hike will be more technical then strenuous, as walking down will engage up all your energy and attention. Reach back to the campsite at Tshoka, have tea with snacks and spend the evening; getting a grip around the rare moments that you witnessed in the high altitudes of KNP. Celebrate the successful execution of the venture over a special dinner with the team, before retiring for the night. Stay for the night in trekker hut.
Day 6: Tshoka to Yuksom
Post breakfast; prepare yourself for the final stretch of this venture. You retrace your footsteps back to where you started, marking the completion of one of the most beautiful and a challenging trek in the Himalayas
Day 7: Depart to NJP
Trip Ends With Sweet Memories !!!
List of Essentials
It is very important for this adventure trip that you need to be equipped properly and with a bit of back up. Mountain/adventure travel requires one to be adequately equipped with the right kind of personal gear. Since one is travelling in the wilderness there will be hardly any opportunity to buy anything once you hit the trail so we urge you to carefully pack everything into your bags. Also please keep in mind you can rent out or purchase equipment from our Gear Store, if required.
Shirts / T-shirts – 2/3
Jeans / Trekking Pants - 2
Windproof jacket of decent quality (no flimsy wind cheaters please!) preferably with a hood
Warm and thick Fleece / Full-sleeve Woollen sweater
Thermal inner wear (upper & lower)
Woollen cap
Woollen gloves
Woollen socks & regular socks (3-4 pairs)
Scarf/muffler (optional)
Comfortable Trekking/Hiking shoes (shoes with a thick sole are recommended)
Lightweight floaters/sandals/slippers
Raincoat / Poncho
Small light weight towel
Water bottle (sturdy ones, no empty Bisleri bottles!!)
Cap / Hat to keep the strong sun away from your face
Sun glasses
Walking stick / Trekking pole
Sunscreen Lotion
Lip Balm
Torch / Flashlight (with extra batteries)
Medicines, if requiring any specific medication
Personal toiletries
Books, if you like reading
Day pack/small bag which you will carry on your back every day and keep your essentials in it
Carry rain cover for your bags
Keep a few poly bags or waterproof bags in your bag in which if required you can put your belongings in case of heavy rain
Camera if you like (with fully charged batteries)
…LOADS OF ENTHUSIASM!! AND A PLEDGE TO LEAVE NO TRACE
Carry your stuff in a duffel bag, soft shoulder bag or a rucksack. Avoid suitcases, trolleys or any other hard luggage. As you will be walking long distances carrying a rucksack, avoid bringing unnecessary items on the trek. Please avoid carrying expensive watches, jewellery and electronic items on the trek.
For Departure Dates just call 7350530009 / 7350540009 / 7350550009
Transport Options (DELHI – BAGDOGRA/NEW JALPAIGURI)
For travel to Sikkim and back one can choose between air, rail & road. Bagdobra airport is well connected to Delhi and other parts of the country by Air India, Jet Airways, Kingfisher Airlines & Spice Jet. Train travel is highly recommended with enough options being there.
Weather Details
The climate in Yuksom, which is located at a moderate altitude, is pleasant from March to June and September to November, while in the winter season, the coldest months are December and February. The climate of Sikkim can be termed as temperate in broad terms. Sikkim enjoys the five seasons of summer, winter, monsoon, autumn and spring. Sprawled in an area of 7,096 km², Sikkim lengthens from an altitude of 280 m (920 ft) to 8,585 m (28,000 ft). With such varied altitudes, the state observes tropical, temperate and frigid climate in different regions. In the southern part, the weather is usually sub-tropical, whereas in the north, it is generally tundra.
However, the colonized regions are dominated by temperate climate, where temperature rarely goes 28 °C maximum in summers and drops below 0°C in winters. The average annual temperature for the major part of Sikkim is recorded 18°C (64 °F) approx. During the months of March - May, the sun shines at its best in the state of Sikkim. The weather remains wintry and humid; with a frequent drizzling, makes it misty and cloudy.
Monsoon prevails from late-June to early-September. Autumn stays from September to October providing a nice time for tourists to visit the state. In India, Sikkim is one amongst the few states that receive regular snowfall. The snowline of Sikkim is approx. 6,000 meters. The high altitude in the northern region permits the temperature to drop below -40°C in winters. The proper winter season starts from late December till February.
Please keep in mind that the above information is not exact and does not account for sudden changes. Whatever the temperatures and conditions rest assured we will be prepared to handle it with ease as we use equipment of very high specifications
Duration: 07 Days
Season: Dec-Mar
Grade: Moderate
Region: Sikkim
Description
Walking up the snow clad mountains and sliding down those velvet slopes is the idea of adventure that meets in this venture!
The trail moves through a mystical forest of pine, oaks and rhododendrons of 30 kinds, along with a twittering population of thousands of Himalayan birds. At Dzongri you will experience the environs that are rarely seen by many trekkers, as most people make this journey when theres not much snow; so as to get much closer to Mt. Kangchendzonga. You spend the night at Dzongri, only to make an early morning hike to catch the magnificent sunrise from Dzongri top. Its a small 1 hr hike that will take you to a vantage point which gives a 360 degree view of the greater Himalayas; with peaks rising over 8000 meters above mean sea level, and the deep valleys of KNP that stretch into the horizon. This adventurous journey will not only give you a firsthand experience of adventure in the snow but also develop your skills so as to undertake even harder journeys in the mighty Himalayas.