Sikkim Holiday with Lachen and Lachung Trip:
Sikkim holiday's Essence is located near China Border in Lachung and its neighboring region. The Street, Food facilities, Star accommodation category is a problem for people; looking for Homes like food and comfort. This place is for people who love to enjoy nature. It should be avoided by people looking for great photo options for sharing on Facebook. Lachung Holiday means loving nature and spending some time on your lap with it.
All Tourists Must obtain a Restricted Area Permit to Visit Lachen and Lachung due to its Proximity to International Border. A permit can be applied through a Travel agent of Sikkim minimum one day in advance. RAP Permits are not issued to children below 5 years (officially not allowed). Solo Foreigners are not Issued Permits. For Their Holiday in Lachen or Lachung. Being Situated on High Altitude oxygen is thin, hence asthmatic Patients and Senior Citizen should take necessary Precautions.
Lachung, Yumthang & Zero Point Tour from Gangtok.
Your Lachung Trip starts in Gangtok and you have to stay for a night in Lachung or Lachen if you just want to cover all the areas, but if you want to see the essence of Lachung and Lachen, spending 2 to 3 nights is a must. If you're visiting Sikkim and don't think you're going to do it again in the future, then try a trip to North Sikkim's Lachung, Yumthang Valley, and Zero Point. The reason? Because you may not see anywhere else such amazing views of snow mountains and rivers. Dr. Hooker in his' Himalayan Journal' of 1856 mentioned that Lachung and Yumthang are the two most attractive places in t Sikkim and had even compared them to Switzerland.
After driving for 67 km, you can reach the small village of Mangan from Gangtok, and then Chungthang (22kms before Lachung). You can see the Teesta River on your side and you can see several waterfalls and mountain springs.
You have to pause at Chungthang City and see the magnificent confluence of the rivers Lachen Chhu and Lachung Chhu and then its merger with the river Teesta. Nearby is a sacred stone (Naydo) with guru Padmasambhava footprints. Visit the Chungthang Monastery enclosed by stone houses and large buildings. The monastery is full of ancient and valuable collections of Buddhist paintings. Some things to see here are the waterfall numbers
Around 11kms north of Chungthang and towards Lachung (30 minutes' drive) you will come across a spectacular waterfall along the way known as Amitabh Waterfall because of the Bollywood movie ' Ankhen' was filmed here with Amitabh starring in it). Take a 10-minute break here and enjoy the beautiful sight of the drop roaring down from the top and splashing into the ground near you. You can hear the sound of the gushing water from a distance and the air is really hot.
There is a small wooden platform built by the local villagers (with bamboo and logs) so you can walk near the waterfall, but you have to pay a charge of Rs. 15 per Tourist to walk closer to Fall (waterfall is visible from the road).
Lachung Tour:
Lachung means the' Small Pass' (that's why there must be a' Big Pass' as well? Yes, it's another place called Lachen. Lachung is a small hilly village about 122 km from the city of Gangtok, at an altitude of 8,620 ft. Although the distance looks easy, reaching Lachung from Gangtok takes around 7 hours by SUV (Road Conditions are Not Good for Sedan Car), and the road is often not in good condition, although it is very scenic. Lachung belongs to North Sikkim.
Yumthang Valley:
You can stay overnight in Lachung and start early in the morning. Yumthang Valley is situated at an altitude of 11,800 ft about 25kms from Lachung and takes about 1,5 hours driving. There can be a long queue of vehicles at the check post just after Lachung during high season and the situation there can be very chaotic and you can easily waste about an hour here. So you have to start early if you want to stop those queues (even starting at 6 am may not be enough).
The title Yumthang Valley means' Flowers Valley.' Now you know what to look forward to. But if it said' Rhododendron Valley,' the name would have been more appropriate. Because this is the end of the tree line.
The rhododendrons bloom from March to May. Visit the Shingba Rhododendron Sanctuary here near Lachung, which extends over 34 square kilometers and has over 38 different rhododendron varieties. Due to its sheer variety and color spread, the sanctuary beats its competitors like Dzongro, Barsey, Zema in Lachen.
Some great species like arboretum, grande, Nivale, state flower, etc. can be seen. There are many flowers like primulas, iris, cobra lilies, louseworts, poppies, etc. other than rhododendrons. During the peak flower blooming season, the State Forest Department holds the annual International Rhodendron Festival here from March to May.
Zero Point
Further up and about 25 km from Yumthang at an altitude of more than 15,000 ft is Zero Point (also known as Yumesamdong). It takes an additional 2 hours by vehicle from Yumthang (about 3.5 to 5 hours from Lachung). This is where the civil road comes to an end and you can't drive any further, hence the Zero Point name. A small distance from here is the international border with China, and immediately after Zero Point, tourists are not permitted to go any further.
So, what are you waiting for at Zero Point? The road is pretty slippery, but the rewards are fantastic. Zero Point or Yume Samdong is where three rivers meet the surrounding snow-clad mountains and offer beautiful views of the scenery.
Multiple intricacies like multiple permits are required to Visit interiors of Sikkim's, hence taking the help of a good Travel Agent is Must.
Your Sikkim Holiday Tour is Incomplete without Lachung and Lachen, and Your Sikkim itinerary must have them.
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