After spending two exciting days at Gangtok, it was time to move up, up north. Sikkim is indeed a very small state when compared to others or perhaps even the seven sisters. But the winding roads make the journey longer even for short distances. So if you are visiting this Himalayan state, be ready to be on road for longer durations. So always remember to have strict timings and follow them. Start as early as possible as the First light is usually around 4:30-5am you should be in your taxis and on the move latest by 7. Taxi, yes. Other state vehicles (Both cars and bikes) are not allowed beyond Gangtok mainly due to the perilous routes. There is a very long process to get the permits, so you are better off with an experienced driver and taxi than on your own. Individuals with motion sickness are advised to medicate themselves with a doctor’s prescription before traveling to Sikkim. North Sikkim is relatively at a very high altitude. One would climb rapidly and the highest you will reach is approx. 5500m from mean sea-level. So one needs to keep themselves well hydrated to avoid Acute Mountain Sickness and exercise adequately before the trip.

Day 3: Towards Lachen, North Sikkim

It was a travel day and the destination for the day was Lachen. I was ready by 7am to hop on my taxi and drive on, but life had other plans! Our taxi driver could not find all the necessary spares required for the journey in time so we finally left by 12, losing precious daylight. There were 5 of us in the cab all from Bengaluru. We started our scenic drive to North Sikkim. The roads are well paved and nature is just so beautiful! Every turn unwinds a new beautiful landscape. After driving for almost 2 hours we reached the famous seven sister’s falls where we halted for almost 30 mins to freshen up with some tea and cookies and click some brilliant photographs of the waterfalls. Post that it was just driving up the winding roads until we reached the town of Lachen by 9pm which was the destination for the night. The views that the road offers is no less than the scenes of the Hallelujah mountains from the famous Hollywood movie Avatar. Capturing while driving in the curves is definitely a task so decided to enjoy the view and take videos than images. Lachen is one such place which is very high in the mountains situated at 2160m above sea level. This altitude and low light pollution gives a chance to capture the beautiful night sky for galaxies or star trails. But again! It was an overcast night so my night ended early.

Day 4: Lachen-Gurudmonger lake-Lachung

Once again our day started early at 6 and we were ready in our taxis to drive to the best part of this trip! The Gurudmonger lake! Gurudmonger lake is situated near the sensitive Indo-China border which is barely 5kms away. It was a 4 hour drive along the winding roads with each turn elevating us 15-20ft high. It was the most scenic drive I ever had been on. It was more viable to capture videos rather than photos while driving. I did get a chance to capture the landscape when we had stopped for breakfast. Looking at those mountains all I could feel was how minuscule we are when compared to nature. Also a salute to the brave hearts serving and protecting our borders in such harsh weather and terrains all around the year. The current central govt led by BJP too has left no stone unturned to improve the infrastructure that will help the army.

After passing through multiple check posts and identity verifications we were nearing the lake. The road is paved in between a cold desert and the tarmac looks just mesmerizing! Beauty simply cannot be expressed in words but should rather be experienced. Once we reached the lake it was advised not to make any quick movements but walk around only if you are comfortable. I took a walk and observed that the heart rate would race up to 150bpm within a minute. I decided to sit down for sometime and let the body get acclimatized before I step down to the lake. After the rest I was quite comfortable and moved around more easily than before. The landscape just calms you down and you can enjoy the serenity. After spending an hour which is the maximum allowed time at that altitude we decided to head back to Lachen for Lunch and further travel to Lachung which was the destination for the day. Dinner was special today as it was the birthdays of two of our fellow travelers while one of them happened to be my roommate and the other was a fellow photographer. So it was the end of day 4, the best day of the trip!

Day 5: Lachung-Zero point-Yumthang valley-Gangtok

Last day in North Sikkim began early yet again as we had to drive up to Zero point via Yumthang valley from Lachung. Zero point is the last reachable location for civilians. Path beyond Zero point leads to the forward posts of the Indian army at the Sino-Indian border. Zero point is yet another high-altitude location located at approximately 15300ft from sea-level. Despite being at a lower altitude than Gurudmonger lake it was chilled to the bone due to being windy and on and off drizzling. So make sure you carry a windcheater along. Zero point also happens to be a confluence of 3 rivers so you can get the scenic view of tall mountains with the river flowing makes it quite a dreamy spot. After having a couple cups of tea and the high altitude signature dish Maggi, it was time to head back down to Yumthang. The drive is very scenic from Yumthang to Zero giving the panoramic view of the valleys accompanied by multiple waterfalls and bailey bridges. There is also an Indian army mess after the Shiva temple check post that serves delicious samosas. Don’t forget to grab a few on your way!

Scenic views of Zero point

Next stop for the day was Yumthang valley. It is famous for two things, Hot springs and Valley of flowers. If you plan on staying longer in Lachung one could definitely explore the hot springs which I missed. The valley is enthralling, as suggested by locals the right time to experience the beauty is in the Spring season between the months of March and May. Even the monsoon season had the valley filled with lush green color which in itself was very beautiful! After spending another 40 mins it was time to bid adieu to North Sikkim and head back to Gangtok. It was a thrilling journey back to Gangtok as the rains were back at it again followed by clouds and fog limiting the visibility to barely a meter. The drivers here are very experienced and know the roads like the back of their hands. But still, it is an unnecessary risk to take. I learnt a very important rule for traveling in Northeastern states, “Start your journey before the first light and reach your destination before the last light”. Even my driver, Sonam strongly endorses it along with his tag line for our cab. “Hum Hai Toh Sab Hai!”

Day 6: Gangtok-Conclusion

All good things come to an end. It was the last day of the trip and the destinations were, Nathula, TsongMo lake and Baba Harbhajan Singh mandir. Do read the interesting story of Baba Harbhajan Singh, A spirit soldier who serves the country beyond his death almost 50 years ago. We were forced to turn back after traveling half way to Nathula due to extreme weather conditions. So we were back to Gangtok by lunchtime and it was time to say goodbye to Sonam, our driver who had become a fantastic company to all 6 of us in the cab (Ye Sonam Befawa nahi hai! XD). Hopefully, we will meet sometime soon when I will be back to Sikkim to explore Eastern (Nathula) and Western Sikkim (Pelling). 

We were free for the rest of the day to explore and shop at MG Marg followed by a last day party at night to give this epic journey a closure. Next day morning we were up at 5AM to leave for Bagdogra to travel back to our homes after spending a week in Sikkim. It is advised to book your flights in the second half of the day to have a tension free journey to Bagdogra.

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