Journey to Yumthang – my personal tribute to the great people and region I met during my journey on hilly terrain:
Last year in October 2010, we went to Gangtok and enjoyed a fantastic journey to Yumthang .It was not only the scenic beauty that enthralled us , but the hospitability of local people was really charming . But the major earthquake last Sunday (18Th September2011) , shattered the dream of those loving people in Sikkim . Along the mountain track to Yumthang , we met many local people , small villages .Those memories are vivid now . After earth quake , many villages along that route suffered a terrible loss of lives and property , deep suffering of people from those hilly villages touched these good memories.
In this post I like share those days where I had a great days and time at Gangtok , Lachung and Yumthang . Here is the travel log:
After reaching Gangtok , we immediately booked our package tour for Yumthang . It was 25thOctober 2010 , we started for Yumthang . It is a 129 Km long journey up along the hilly region. We started from Gangtok Bus station at around 10:30 AM. Our car driver told us it was a 6-8 journey. Slowly we came out the city of Gangtok , our car started running along the uphill path , leaving behind the city Gangtok city .It was altogether different felling as we are moving to mingle with a hilly terrain , snow clad mountains , flower valley . Serenity and scenic beauty along the path was really enchanting, we are moving on …
We are leaving behind Gangtok City , moving towards Yumthang
Beautiful views of surrounding valleys made our journey a great experience
Seven Sister fall at Menrong Gong , North Sikkim
Slowly road becomes muddy after few km journey from Gangtok , sometimes road turns are dangerous . After 20 Km Journey we reached at Menrong Gong . Here we saw the famous Seven Sister fall. It’s a 50 feet fall and water is crashing on the stone bed and creating beautiful rainbow. Luckily the weather was clear. This place is really good for spending some time and taking the views of hilly valleys.
Road takes dangerous turn as we move along the pathway
We reached seven sister fall
At seven sister fall
Beautiful view of Seven Sister fall
At Phudong
After a short break, we started for next phase of journey. Along the path we saw many small villages. At many turns, small falls welcome us with their natural beauty and streams on path bed. We then reached Phudong for lunch. Driver told us we need to finish the lunch quickly as we have move up as we need to reach Lachung before sunset. After lunch, again we started for next phase .
Lunch break at Phudong
After Phudong , now path becomes more rough and some of the turns are dangerous . Sometimes road are muddy and narrow, one side hanging hilly wall and other side thousand feet deep canyon . Views are really blood chilling but at the same time scenic beauty and silence of nature made us engrossed with nature.
But our luck was not good. After a few km run, we narrowly saved by land slide. As the car in front of us got badly damaged by falling stones and road ahead got completely blocked by boulders . Driven parked the car as no road ahead . After an hour wait , bolder clear machine came ( thanks god it was parked nearby ) , our family waited outside the car . After an hour road became clear .
Road blocked after Phudong
At Mangon :
At around 4 PM we reached Mangon , the big city in North Sikkim . After necessary security clearance we immediately started from there as we lost 2 hours due to road lock . After Mangon , road become more treacherous as road became narrow , slippery , more water falls crossing the road to make the driving difficult .
We are at Mangon
Road after Mangon
At Chungthung
Now we reached at a check post before Chungthung . This is very beautiful place, one side wide views of North Sikkim and you can see the blue water of Teesta flowing down. This place river Teesta came very close to our roadway.
Check post before entering Chungtung
Teesta comes very close to our journey path before entering Chungtung
Slowly we entered into Chungthung area, here we could see the power project structure inside the deep valley. Road becomes very narrow here, army and local people maintaining the one way traffic at a time. We could see the army barracks around. By that time sun set in behind the mountains. Driven told us that that we are on the way to Lachung . We passed through the Chungthung city without stopping. Now surprisingly road is very good, it’s a 20 km journey along a good road , but outside is dark , so we are impatiently waiting for the Lachung to arrive . At last around 7PM reached Lachung .
We reached Lachung
At Lachung :
Stay at Lachung was really refreshing. Driver took us to our reserved hotel “ Hotel Rocky Mountain “ . Tourists for Yumthang normally take rest and night stay at Lachung and then next morning goes for Yumthang Visit. As soon as we come from our car (after a 9 hours journay ) , it was very cold , near about 1-2 degree centigrade . People from Kolkata feel it cold. So we put on our heavy dresses to project sudden cold.
Awesome view of Lachung !!!
At Lachung , we have seen most of hotels are small ( 4-5 rooms ) , these rooms are booked from Gangtok as people come here on package tour . After placing our languages inside the hotel , we cheked outside , saw the Lachung valley from our balcony . We heard the sounds of gun firing from nearby mountain range .As this area is army area. We checked our restaurant up along the hills , from our bed room , it is 10 ft up on upslope . Local cook served tea and informed that dinner would be served around 9 pm.
After diner we went to bed as we had to get up early for Yumthang . Next day morning, we got the views of Lachung Village, it’s awesome ( now this same village under tensions and people are fleeing after earthquake hit Sikkim on 18th September 2011 ) . Next day we got up early morning (On 26th Oct) , driver was waiting outside for taking us to Zero point first and then Yumthang .
Our hotel at Lachung - just ready to set out our trip to Yumthang
Journey from Lachung to Yumthang
It’s a 30 km journey from Lachung to reach Yumthang . This journey is the best journey in my life for any hilly tracks. Driver pointed up a snow clad peaks and told we were going that place. So you know it was so exciting. We slowly moving up along the hilly road leaving behind Lachung City . After some time , road become more rough , some of places road washed away by gushing water and rainfall , only road is support by few big stones , so dangerous to maneuver along the road . Our driver was good, he took time to find the best solid road bed. By that time, sun rises, we could see the first sun rays at snow clad peaks , views are awesome !! All peaks look like golden cap sitting on top of mountains. Along the journey, we saw the mountains covered with snow, frozen falls. ( Photo 17-19 ). We could see the orchid gardens ( but this is not a flower season ) . Here due to high altitude, my kids are also felling uneasy.
We are on the way to Yumthang - golden color at the peak welcome us there
Beautiful views , snow peaks , orchid garden along the path
Finally we reached Yumthang after 2 hours journey. But we didn’t stop there as our destination is Zero point first as we need to see lots of ice. At Yumthung no ice was there. So planned to visit Zero point first .
We at Yumthang
Journey From Yumthang to Zero point:
From Yanthung to zero point (the last motor able border point in Sikkim) is a 33 km path. This path is really toughest. We moved on leaving behind Yumthung point . Our car was chasing sharp turns , altitude is very high here , our kids Ankita and Richita Started vomiting , after some medicine they become stable . We are looking up as chasing to reach now peak , we could see the Yumthang Valley down . Yes after an hour journey, we noticed layer of snow on the nearby bushes. Driver pointed out , now we started moving into the ice kingdom . We are moving up and up, chasing difficult path , crashing ice bed on the road . Finally we reached zero point. Road ends here, We see the snow bed spread all around, small rivulet following through the snow .
Snow covered peaks very close to our reach ( can say view ) !!!
On way to Zero Point - tourists are enjoying snow walk
Outside temperature is below zero degree. We came out from our car. Outside is very chill, we sit on a bench ordered coffees to warm up . Ankita and Richita became tired because of cold, high altitude sickness, my wife Tanusree and I climbed up along the snow bed. We have seen many tourists fallen sick there. But many other are paying with snows. We also took spent some time with snow. .After spending 30 minutes there , we started back to reach Yumthung .
Our family at Zero point
Good bye Zero point !!!
At Yumthung ( coming down from Zero Point )
Along with decreasing altitude, all are felling fresh, after an hour journey we reached Yumthung back . When we reached Yumthung from zero point ,we are all tired , but the refreshing views around made us spellbound . We could see series of snow clad peaks greeting us from all around. From the road, we could see the river flowing down the valley . After a little walk across river bank , we reached the river point . One side we see small river flowing through the valley, kissing all stones , rhododendrons tress and on the other side series of mountains peaks guarding that flow . We sit along the river, my wife my wife kids sang songs , we could see the road on our back toward zero point .
My Family at Yumthang
Whole nature is so clean, clear and pristine that we really sit over there for an hour forgetting our foods and teas. After 2 hours we came up from the river bank , driven took us to nearby restaurant for morning snacks and tea . After breakfast ( at 11:30AM! ) , we roamed around few more hours .It was really tough to detach ourselves from that natural beauty , it is so captivating !
Awesome views at Yumthang !!!
Our family at Yumthang - beauty of this paradise made us spell bound
Good bye Yumthang - carrying the memories of nature , flower , river back to city life !!!
Around 12:30 PM we started aback toward Lauchung . We reached Lachung back at 1PM and finished our lunch at hotel .Then we started from Lachung toward Gangtok around 2 PM .Since it was down slope , so journey was not tough . But after a long journey we finally saw the city line of Gangtok .And reached Gangtok City around 8 pm . This awesome journey! When you are in Gangtok , you can really enjoy the hospitability of local people . They are hard working people , leaving in a remote villages and city along the tourist route , earning their leaving by assisting tourists .Now the same route is in a sorrow state due to devastating earthquake . I write this to pay my homage to those peace loving people in Gangtok . Hope this God gifted beautiful place get back its glory , peace and blessing of nature .So that next time you can enjoy your trip to Yumthang!
