Day 1 Pemayangste
- Yuksom
It is 35-km by car and 16-km by trekking which takes about six
to
eight
hours. After visiting the monastery, one of the oldest in Sikkim,
the pilgrimage starts and the six to eight hours trek gives glimpses
of Sikkimese life and provides a good acclimatization for the
next few days. Passing through terraced fields of rice, barley
and corn, the track is dotted with Nepalese, Shepra and Lepcha
huts. Crossing first, the Rimbi 'Chu', the trekker gets to the
turbulent mountainous streams of Sikkim. A tableland of barley
and apples, Yoksum provides beautiful vistas of mini lakes with
the Himalayan background. The night can be spent in tourist huts.
Day 2 Yoksum - Bakhim (2,750m or 9,000 ft)
The trail now runs through rice wood hills abounding in flora
and fauna going, as it does, though moss-laden forests of Oak,
Spruce, Chestnut, Fir, Pines, Giant Magnolias and Rhododendrn
a botanists' paradise. Not to be outdone, the naturalist's can
view hundreds of varieties of exotic of birds, butterflies and
orchids. It takes six hours before the Bakhim forest bungalow
is reached for the night.
Day 3 Bakhim- Dzongri (4, 550m or 13,221 ft)
8-km and six hours away, each step to Dzongri leads to the world
of the famed Kanchenjunga massive. The spectacle at dawn and dusk
tinted in softest hues, is one never to be missed - a supernatural
vision of ethereal beauty. Camp in tents or yak huts.
Day 4 Dzongri-Thangsing (3,930m or 12,467 ft)
7-km from Dzongri, the four hours' trek leads through meadows
and valleys down the burrows leads into the most beautiful valley
of all situated at the base Jopine peak. To reach the camping
grounds dwarfed in the giant valley, one crosses a wooden bridge
over the stream under the watchful even of majestic Pandim.
Day 5 Thangsig-Chemathang (4,800m or 15,748 ft)
Situated at the base of mighty Pandim, Chemathang is 8-km from
Thangsing and takes 6 hours to trek.
Day 6 Chemathang-Goecha La (4,940m) - Chemathang
Still higher and steeper, is the Goecha (also spelt as Guicha)
pass about 5-km away but taking a good three hours to cover. This
is the northernmost and highest point of the trek.
Day 7 Chemathang - Thangsing
This is the return journey and is spent looking for rare high
altitude birds and blue sheep roaming in the wilderness of high
cliffs and snows, among the thick and low bushes.
Day 8 Thansing - Dzongri
It is a four to five hour climb through Rhododendron forests to
the camping grounds.
Side Trip To Chowrithang (4,380 metres or 14,370 ft)
It is an eight-hour and 10-km trip to the Chowrithang falls at
the Rohtang glacier. Here is the base camp of the Himalayan Mountaineering
Institute of Darjeeling, world famous as a centre for training
would be mountaineers. Splendid views of the peaks, Frey, Koktang,
Kabru, Ratong, Chandra Peak and the Kabru Dome are obtained from
here. En route one passes the forbidden Kabur Rock, which none
is allowed to climb. From Chowrithang a two-hour walk along the
glacier leads to the Houe-Chu Lake, the special feature of which
is its accumulated milky water. Also ten years from Chowrithang
on the way to Bakhim is Zamling Gaon, named after Tenzing's son
and a good place to break the journey.
Day 9 Dzongri - Bakhim via Jamlingthang (Zamling Gaon)
This different route to Bakhim passes through one of the most
spectacular forested areas of Sikkim engulfed in the fragrance
of magnolias, which is all the more beautiful in the spring when
the giant magnolias and more than ten types of Rhododendron are
in bloom and the trail runs through the garden of flowers.
Day 10 Bakhim -Yoksum
A leisurely walk of about four hours bring one back to Yoksum.
Day 11 Yoksum-Tashiding (1,470m or 4,822 ft)
A pleasant 6-7 hour steady and beautiful trail through fields
and Cardamom groves, giant bamboos and orange gardens leads to
the Tashiding monastery which crowns the hill-top. One can camp
near the monastery
Day 12 Tashiding - Legship (520m)
This is the last day and a 4-5 hour walk down hill all the way
brings the trekker to the village of Legship along the Rangeet
valley ending the delightful 'Pilgrimage Trek'. From here, there
is transport available to Dar/places/cities/darjeeling/index.htmljeeling,
Gangtok or Kalimpong.