Goechala Trek

You’ll be picked up from New Jalpaiguri Railway Station and driven up to the town of Yuksom. Located in West Sikkim, Yuksom was once the capital of Sikkim. The journey takes approximately 6 hours with scenic landscapes to look out for. You will have the evening free to explore the town and pick up any small last minute trek supplies. Get a good night's sleep and rest before the big adventure tomorrow. Overnight in a guesthouse or in tents in Yuksom.

Overnight stay in tents or guesthouse.

Tonight you'll sleep in tents in Yuksom, or in a guesthouse, depending on availability. If you're camping, you'll be provided with tents (on triple sharing basis), sleeping bags and mattresses. In addition, you'll also have access to toilet tents, and a kitchen/dining tent. Today's package includes only dinner.

Your trek starts today. Yuksom is the gateway to the Kanchenjunga National Park, and you'll feel the air getting fresher as you walk through open fields and into a forest. Not too far from where you started is the valley of River Rathong. You'll ascend to the Tshushay Khola falls, gaining an altitude as you trek to Sachen which lies at 8650 feet. Overnight in tents in Sachen.

Overnight stay in tents.

Tonight you camp in Sachen, with the sound of the Perk waterfall in the distance. You'll be provided with tents (on triple sharing basis), sleeping bags and mattresses. In addition, you'll also have access to toilet tents, and a kitchen/dining tent. Today's package includes breakfast, lunch and dinner.

While today's trek isn't too long, you'll be gaining altitude as you trek from 8650 feet to 9700 feet. You'll cross the swaying wooden bridge that hangs over river Perk with the sight of prayer flags in the distance. You'll stop for tea and snacks at Bhakim before you continue along towards Tsokha. You'll walk through a thicket of rhododendron trees and emerge to see the Tsokha plateau. You will be staying at Tsokha, an abandoned Tibetan village with the snow-clad peaks of the Kanchenjenga in the background. Overnight in tents.

Overnight stay in tents.

You'll be provided with tents (on triple sharing basis), sleeping bags and mattresses on the Goechala trek. In addition, you'll also have access to toilet tents, and a kitchen/dining tent. You'll be served breakfast, lunch and dinner today.

Today is one of the best days on the Goechala trek. You'll have quite a tough climb with some steep sections that reqquire you to scramble over rocks. After a quick refill of water from the stream near Kockchurang, you will trek towards Dzongri. At 12,980 feet, you'll be camping pretty high up tonight. Overnight stay in tents.

Overnight stay in tents.

Today you'll be camping at an incredible altitude of almost 13,000 feet in Dzongri. After a long day of trekking, you'll tuck yourself into cosy tents equipped with sleeping bags and mattresses. In addition, you'll also have access to toilet tents, and a kitchen/dining tent. You'll be provided with breakfast, lunch and dinner.

After a tiring day yesterday, you'll have a rest day at Dzongri. You'll spend the day at the campsite and doing short walks to help you acclimatize. It is a great spot to photograph the snow-capped peaks and valleys from Dzongri top. Try to get some rest during the day and drink lots of water to help your body get used to the altitude. Overnight stay in tents.

Overnight stay in tents.

Today is a rest day in Dzongri. You can take a short nap in your tent, or spend the day admiring the views or going for short walks. Today's package includes breakfast, lunch and dinner.

You'll hit the trail again today, starting with a descent into rhododendron shrubs and open fields towards Kockchurang. It is a long, downhill descent and the forests get thicker, with more than 30 species of rhododendron around you, and many exquisite birds on this trail. Beyond Kockchurang and over the bridge above Prekchu River, the path turns into a rocky barren landscape. Thansing is at the end of this climb. It is a vast meadow with the same altitude of Dzongri. Overnight in tents.

Overnight stay in tents.

Tonight you'll be camping in a meadow in Thansing. There are beautiful views all around. You'll be provided with tents (on triple sharing basis), sleeping bags and mattresses, and will have access to toilet tents, and a kitchen/dining tent. Today's package includes breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Today's trek to Lamuney is more relaxed. The roads are smoother, with meadows and pastures on both sides, making it a pleasant trek. You will only find a steep rocky patch before the campsite. At camp, you'll get a briefing for the following day and can enjoy the rest of the evening relaxing and enjoying a clear sky dotted with stars over the Lamuney campsite. You'll be starting very early tomorrow to make it over Goechala, so you'll be going to sleep early. Overnight in tents.

Overnight stay in tents.

You'll head to Lamuney to camp for the night. It can get quite cold tonight, so do tuck yourself deep into your sleeping bag. You'll have the convenience of your dining tent and toilet tent. Today's package includes breakfast, lunch and dinner.

It's Goechala day today, and the call time is 01:00 hrs in the morning. You'll set off in the dark with other trekkers, heading towards Samiti Lake, after which it is a steep ascent to view point 1. Head towards Goechala lake, a steep descent followed by a sharp rise to 16,000 feet. You can further head to view point 2 depending on the weather conditions. If lucky, Kanchenjunga will show itself to you. You'll have some time to enjoy the views before it's time to return. Back at camp in Thansing, you'll go to bed early again, as tomorrow is another early morning. Overnight in tents.

Overnight stay in tents.

Tonight you will be camping in Thansing for the night. You'll be provided with tents (on triple sharing basis), sleeping bags and mattresses, and will have access to toilet tents, and a kitchen/dining tent. Today's package includes breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Today you'll be woken up at 03:00 hrs in the morning, for a long day of trekking. It's mostly a descent day, where you'll head down towards Phedang. This is quite a simple route, with rhododendron forests and pretty views all around. After a lunch break and a short rest at Phedang, you'll head on towards Tsokha, walking through dense forests with a variety of flora and fauna. Overnight stay in tents.

Overnight stay in tents.

Tonight you return to Yuksom, and will check in to a guesthouse. You'll be happy to stay here after days of camping in the open. The triple-sharing rooms are cosy and clean. Today's package includes breakfast and lunch. You can choose and pay for your own dinner in Yuksom.

Today you head down from Tsokha, passing Bhakim and Sachen. The trail from Sachen is a zig-zag descent with a hillock climb in the end. After crossing the hillocks, beyond the villages and smaller establishments, Yuksom town is now in sight. You'll settle into a guesthouse, and get some rest. If you've got the energy, you can also choose to explore around town, visiting the monasteries and buying souvenirs. Overnight in guesthouse.

Trip ends before nightfall.

Today's package includes only breakfast. You'll board vehicles and will be driven to New Jalpaiguri. You should get to the railway station by about 17:00 hrs. Trip ends here.

You will be driven back to New Jalpaiguri railway station after breakfast. You'll get to New Jalpaiguri by about 17:00 hrs. Trip ends here.