- 13 days
- India
- Trekking
Trekking through the Markha valley of Ladakh in India involves crossing over two high passes, Gandala (4980 m) and Gongmaru-la (5100 m)
The Goecha La trek is inarguably one of the best hikes in the Sikkim Himalayas. It takes you through the diverse and stunning Kanchenjunga National Park in the heart of Sikkim. The trek showcases the best of the North-East and brings you much closer to the legendary Mount Kanchenjunga, the third-highest mountain in the world. The trail is abundant with a wide array of beautiful flora and fauna. It is considered to be one of the most pristine hiking trails in the world. With awe-inspiring campsites and breathtaking beautiful peaks, the Goecha La trek is like a paradise for hiking enthusiasts and nature lovers. The trekking route is a class apart from the rest of the walks in the Indian Himalayas and, for good reasons, best left to be explored by you. Mount Pandim is one of the highlights of the Goecha La trek. It is simply glorious and spell-binding. The sunrise view over Mt. Kanchenjunga from up close is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to cherish. This trek also allows you to experience and enjoy Sikkim’s local traditions and culture.
We are pioneers in culinary trekking in the Himalayas. We provide a varied, exciting menu on treks throughout the Himalayas. Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free meals can be catered for upon request, and other special diets can be accommodated with advance notice.
Trekking is not only fun, but it is beneficial for you. It helps in detoxifying the body while also nourishing the soul. Although to provide a better experience, we also tailor our meals to include superfoods as part of the ingredients to keep you fit and healthy while also assisting in acclimatization to high altitudes. The combination of hiking in the pristine mountain air and healthy food makes trekking with us a complete adventure. Read More on Food and nutrition on our treks.
You arrive at the Delhi airport and connect a flight to Bagdogra airport. Our representative will meet you at the airport and drive to Gangtok. The 126 km journey will take 5 hours—overnight hotel.
You have a full day of visiting places of interest in Gangtok. The sights include Tashi view Point, Ganesh Tok, Hanuman Tok, and the famous Enchey Monastery after breakfast. In addition, we see Tibetology, the Institute of Cottage Industry, Dro-Drul Chorten, Cable car (Ropeway), and the world-renowned Rumtek Monastery. Finally, we can take a walk at the Mall during the evening.
We begin our drive to Yuksom in the morning after breakfast. We will go past splendid sceneries of landscape and settlements on this drive. First, we walk to the Yoksom Coronation site, a simple stone bench where the three monks appointed the first king of Sikkim. We can also visit the nearby Ani Gompa (Buddhist nunnery). Overnight Hotel.
Our trek from Yuksom to Bakhim is about 14 km, and it takes about 6 hours to cover this distance. We begin our hike on a low gradient until you cross Sachen. Then, we walk through the thick forest of oak and pine. The angle for the uphill after crossing the Prek Chu river becomes quite steep. This is the most challenging stage of the whole trek. The challenging uphill hike takes about two hours. We camp at Bakhim, and there is also a hut that belongs to the Forest Department.
We hike as the trail brings us through Rhododendron and Magnolia forest on a moderately strenuous uphill climb. We stop for lunch in this beautiful landscape before we arrive at Tshoka. Tshoka is a small settlement of twelve traditional houses. This village consists of people of Tibetan descent.
Mount Aralunchong, Lama-Laminin, and Pandim can be seen on days when the weather is clear. Overnight in tents or a lodge.
We have another day of steep ascend to Dzongri. The five-hour hike takes us through a spectacularly lush and thick forest of rhododendrons, oak and silver fir, and more than 400 species of wildflowers. Finally, we get a terrific view of snow-clad peaks at Deorali Danda.
We take a break at Phedang. Our ascend continues after Phedang still until we reach Dzongri. The flora changes here on; we will hike amidst shrubs and bushes. Dzongri is a popular spot for many trekkers to stay overnight.
We rise early to hike to the viewpoint of Dabla Khang. The view from this place is magnificent, weather permitting; one can view Mount Kanchenjunga as well as numerous snow-clad peaks. The panoramic view consists of Mount Kabru 7353 meters, Rahtong 6678 meters, Kanchenjunga 8586 meters, Koktang 6147 meters, and Pandim 6691, and Narshing 5825 meters. Towards the west, The Singalilla Ridge separates Sikkim from Nepal to the west. Overnight in tents.
We begin our day gradually ascending over an open hillside for about 1.5 km to a low ridge visible from the campsite 4115 meters. We will be amongst prayer flags and chortens (Buddhist monuments) with fabulous Mount Kanchenjunga views and Pandim dominating the landscape.
We start our descent, traversing towards Pandim on the far side of the valley, first and then dropping steeply on a nice trail across a rhododendron forest to the Prek Chu River at 3749 meters. We stop for lunch after 3 hours hike at Prek chu.
We have to cross the river and ascend gradually for about ninety minutes through pinewoods to reach a grassy campsite. Finally, we camp beneath the beautiful and unclimbed peak of Mount Pandim.
We have a short day of only a 3-hour hike. We hike parallel to the Prek Chu River. The Sacred Smiti lake is a beautiful Emerald lake nestled in the middle, surrounded by weather-worn Buddhist prayer flags.
This short hike should give us plenty of time to acclimatize and rest before the big day of going to Goecha-La and further down the valley.
We make an early start today to beat possible harsh weather conditions expected during the latter part of the day. We climbed the hill behind the Lake before traversing the moraine. We then have to descend to the sandy bed of a dried-up lake.
The whole area beyond Samiti Lake is called the Zemathang Plateau. We cross this part under the shadow of Pandim before climbing on a moraine to a height of about 4785 meters. We take several rests for photos and, more importantly, rehydrate ourselves on this long day of hiking. It takes another hour to reach the Goecha La Pass from here. We cross the dry lake bed and proceed to a slope until we get a well-trodden path that leads us to our destination.
Goecha-la is draped with brightly coloured Buddhist prayer flags. The eastern flank views of Kanchenjunga, the mountains, and the valleys in the distance are breathtaking. We then return to our campsite and continue hiking further down to Choakchrung.
It is worth the effort of getting up early (again) to take a short walk to the ridge behind our campsite. There are superb views of Kanchenjunga, and one can even look to the Goecha La from here. We take a different route as we leave Thangsing. We descend to the Prek Chu as we contour around the woods and emerge at Phedang. We continue to Tshoka along a steep descent.
We retrace our steps as we follow the Prek Chu River. We contour downhill gradually until we reach the hamlet of Yuksom, from where we started this trekking adventure.
We have to comfort staying in a hotel and enjoying a hot bucket shower.
We start early to drive to visit Khechoperi Lake. Although the distance is only 24 km, it takes about ninety minutes to get there. We continue to Pelling.
We visit the Pemayangtse Monastery in the morning. This premier monastery of Sikkim was built during the 17th century. We take a short walk in the afternoon to Sangobhholing Monastery. It is situated on a hillock above the hotel. On clear days, the view of the mountain range is breathtaking. O/N at hotel.
We drive to Bagdogra airport to catch your connecting flight to Delhi. Tour ends.
Despite the exceptional circumstances in which we find ourselves at the moment, we don’t want you to give up your holiday – and we want you to be able to book your trip without any worries.
To provide additional security for your booking, we have introduced a new rebooking and cancellation policy so that you can easily rebook or cancel your trip free of charge if the worst comes to the worst.
For new bookings made between May 10th 2021, and December 31st 2022, you may cancel your complete package (activities, hotels, tours, excl. flight) free of charge up to 30 days before your departure and get 100% of your money back. However, to stay flexible, we recommend that you choose a flexible fare when booking your flight.
Stay flexible with our new rebooking service until shortly before your departure. For new bookings made between May 10th and December 31st, 2021, you may rebook your package (activities, hotels, tours) free of charge up to 30 days before your departure (subject to availability). Rebooking is only allowed once, and you must inform us 30 days before your planned departure. Any additional costs incurred due to changes in your schedule or upgrades, such as additional fees in high season or upgrades to your accommodation, will still apply. To remain flexible, we recommend that you choose a flexible fare when booking your flight.
Trek FAQ
Most of our clients have completed their treks from 3 years old to some in their 70s with almost no exercise or training.
Do you offer hotel/airport pick-up?
We offer hotel and airport pick-up. As you continue with your booking, there will be an option to input flight details or hotel names.
Do I need a visa?
All foreign nationals who want to enter India must possess a valid international travel document such as a passport with a valid visa obtained from an Indian Mission or Post abroad. All visa applicants are requested to apply for the Indian visa online by filling out the online application form.
The duly signed hard copy of the completed application form will be submitted at the concerned Indian Visa Application Center (IVAC) or directly to the Indian Mission or Post. The instructions to fill out the form and appointment scheduling can be seen in the Regular Visa Application Instructions. In addition, the applicant must bring the referral number and the required documents on the interview’s scheduled date.
The status of the visa application can be checked on the link for Visa Enquiry. The applicants are also requested to visit the website of the Indian Mission for detailed information about the Indian visa.
What should I bring on a Trek?
Being adequately equipped is one of the keys to a successful trek. For information to help you select the best type of clothing and equipment for your trip, please see our Clothing and Equipment Guide.
Also, see our Links page for details of specialist retailers who will offer further advice and assistance with purchasing new clothing or equipment.
If you have more questions, please check this article to reference equipment to pack or contact us.
Is this trip safe for solo/female/LGBT+/minority/POC travelers?
You are safe as long as you respect the culture, do not show affection in public, and dress decently (this won’t pose too much problem as you will be covered up in layers to stay warm).
Here are some helpful articles:
Am I too old to go trekking?
Should I bring cash or ATM cards?
What to pack for a trek?
Do I need to train for a trek?
What is a typical day on a trek like?
What is the food like on the trek?
The Benefits of using trekking poles.
What do I need to know about high altitudes?
High altitude myths.
How to trek safely?
For more articles, you can go to our blogs.