The high mountains have always fascinated me and when there was an opportunity to lead a Yoga and Hiking retreat, i made sure that it was well planned! Who would want to miss out on trekking in the Himalayas in Sikkim. Dreaming of Rhododendron forests, high mountains and epic views of Kanchencjunga (8586m), the third highest mountain in the world, Goecha La trek is one of the best treks in the Indian Himalayas.
Day 1
After battling some rough weather and late check in scares at New Delhi airport, we finally flew to our destination, Bagdogra in West Bengal. From the airport we, a motley group of 10 from Delhi, Pune and Udaipur, were bundled up into two SUV s and left for our trekking destination, Yuksom. This sleepy town had served as the ancient capital of Sikkim and it took us almost 8 hours to reach our hotel just in time for dinner. After a brief chat over dinner we all went to bed, tired after the long day.
Day 2
Next morning we were all up early, packing and unpacking, leaving behind things we wouldn’t need for the trek. We met our trek guide Mangal, mild mannered and sweet like most mountain men are. We all then had an easy walk through Yuksom town before we hit the trail to Goecha la. The trail was beautiful with some easy climbing. We came upto a gate of sorts that said we were now entering Kanchendzonga National Park. We took it slow and easy with lots of photo stops and general banter getting to know each other. It was an absolute delight to walk with Jennifer, a self taught naturalist, who would point at various flora and fauna, telling us all sorts of interesting facts about them. After about 5 hours of walking we reached Sachen, our first halt of the trek. We played card games in the evening (which became a ritual everyday) and also helped the whole group bond.
Day 3
After breakfast the highlight of which was peanut butter we quickly set off for the day. After some climbing the trail led us all the way down to bridge across River Prek chu. Nadeem, Anuja, Rohan and Mansi went down to the river to explore while the others kept going on the way to Tshoka. We took a short cut at one point and the trail was spectacular! Not used by mules and although very steep it was totally worth it and we also spotted a couple of yellow fronted martens. A steady climb led us to Tshoka, our halt for the night. Lunch was cheese macaroni, noodle soup and even a ceaser salad of sorts! A fantastic day of walking was ending with some delicious food. What more could we want!
Day 4
The morning was overcast and sure enough as soon as we started our walk it started raining. Weather makes such a difference to how the mind works. We were all feeling gloomy specially because today was going to be the hardest and longest climb and we were handed a packed lunch to eat on the way. In the mountains the weather does unexpected things and just like that the rain stopped and our spirits lifted as we entered the rhododendron forest. Mostly bright red rhododendron in full bloom and some white and pink ones also. A rhododendron tree full of flowers has be the most riveting sight in the world! We climbed steps made of wooden beams, we climbed steep, jagged rocks and all day we climbed and climbed! After Phedang there was some respite from the climbing in brief portions but we were ecstatic to reach Dzongri at last! Akhila was greeted with a big cheer as she made it to the lodge with a big effort. Some of us were feeling the effects of high altitude and opted out of the early morning walk to the Dzongri point the next day.
Day 5
Rohan, Raj and Aatir left for the viewpoint at 4.30 am and came back to the lodge at Dzongri with amazing pictures of the magnificent Kanchenjunga peak and sunrise over the Singalila range. After a breakfast of pancakes we started the day. There were 3 distinct portions of the walk today. The first involved some climbing up a narrow trail and then it went up and down. The second was a steep descent to Kokchurang which was by the river and really seemed like something out a fairy tale. Wooden bridges, big boulders in various hews of brown, pine trees floating in the mist and the sound of water gushing! The third and the prettiest part was a gradual climb through a moss covered forest that a friend christened the Avatar forest! It was a pretty interesting day of walking and that brought us to Thansing. For the rest of the day we sat in the warmth of the trekker lodge playing cards and talking over the day till dinner.
Day 6
The following morning we woke up late, lingered over tea, had a leisurely breakfast and only set off around 9. Our next stop was only 2 hours away and mostly on flat ground, so were taking it pretty easy. Slowly we left camp, only to stop 20 minutes later to bask in the sun on a patch of grass. The crew managed to procure a big dining tent into which we all gratefully bundled up. The plan was to eat an early dinner at 6 and sleep early to get as much rest as possible for our ‘summit attempt’ the following morning. There were nerves and excitement in equal measure. We readied everything for the morning, put on extra layers, packed our day bags and went to bed. As cold as the day had been the night was warm and the wind had stopped howling.
Day 7
The crew woke us up at 1:45AM with coffee, tea and biscuits. We put on our head lamps, gulped our tea, packed the refreshments and started our walk to the top in pitch darkness! It was eerie and thrilling at the same time. You just keep putting one step in front of the other, following the person in front of you, without being able to see where you’re going. We passed the vague outline of what looked like Samiti Lake in the night at 3 am. The day broke very slowly, it was magical to see the world around us bathed in the colors of dawn. We made slow progress but every inch was getting us closer! And then suddenly we saw the top of Mt. Kanchenjunga awash in gold- it was the most breathtaking sight I have ever seen in my life! I was moved beyond words and tears flowed of their own accord. The entire Kanchenjunga range was lit up by the rays of the sun, so humbling to be up close to the third highest mountain in the world! Hundreds of prayer flags were strung across the rocks to mark Viewpoint 1.
We stopped at Samiti Lake on our way down which by then was a glittering mass of turquoise! We sat on a big flat rock that was almost like a deck watching the sun play tricks on the water. After a hour at the lake, we unwillingly made our way back to camp for a hot breakfast and off to Kokchurang. After a brief lunch at Thansing, it started snowing and we made a steady and slow descent to the trekker lodge in Kokchurang! We were greeted with tea and some divine tasting pakodas which we couldn't get enough of. After breakfast we all had a wonderful sleep dreaming of the views we had witnessed in the morning.
Day 8
After a whole day and night of snow we woke up to clear skies and glorious sunshine. The trail we took today was a long one but was not used by mules. Within the first five minutes of leaving Kokchurang we spotted a pair of blood pheasants, which is also the state bird of Sikkim! The trail was a birdwatchers’ delight, there were coal tits and tree creepers and so much birdsong in the air. We made our way to back to Tshoka knowing this was our last day of camping. The kitchen staff to our surprise had rustled up a cake for us. It had jam for icing and even had a very sweet farewell message. Each member of the crew had been amazing and we were very grateful for everything they’d done for us. Mangal, the lead guide, Sukh Lal, the chef, Bhima the horse man and others had taken really good care of the whole group.
Day 9
There was a spring in everyone’s step and we set off for our last day of the trek. The surplus oxygen had put everyone in a good mood and there was a lot of banter along the way. The descent is quick and we were so surprised to reach Bakhim so quickly. We all went down to River Prek chu, for lunch with some people taking a dip in the freezing water. After lunch, we made a slow progress to our hotel in Yuksom for a hot shower, chhang (local millet beer) and a hot meal. A perfect way to celebrate a successful Goecha La trek in Sikkim.
Day 10
Yuksom is a quaint little town and we are glad to have a few hours to explore the markets and restaurants the following morning. We finally left at noon after packing enough momos to feed an army! We had lunch in Kalimpong main market and reached Bagdogra after dark.
Day 11
