Sikkim Road Trip: North Sikkim and the Old Silk Route

Meet your group and representative upon arrival at Bagdogra Airport or New Jalpaiguri (NJP) station. Embark on the 130 km scenic drive up into the hills towards Gangtok, taking around five hours. After checking into your hotel, spend a relaxed evening wandering the local bazaar, hopping through lively cafes, and sampling local regional dishes. You spend the night in Gangtok.

Eat breakfast at your hotel before setting out on the six-hour mountain drive to Lachen in North Sikkim. Along the highway, make scenic stops at Seven Sisters Waterfall and the historical site of Kabi Lungchok. As you ascend, witness the transition into traditional Zumsa country amidst dense Himalayan vegetation. Reach Lachen by late afternoon, enjoy dinner, and rest for the night.

Depart early at 4:00 am from Lachen, driving past the high plains of Chopta Valley to reach the settlement of Thangu at 13500 ft for breakfast. Continue your ascent to Gurudongmar Lake, one of the world's highest accessible lakes at around 18000 ft, revered as a sacred body of water. Take in the barren Himalayan scenery before driving down towards Lachung for dinner and your overnight stay.

Have breakfast and proceed towards the scenic Yumthang Valley at 3500 m, set within the Shingba Rhododendron Sanctuary. Continue higher to Zero Point, the final civilian frontier in this mountain sector. Travel back to Lachung for a late lunch, then embark on a four-hour drive to the protected Lepcha reserve of Dzongu. Enjoy a home-style dinner and sleep overnight in Dzongu.

Spend a full day discovering the quiet landscapes and distinct traditions of the Dzongu reserve. Walk through untouched Himalayan forests, cross rapid mountain streams, and take a local drive into the upper areas of the valley. Your host arranges a riverside picnic excursion with fresh food cooked right by the water. Experience warm Lepcha hospitality before your evening and night in Dzongu.

Following breakfast, drive 70 km back from the forests of Dzongu to Gangtok. Once you arrive and settle in, enjoy an open afternoon with no scheduled itinerary. Stroll peacefully down the pedestrian boulevard of MG Road, browse the shops for local souvenirs and handicrafts, or relax in one of the capital's bakeries and tea cafes. Stay overnight at your hotel in Gangtok.

Complete morning permit formalities after breakfast and drive uphill towards Tsongmo Lake at 12500 ft. Continue past the shrine of Baba Mandir as you join the Old Silk Route trail, climbing to Gnathang Valley by roughly 3:00 pm. Eat lunch in the valley, which is the highest inhabited tourist base in Sikkim at about 14000 ft. Explore the wide mountain meadows on foot before dinner and overnight stay.

Take a brisk morning walk in the high valley before breakfast, followed by a visit to the Gnathang War Memorial. Travel onward along the winding bends of the Old Silk Route, admiring the famous hairpin switchbacks of the Dzuluk loops as you descend. Arrive in Aritar in the afternoon, have lunch, and visit serene Aritar Lake. Spend a quiet evening before dinner and your stay in Aritar.

Enjoy breakfast at your stay in Aritar before beginning the final downward journey towards the plains. Your vehicle transfers you directly to Bagdogra Airport or New Jalpaiguri Railway Station (NJP) to conclude your Sikkim trip.