Dzongri

A feast for the senses; a treat for the eyes; an experience that touches your heart – these are the words that can only half describe the Dzongri Trekking experience. Unknown to you, it might also be a soul-touching experience, because here you will witness nature in its raw and untouched state, which is enchanting and educating at the same time.

Dzongri simply means a collection or home of the mountains, and rightly so, for you will have a fascinating view of almost all the peaks of the Eastern Himalayas range from here. It is a dream place for flower lovers and bird lovers as well. Wildflowers like anemones and primulas is found in abundance, and birds like wagtails, red starts, minivets, blue magpies are seen bouncing around the bushes and trees.

Dzongri is popular trekking destination of Sikkim. Located at 13,200 ft above sea level in Western Sikkim, Dzongri provides some of the closest and best views of the Greater Himalayan Mountain peaks. Terraced slopes, high plateau, alpine forests, great snow views, small lakes combining together offer one of the greatest trek routes in Eastern Himalayas. Most popular trek route in west Sikkim is Yuksam –Dzongri-Goecha-la that leads to the base of Mt. Kanchanjangha at an altitude of over 16000ft.

Description of the Trek

Yuksom - The trek to Dzongri starts from a sleepy village in West Sikkim named Yuksom, situated at 5,800 ft. It was the erstwhile capital of the Independent Kingdom of Sikkim. There is also a pagoda here that still restores the throne of the first Chogyal, beside which is the footprint of Lord Buddha embedded in the ground. The Ratong Chu River lies on the left of the trail and dense forests of magnolia and rhododendron runs along the path to Bakhim.

Yuksom is about about 150 kms from Bagdogra Airport and 125 kms from Gangtok, the capital of Sikkim. More on Yuksom.

Yuksom to Bakhim – A 12 km trek from Yuksom through dense forests would take you to Bakhim. The trek route follows the Rathong Chu river which originates at Rathong glacier. At an altitude of 9,000 ft, Bakhim is where most trekkers to Dzongri spend their first night. Since you will be gaining about 3000 feet altitude in 12 kms, the trek till here is not very stiff. Bakhim is located in the same hill as Dzongri, although at a much lower altitude. The confluence of Rathongchu and Tikipchu that originates from Eastern Kabru glacier is just below Bakhim.

Bakhim to Tshoka (pronounced Chokka) – A climb of 3 km from Yuksom will take you to the last vestige of human habitation on the trek; a circular clearing of land surrounded by steep cliffs on three sides and thinly populated. A magnificent view of the mountains waits for you here.

Tsoka to Dzongri - The trek from Tsokha to Dzongri is 10 km long. One can have an exceptionally breathtaking view of the Ratong and Kabru peaks on this trail. You can also rest at Phedang before reaching Dzongri since it a steep trek from here.

As you reach the Dzongri and relax in the meadows of Dablakhang watching the yaks grazing silently, you will realize that this place is akin to a divine amphitheatre. A panoramic view of the mountains opens before your eyes as your heart and mind tries to absorb the experience. Congratulations! You have the reached the dizzy heights of trekking success. Now you can gaze with awe the majestic peaks of Kabru, Ratong, Kanchenjunga – the third highest peak in the world, Koktang, Pandim and Narsing. Towards the west you will see the ridges of Singalila that separates Sikkim and Nepal. 

Early morning you should go for a hike to Dzongri Top, a sacred spot adorned with Buddhist prayer flags dedicated to the holy spirit of Mt. Kanchenjunga. This is the place where you will get the closest and best views of Mt. Kanchenjunga.

From Dzongri you may return via the same route to Yuksom or continue on a trek to Goechala or Kanchenjunga base camp.

The area from Yuksom to the mountain of the Khangchendzonga falls under the Khangchendzonga Wildlife Sanctuary, which is the highest wildlife sanctuary in the world ranging from 6,200 ft – 28,156 ft.

Our Services

We have been conducting treks to Dzongri for more than a decade now. Every year we conduct several treks to Dzongri. We have world class trekking infrastructure in terms of tents, sleeping bags and other gear as well as highly trained professional guides and team leaders. You may check some of the trek options given on the right panel or send us an enquiry with your specific requirement and our experts will get back to you soon.

Difficulty Level – Medium to high
Temperature – Cold to Very cold
Time – Anytime of year except July-August (heavy rain) and January-February (heavy snow)