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Trekking in Sikkim
Something or the other must dominate in this region. The elements have to battle one another. And yet co-exist. Struggle for supremacy from a particular perspective, and harmonise in existence from another. The Teesta will, for instance, roar threateningly through deep gorges, carving out narrow valleys. The slopes here will be steeper than anywhere else in the world. Mountain faces will be sharper than is normally the case and yet be greener than ever imagined. Even in the wrong season.
The Red Panda, no matter how cuddly and small, will quietly survive the mercurial temperament of nature. As will the Yak, trembling in the snows, still plodding on. Glaciers will rumble forbiddingly. Avalanches will thunder down on them. Yet the peaks will glow, drawing themselves up to their full height, their beauty brazenly establishing the true hierarchy of nature. Snowstorms and white will form one end of the spectrum, while hot weather at lower climes will define the climatic boundaries of the region at the other. The Kangchenjunga will loom above it all, its illusion making a mockery of the reality of Everest.
Amazing though it may seem, this whole glory can be savoured on a single trek through West Sikkim. Hugging the razor edged Singalila Ridge, the Himalayan divide between India and Nepal, this much-talked about trek to Dzongri, gets the best of West Sikkim etched indelibly on adventurous minds.
From the trail head at Yuksom, the erstwhile capital of Sikkim in the velvet green of 5,800 feet, to the high point of Dzongri Top at 15,000 feet, right in the splendour of the Kangchenjunga Sanctuary, the trek passes through thickly forested ridges crowded with rich flora to the heights above the tree line, finally culminating at the breathtaking snowy heights of the Kangchenjunga Sanctuary. An unforgettable panorama of jagged snow peaks cutting across in an arc of 270 degrees through the azure sky. The landscape is incidental. It is the trekker who changes! This is indeed one of the most spectacular treks in the entire Indian Himalayas.
 The Kangchenjunga will loom above it all, its illusion making a mockery of the reality of Everest 
Across the main Singalila Ridge lies the Kangchenjunga massif comprising the main peak (8586 m), the central peak (8482 m) and the south peak (8476 m).
To the north beyond Kangchenjunga, the Ridge glitters with the Nepal peak (6910 m), Kirat Chuli (7365 m), Pyramid peak (7123 m), Dome Kang (7442 m), Jongsang (7483 m) and the Lonak peak (6710 m). However, these peaks north of Kangchenjunga are not visible on the trek. It is peaks adjoining and to the south of Kangchenjunga and Talung (7349 m) in the fabulous West Sikkim region that loom close and clear in breathtaking proportions. They include Kabru North (7338 m), Kabru South (7317 m), Kabru Dome (6600 m), Forked peaks I, II, .III and IV (6100, 6000, 5900 and 5500 m), Rahtong (6679 m), Koktang (6147 m), Sangri (5300 m), Rinok (4800 m) and Khang (5560 m).
Two peaks in the region stand out for their unique appearance. The first is Kabur (4800 m) near the Dzongri La, a black peak, sacred to the point that no one is allowed to step on it. The second is clearly the most beautiful peak in the amphitheatre, the Frey peak at 20,000 feet - a training peak for HMI, Darjeeling.
The trail has magnificent rhododendron forests, with glimpses of snow peaks at Pethang.
It pierces through the sky, its pinnacle being the first to catch the morning glow of the sun, shooting out from a huge tapering face of ice and rock. The peaks form an amphitheatre enclosing the formidable Rahtong glacier. However, without getting into the amphitheatre, the best viewpoint of this close panorama, is Dzongri top, rising from the yak pastures of Dzongri.
Sikkim has to offer a number of fascinating trekking routes to enterprising trek enthusiasts. The best time to trek in these parts of the Eastern Himalayas is between mid- February to May and again from October to December. The treks pass by beautiful gompas, simple but colourful hamlets and through so fascinating alpine forests full of a rich variety of flora and fauna. Yuksom is an ideal take-off point for trekking. This point is invariably used as a centre of climbing and trekking expeditions by the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute, Darjeeling. The trek to Bakhim is an unforgettable B experience. Dzongri at an altitude of 3,962 metres, offers the visitor an excellent and unobstructed view of the Khangchendzonga Massif. It also provides a trekker with superb views of sunrise and sunset.
Treks offered in and around Sikkim:
 Goechala Trek
Tholung Valley Trek
Rhododendron Trek
North Sikkim Trek
About the circuit: Rhododendron locally known as “ Guras ” is the delight of the Eastern Himalayan mountains, this trek will take you to a land of flowers and ever smiling people. You can experience the sleepy Himalayan village with all its beauties, nurtured in the lap of the wonderful Himalayan Kingdom.
Trekking Permits
Foreigners have to obtain permits for trekking on most routes in Sikkim. Permits can be obtained from any of the following places: Delhi, Kolkata, Siliguri. Permit restrictions mean that trekkers can only follow well-beaten trails and within a limited period of time.
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