Lachung

Lachung, a quaint hill town in North Sikkim, is a place where nature whispers through snow-draped peaks and alpine meadows. Located at an elevation of around 9,600 feet, it sits at the confluence of the Lachen and Lachung rivers, both tributaries of the Teesta.

The name Lachung means “small pass,” and the town once served as a trading post between Sikkim and Tibet before the border was sealed in 1950. Today, it’s a gateway to some of the most breathtaking landscapes in the eastern Himalayas. The journey to Lachung from Gangtok is a visual feast, winding through waterfalls, forests, and sleepy villages. The town itself is a mosaic of wooden homes, Buddhist prayer flags, and apple orchards, with the Lachung Monastery perched on a hill offering panoramic views and spiritual calm.

Just beyond lies the Yumthang Valley, often called the Valley of Flowers, where rhododendrons burst into bloom in spring, painting the slopes in vivid hues. Further ahead is Zero Point, a snow-covered frontier where the road ends and silence reigns, just shy of the Tibetan border.