GOECHALA TREK, SIKKIM

Day 01 Siliguri - Darjeeling:
Today arrive in Siliguri by air or by train, after breakfast or lunch, drive 4hrs to Darjeeling, the summer capital of British Bengal Raj, with a stopover en route for tea. It is beautifully set amongst rolling greenery of the tea plantations. Evening check in to hotel and free. 

Day 02 Darjeeling – Sightseeing:
Rise early today to catch the famous sunrise at Tiger hill, before we go on a tour covering the famous Ghoom monastery, and Himalayan Mountaineering Institute and if time permits, the Tibetan Refugee self help centre. Evening same hotel. 

Day 03 Darjeeling - Pelling:
After breakfast, scenic 5hrs drive to Pelling (2,085m) lunch en route. Arrive Pelling in the late afternoon and check into hotel, Evening free & easy to explore the small town which offers a good view of the entire mountain range. 

Day 04 Pelling Yuksam (1780m):
Today we will visit the Pemayangtse Monastery in the morning. This monastery is the 2nd oldest in Sikkim dating back to 1750 and is the head quarter of Nyingma sect of Tibetan Buddhism. If you happen to be there during Kagyat chaam festival, performing ritualistic and strangely rhythmic dance wearing ceremonial masks, will haunt you for days after you have left this cloud –woven hilltop. After the sight seeing , lunch follows and then it’s a drive to Yuksom, which will serve as the start point of our trek. From Pemayangtse to Yuksam, the distance is approximately 35 km and 2-hrs drive. Yuksam was also the 1^st capital of sikkim and the king Phuntsok Namgyal was crowned by Lhaptsen Chempo in 1641. We shall spend the night in the village lodge of camp out. 

Day 05 Yuksam - Bhakhim (2745m) :
Today it is the first day of our trek, starts with a hot cup of tea and briefing by the guides. The first day walk is 12 km distances about 7hrs. You will see more of gigantic trees and greenery, Evening camp out. 

Day 06 Bhakim - Tsokha (3005m):
Acclimatizationday. Today’s is short but steep 1hour walk of about 4km distance through magnolia and rhododendron forest. Tsokha is the only village on the trek. From our camp, we can get the first views of Mt. Pandim peak (6,691m) and at night we can even see the lights of distant Darjeeling in the valley beyond. Rest of the day to take it easy and adept to the thinner air before making further ascent. We’ll stay the night in Trekkers hut of camp at the camping ground behind the hut

Day 07 Dzongri-Cokchurung or Thangsing, 4-5hrs:
This place is much warmer than Dzongri, as they are in the valley, Cokchurung is more quiet and warmer, whereas Thangsing is more scenic.

Day 08 Cokchurung /Thangsing-Semeti lake (3,600m):
 A pleasant couple of hrs walk of 5km, beneath the west side of Pandim, on a path which leads through dwarf azaleas and rhododendrons, take us to the first of the terminal moraines of Oglathang clacier. We climb steeply to the crest of a moraine ridge where you will have a good view of the south face of Khangchendzonga. Proceeding further, we find ourselves on the shore of the lovely and sacred Semeti lake, We camp by lakeside. 

Day 09 Semeti-lake (4060m)-Zemathang (4500m) Goechala (4940):
 Today we will make the hard climb up to the 4,940m-high Goe-chala (5km distance takes about 4.5 hours) A pre dawn start is recommended, to ensure that we reach the pass when the visibility is best. Afternoon cloud build-up can sometimes obscure the view. The trail skirts the Semeti Lake on its left side before ascending a series of moraine ridges on the eastern edge of the Oglathang Glacier. The trek through the rocky and uneven lateral moraine is tiring. As we trek higher, we have increasingly spectacular views of mountains and valleys to the south and east, but these are overshadowed by the panorama that unfolds ahead of us when we reached the prayer flagged Goechala. Wish anything and return to camp. Have hot lunch and start return to journey to Thangsing or Cokchurung. 

Day 10 Thangsing/Cokchurung to Tsokha:
We, continue our descent down the trail by taking the lower trail, which bypass Dzongri to reach Tsokha directly. This trail travels through some of the finest rhodhodendron forest in the eastern Himalaya and gradually ascends above the perk river with views back to Pandim. It takes about 3-4 hours to reach the open area of Phedang, and from their, it’s familiar territory as you join the main trail back to Tsokha Village. The total walk takes about 5-6hrs. Overnight in trekkers hut or camping. 

Day 11 Tsokha - Yuksam:
Today, is the final walk down the trail to Yuksam. Takes about 5-6hrs overnight in hotel.  

Day 12 Yuksam - Gangtok:
Today we travel by Jeep to Gangtok- The capital of Sikkim. The drive takes about 6-7 hrs via Temi tea garden. Overnight in Hotel.

Day 13 Gangtok Sightseeing:
Today visits all the major tourist sightseeing places and evening free and easy.

Day 14 Day tour to Tsomgo lake:
Today drive about 2hours to Tsomgo lake towards east of Gangtok near the Tibet border. Back to Gangtok and free and easy.

Day 15:
Gangtok - Kalimpong / Siliguri / Nepal / Bhutan or North Sikkim