Lachung

Described as one of the 'most picturesque villages of Sikkim' by Joseph Dalton Hooker, British explorer in the Himalayan Journal, Lachung is the base of Yumthang Valley Trek. 

It is not the natural landscape of the place that is mystic beauty; the weather conditions are a blessing too. The climate is termed as alpine – heavy snowfall in the winters, pleasant during summers, and because of its proximity to the Bay of Bengal, the town receives heavy rains during the monsoon. 

In the backdrop of snow-clad mountain peaks, Lachen or the 'big pass' is about 129 km from the state capital, Gangtok. The Eastern Himalayas begins here. A scenic marvel, the place is home or base to several treks to the Kanchenjunga National Park, Green Lake, and the Yumthang Valley. It is the gateway to the Tso Lhamu Lake and Gurudongmar. 

The summer season is enjoyable here, making it the best time to visit the place. In July and September, the place experiences moderate to heavy rains while the place turns a deep white blanket of ice during the winters. The best time to visit Lachung from October to June, when the temperature is between 10-degrees to 16-degrees Celsius.

The local inhabitants of Lachung are either of Tibetan descent or Lepcha. The native dialect is mostly Bhutia, Lepcha, or Nepali. 

As per the Census of 2011, the hamlet had about 400 families residing with 2495 people. Like many other small villages and towns in Sikkim, Lachung also follows the traditional self-governance system of Dzumsa, where every household in the village is part of the administrative system. Most people in the village follow Hinduism; some belong to the Buddhist community, while few follow Christianity.

Lachung is famous for five different festivals that are hosted here every year. Chaam is a religious festival featuring the dance performance of Lamas. Lossong is celebrated during harvest time in January, which is also the New Year for the Bhutia community. Saga Dawa is another festival important for the Buddhist community marking the birth anniversary of Lord Buddha. Lhabas Dhuchen is a festival celebrated in mid-November to mark the Lord's descent to meet his mother. And, the Drukpa Tse-shi is organized to mark the day when Lord Buddha preached the Four Noble Truths after enlightenment. 

All kinds of cuisine are served in this tiny village nestled in the Himalayas – Chinese, North India, South Indian, and more. But, the one cuisine to look out for is the local food. Tourists get to savour the indigenous dishes like thukpa, momos, gundruk and sinki, Kinema, and Phagshapa

The pristine beauty of Lachung is enhanced by the range of snow-capped mountains surrounding it. The place is nothing short of heaven, with sparkling streams, waterfalls, apple orchards, peaches, and apricots all around. Lachung is the Yumthang Valley Trek base – the Valley of Flowers where brightly coloured Rhododendrons await visitors. 

The Lachung Monastery or Gompa, constructed around 1880, is home to dance and religious festivals every year and sight of cultural heritage. One can enjoy the famed Mask Dance here amidst the backdrop of the gorgeous mountain range.

The other place of visit is the Zero Point at an altitude of 15,300 ft above sea level. Locally called Yume Samdong, it is the place where the three rivers meet with zero vegetation. All that you can see are stretches of white snow with yaks grazing here and there.

A trip to the famous freshwater Gurudongmar Lake at an altitude of 17,800ft is a must-do activity. Another great tourist hotspot is the three-tiered Bhim Nala Waterfall, the tallest waterfall in Sikkim. The Mount Katao trek amidst the thick pine