Sikkim: Most Beautiful State of Northeast India | Lachung & Lachen | Gurudongmar Lake
Situated in the Eastern Himalayas of India, lies a beautiful place that is among the smallest state in the country, But it is home to some of the highest and most stunning mountains in India. Within this mountainous landscape lies a world where lake is even bluer than the sky, towering peaks that seem to touch the sky and waterfalls cascading from these majestic heights. The valleys are blanketed with snow, while fields are adorned with lush greenery. One of the most beautiful places of India, This is Sikkim. Nestled in the lap of the Himalayas, this captivating place has many beautiful villages, One of them is “ Lachung”.
Surrounded by high mountains on all sides, lies a valley on which Lachung village is situated. where many snow-capped peaks can be seen peeking from behind the hills. and the Lachung River flows through this stunning landscape, and several waterfalls cascade over the mountains. Lachung is located at an altitude of 10,000 feet, At such an elevation there is this beautiful waterfall view. You can observe the waterfall view while sitting in the village, that too from this close. It is quite breathtaking.
Perhaps you can see the sun rising from behind this mountain, with beautiful rays streaming through the sights are truly heavenly. I see a spiritual side to this sunrise. To learn more about this village, I left the road and began exploring its streets, where I encountered beautiful houses at every turn. Yeah, yeah, yeah(playing with dog). One house, in particular, caught my attention where plants are growing on the walls.
The greenery is overwhelming it starts from the floor and covers the entire exterior of the house, creating a beautiful sight. It is full of greenery. In this house, You can see an item placed on the side where incense is burned for worship. In the morning, you'll find pots in front of all the houses, with incense continuously burning. This village has a very pure and spiritual vibe.
Alongside these beautiful houses, there are also small fields and orchards where locals grow a variety of necessary vegetables. For instance, this local spinach from Lachung is quite famous. Additionally, there are apple trees that have started to bloom, and some areas are cultivating potatoes as well. This reflects a homegrown culture, where people grow, cook, and eat their own food at home. I was particularly struck by how healthy these organic vegetables are when I saw a grandmother, over 70 years old, still farming at her age.
They tell me not to do this and to leave it, but she do not agree. Do you like this Farming thing? It won't stop, I'm used to it. It's a habit, It is your Habit? You love doing this. I like doing little work. If you don't do a little work, you won't be able to sit comfortably? It doesn't feel good otherwise.
Laughs! It is good. It's important to do at least some work. Yes, that's a good thing. Doing some work helps pass the time. The name "Lachung" means "small pass," referring to a narrow path leading into the mountains.
Lachung serves as a gateway to the depths of these mountains. As we ascend from Lachung, it feels like a door to a different world has opened. Just look at these mountains behind me, they are so beautiful and absolutely unique, with so many edges. While in Lachung, one might not realize that such breathtaking sights are hidden here.
However, when we venture into the depths of these mountains, we encounter a breathtaking valley known as “Yumthang Valley”. This is a view—truly what one would call a view. It looks so beautiful! All around, there are pure white flags, and behind them, numerous mountains are visible together, snow peaks Right in front of me, a river flows with stunning blue water. What a complete and breathtaking sight this is! When I arrived in Lachung, I was eager to stand at this point in Yumthang Valley because the entire frame of this view is absolutely picture-perfect. The beauty here is remarkable. You might be wondering about the many white flags in the area.
In North Sikkim, these white prayer flags are placed when someone in the family passes away, and they are hung only in clean locations where there is a strong wind. It is believed that when the wind blows through the flags, it spreads positivity and peace. The views become even more captivating beyond Yumthang.
The mountain visible behind me is truly massive. It feels as though I am standing on the set of a fantasy movie. Below, there are numerous stones scattered around, remnants from an avalanche that occurred in the past. As a result, this entire area is now covered in stones, with a lot of grass growing over them. Just looking at it, you will undoubtedly be dazzled by the sight of this mountain. However, while traveling along this road, you eventually reach a point where this road ends, The point is known as "Zero Point."
This is the point known as the zero point, where the road ends. It’s the closest you can get to Tibet and these beautiful mountains. Tourists are not allowed to go further than this point. There is a short path of about 1 kilometer beyond, but it is restricted to army camps and bunkers. Situated at an elevation of 15,000 feet, snow remains accumulated in this area for most of the year. The water that flows from the melting glaciers forms the Lachung River below.
All of the water from the glacier flows down to Lachung, forming a complete river. When you look at the blue ice pieces of the glacier, you can see how ancient this ice is. It has a distinctly bluish tint, indicating that it is very old ice. Right near Zero Point is the last village on this road called Yumesamdong, where you can see the houses of yak herders who come here in summer in search of good grass from Lachung and stay for a few days. Although the name "Zero Point" suggests nothingness, the views here are remarkable—I'd rate them 100 out of 100. The scenery is so breathtaking that your eyes will linger on it, it truly is stunning.
As I returned from Lachung, I wanted to visit a waterfall I had spotted from a distance. Little did I know that a short 10-minute hike from the road would take me close to this magnificent waterfall. The water cascades down with incredible force, creating such a loud sound that it can be heard from afar. However, what you see is just a portion of the waterfall the top part, from which the water descends, is not visible from this vantage point. It is both powerful and beautiful.
Lachung was one of the villages in Sikkim, but on the other side of these beautiful mountains lies another stunning village. However, on the way there, I encountered something that was difficult to unsee. Two years ago, a flood in North Sikkim had devastated this road, destroying not only the road but also the entire mountain, along with homes and villages that have now disappeared completely. All hope has been wiped out.
The mountains you see are scarred, with brown patches visible up to a certain height. The river below once reached this level, but as it flowed further, it broke the dam at Changthang, unleashing debris and water. It must have been a very dangerous scene at that time. which must have created a very dangerous situation. Standing here now, it feels strange to witness such a broken road and the aftermath of the destruction.
Due to the breaking of a glacial lake, there was a flood in the Teesta River. This village was saved by just a few meters, but many of the houses were not so lucky. In just a few seconds, everything in this place changed forever. I was prepared to witness the beauty of nature, but I did not expect to see this darker side of it. After this experience, my respect for nature has deepened even more. However, life does not stop, and a new path has opened up, leading me to the beautiful village after some time known as “Lachen”.
Located at an altitude of 9,000 feet, nestled in the lap of stunning green mountains. This village is known as “Lachen”. Despite its small area, there are many houses, each adorned with large prayer flags fluttering on their roofs.
It is summer in Lachen, and during this time, the morning temperature is -2 degrees Celsius. My hands and feet are freezing, it is very cold. In front of me, a beautiful peak is visible, turning golden in the light of the sunrise—truly breathtaking.
This mountain, covered in snow and shining in every view of Lachen, is Lamoangdang, which stands at approximately 20,000 feet, enhancing the beauty of Lachen. As I stroll through the streets of Lachen village, I've noticed something special: the variety of houses here.. Behind me, you can see a wooden house, and right next to it is a mud house.
The lower part is made of mud, while the upper part is constructed from wood. There are also pucca houses, and the number of these is increasing significantly. It's fascinating to see this mix usually, I only encounter wooden or mud houses. Among all these houses, I find the wooden ones the most beautiful.
I even feel inspired to build a house out of wood, as wooden houses have a unique charm. They look stunning, especially with the beautiful backdrop of mountains behind them. While exploring the area, I had the opportunity to see the inside of a house made of mud. "Can I see it from inside?" "Namaste." (Greetings)
"Namaste." (Greetings) How many years old is this house? It must be around 80 years old. 80 years old! Okay, Okay.
A house made of mud is great? It feels warm and cozy. The ceiling is made of wood? That's made of a sheet and then there is wood. Walls are made of mud and this is made up of mud. This is all made of mud. Why is the kitchen kept open like this? It has been done this way since earlier times, it's a traditional way.
Ohh traditionally! In other houses, the kitchen isn't open, but that's not how it is done here. Nowadays, in contrast to the time of modular kitchens, there is a tradition of displaying all the utensils in the kitchen at home. After a while, uncle asked me, "Would you like to have some tea?" and then, Please have this special snack of here Ohh. Thank you. What do we call this? It's called Khabze. Khabze. Okay, okay. It is like a snack.
Okay like a snack. Okay, okay. They have served the tea in such a beautiful cup. Look how beautiful it is! We call it “Namak Paare” in our area. “Namak paare”(snack name) Yes. Why you all are not having the tea or you have it already? Yes, we had it already. After enjoying the tea and local snacks, Thank you sister.
I prepared to leave for Lachen. It was very nice to meet you. The beautiful Lachen Monastery is built at the highest point in the area. It is a vibrant building, and undoubtedly, it is the most peaceful place in Lachen. The most remarkable feature of this monastery is its lamp house, where numerous lamps burn together. Seeing this creates a wonderful feeling, doesn’t it? It’s so positive.
At that moment, it became quite warm in the room, and I noticed that my jacket was getting warm as well. They keep the room closed to ensure the lamps do not go off, especially if the wind blows in accidentally. That’s why the door and windows are always kept closed, and there is a chimney on top to allow for ventilation.
Just like the name "Lachung" means “small pass”, the name "Lachen" means “big pass”. as it provides access to the highest mountains of Sikkim. The first place you encounter on this route is the breathtaking. A place blanketed in sheets of snow at a height of 13,000 feet. This place is known as “Thangu Valley”.
The crystal-clear Teesta River flows through the snow-capped mountains. and alongside the river, wooden houses adorned with a dusting of snow create a picturesque scene that blurs the line between reality and dreams. As I continued further from Lachen, I found that everything had turned white because of the snowfall from the night before. It looked absolutely beautiful.
everything was completely covered in white. There was a layer of white everywhere be it on the trees, wires, and prayer flags, transforming the landscape into a breathtaking winter wonderland. These snowy mountains were just the beginning of even taller and more beautiful sights to come. But before we continue, I want to share something special. Nowadays, AI is everywhere, making tasks easier.
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Through the link in my description, you will get two additional months free. It's definitely worth giving it a try! Beyond Thangu Valley, as the altitude rises beyond 13,000 feet, the scenery changes dramatically. In a short time, the lush greenery and snow-capped mountains give way to a cold desert landscape. Traveling from Lachen to this point, the elevation has increased significantly, leading to much lower temperatures. There are now no trees visible in this area, where trees were visible until now, there are no trees anymore.
It has transformed into a completely cold desert like landscape. It feels as if I am standing in Ladakh rather than Sikkim.. This place is truly beautiful, with magnificent mountains visible behind me. The mountains and clouds blend together, I am not completely sure whether that white thing is the white of snow or the white of clouds, but it looks very beautiful. While traveling on these roads, the altitude increases to a height of 18,000 feet, and at this elevation, one encounters one of the highest lake of India “Gurudongmar Lake”.
Surrounded on all sides by the eastern Himalayas mountains lies in between, this stunning Gurudongmar lake boasts blue water. Due to strong winds, small waves form on the surface of the lake. Apart from the sound of these waves, everything is so quiet . So quiet that even the silence can be heard. It's so quiet that you can hear every breath you take.
The stillness is not only a result of the peace in this place, but also because it is located at an altitude of 17,800 feet. This height is so significant that the oxygen level here is only half of what it is at sea level. Welcome to Gurudongmar Lake, one of the highest lakes in India.
The view here is unbelievable, one can’t believe his eyes. I can hardly believe how beautiful the water is. The mountain in front of me is the most stunning one I've ever seen. .
It is a very beautiful mountain. I am standing at an elevation of almost 17,800 feet, and it's difficult for me to breathe. Laughs! It’s difficult for me to even speak. However, this lake truly is breathtaking Gurudongmar Lake is located just 5 kilometers from Tibet. and due to its proximity with the border, only Indian tourists are allowed here.
This lake is considered sacred by the local people. Interestingly, there is a part of this lake that never freezes, regardless of how cold it gets. Locals believe that this section of the lake was touched by the Buddhist Guru Padmasambhava, which is why it is called Gurudongmar Lake. Places surrounded by nature, changes you gradually, especially when we are not accustomed to so much peace and silence in cities.
Upon arriving at these serene locations, we often feel a sense of restlessness. But over time, that peace begins to provide comfort. and we find ourselves struggling to adapt to the slower pace of life.
In an era where everything is delivered in 10 minutes in the cities, Here, some things still have to be brought by walking for hours. This restless waiting, however, also transforms into patience. Because places like these transform you gradually. In this gradual process, we begin to see ourselves as part of these places.
Laughs! Namastey! Laughs! This internal transformation teaches us that we don’t always need to change our surroundings sometimes, all we need is to adjust our pace.
2025-05-03 23:39
