Goechala Trek

Goechala Trek Itinerary

• Day 1- On the first day, you will be driven from 2-mile check post to Yuksom. The trek starts from Yuksom, a large settlement in West Sikkim. The place was once the capital of Sikkim. There are two important things primarily which you are required to do once you reach Yuksom, first you need to make an entry at the police station and for this purpose you will require your photo identity proof and three photocopies of it, and second, you are required to pay the permit fees at the forest check post.
• Day 2 - The trek from Yuksom to Sachen begins.The trail passing through the fringes of the forest is exposed for about half an hour. From here onwards it is half-hour to the first bridge over the Pha Khola. The next half hour is a pleasant walk through the moist jungle until suddenly on your left the Tshushay Khola falls in a series of mini-waterfalls joining the Prek Chu river below. You are already at 7,100 feet and it is only twenty minutes from here to the log hut of Sachen, it is at 7,400 feet and is a small clearing where a single log hut and a shelter on the trail exist. The log hut is a few meters below the trail.
• Day 3 - A 5.5 hours trek fromSachen to Tshoka via Bakhim. From Sachen, the trail climbs sharply through a mixed oak forest. The altitude gain is rapid and the temperature decreases rampantly. Bakhim has a forest Rest House which provides a view of the Yuksom Valley.
• Day 4 - The fourth day of the trek marks the trek from Tshoka to Dzongri via Phedang. Phedang is at 13,000 feet which is a large clearing that provides an amazing view of the snow-clad mountains.
• Day 5 - Acclimatization Day at Dzongri. The trek starts with a climb to Dzongri. Dzongri Top at 13,670 ft, is the highest point from where you get 180-degree panoramic view of the mighty peaks of the Singalila and Kanchenjunga ranges such as Kakthong, Rothang, Kabru South, Kabru North, Kabru Dome, Kanchenjunga range, Pandim, and the Lama Lamini peaks. Later, retrace your path from Top of Dzongri to Dzongri which takes around 30 minutes.
• Day 6 - Trek from Dzongri to Thansing via Kokchurang. The duration of the trek is approximately 6 hours and the altitude gained or lost is 13,190 ft to 12,910 ft via 12,090 ft.
• Day 7 - Trek from Thansing to View Point 1 via Samiti Lake; and back to Thansing. The duration of the trek is 12-14 hours. This is the longest day of the trek and so start your day early at midnight to give you multiple advantages such as, it ensures that you reach the first viewpoint or the sunrise point right in time to see the first sun rays hitting Kanchenjunga; It also makes it easier to walk on the moraines that you find after the sunrise point as the snow is still hard.
• Day 8 - From Phedang you retrace the descending trail to Tshoka. The day's trek takes about 8-9 hours on average.
• Day 9 - Retrace your way from Tshoka to Yuksom. It's much faster and easier than your trek up. Sachen comes up quickly being a pure descent.The last stretch has a few climbs which make you wonder but it's soon over and you find yourself back in the friendly Yuksom neighbourhood.