Friday 24th of May 2013

Goechala-dzongri-rhododendrons
Goechala-dzongri-trek
Goechala-dzongri-trek-peaks
Goechala-trek-sikkim
Goechala-trek-sikkim-Pandim

 

Goechala: a romantic high altitude trek in the Himalayas


Trekking in Sikkim is very different from trekking in any other part of the Indian Himalayas. The mountains, the trails, the people and the culture is in such sharp contrast to the rest of the country that for any trekker the Goechala trail is a must-do.

The Goechala trek in Sikkim is also one of the most romantic trails the Indian Himalayas has to offer -- the enchanting walk through the Tshoka Rhododenderon forests, the vast Dzongri and Thansing meadows, the startling blue waters of Samiti lake, the looming presence of Kanchejunga and Pandim, the icy trail to Goechala make lots about the trek very romantic.

 
What trekkers say about their Goecha la trek experience

Goechala trek

Chandra Dhayalan from April 2012 Goechala trek batch writes:

I have never done a trek before, so Goechala was my first trekking expedition. The team was a good combination of some novice and experienced trekkers. Myself being novice got several tips from team members regarding what to do and what not to do. The support staff were awesome, they even made a birthday cake at Tshoka for one of our team mates.
Read more


Goechala trek

Krishanu Majumder from May 2012 Goechala trek batch writes:

It is 4:45 A.M. All of us are standing in the viewpoint one, spellbound by the gorgeous Kanchenjunga, panting and waiting for the sunrise. Even now, while writing this trek report, a strange thought keeps coming to my mind. I should not have come back from there. Such was the beauty of the place.
Read more



Goechala trek

Meghali from May 2012 Goechala trek batch writes:

The GoechaLa is a moderately difficult trek in Sikkim, being a good choice for trekkers in the east. Two things that should be kept in mind before planning this trek are, firstly, choosing the right time for it (late April to May) so as to be able to see the Rhododendrons in full bloom and avoid extreme temperatures and secondly, to have a high level of physical stamina in order to survive the 5 and a half days of tough climbing.
Read more


Vipul Jani who did the Goecha la trek in May 2011 writes,

"Over all, It was an amazing experience for me. The trek has been fanastic. Our team was wonderful and co-operative. The highlights were obviously Dzongri Top and first view point on way to Goecha La. We could not go beyond first view point but there are no regrets as we were very much dependent on weather. The trail between Tsokha and Phedang, specifically the wooden section in between rhodedendrons on both sides was awesome.
Read more


Bhupendrasing Rajputh writes,

" This was my first trek of long spell and that too in the Himalaya's. So I was in the mixed state of mind throughout the trek. Although the trek route was visited by many trekkers and we found many more enroute (to & fro), every moment was new challenge for me and that's how  I enjoyed the trek.
Read more


Vijay Zala who did the Goecha la trek in May 2011 writes,

"The locations and campsites selected were beautiful also the trek routes were awesome. Our teammates were fantastic - I have never been in trekking with such a nice team. All basic arrangements were nicely planned and managed - particularly food, trek timings, emergency plans, safety cautions..
Read more

 

Trekking in the rain

 

Nandita Singh shares some tips on equipping onself for trekking in the rain.

 

While many people abort their camping plans when rain surprises them, others see it as an opportunity to make an unforgettable, special and challenging experience.

Read more

 

 
Goecha la Photo Contest

 

First Prize: Shanker - Sept/Oct 2012 photo contest

Goechala trek


Second Prize: Arun - Sept/Oct 2012 photo contest

Goechala trek

 

 

Why Goecha la in Sikkim is a most romantic trek

 

Goechala trek

 

Arjun Majumdar writes about the Goechala trek and tells why it is one of the most romantic trails in the country.

I have never been as enamored by a trek as I have been of the Goechala. It is the most romantic trek that I have done. There are lots in the trek that make it romantic. On a long stretch between Tshoka and Phedang the trail climbs under a canopy of red rhododendrons in full bloom. Never have I seen a trail turning red the way it did on this trek. It was as if the trail was on fire! Rhododendrons bloomed in every direction I looked. Even the sunlight that seeped in was red through the filter of the flowers!

Read more

 

An Ode to Goecha la --- An amateur's trek diary

 

Goechala trek

 

Nagendra Kumar blogs about his experiences of Goecha la trek in April 2012.

 

The steep descend tested the strength of our thigh muscles and took us to Kokchurang which was in a valley sort. Trekkers hut surrounded by tall pine trees and fresh water stream nearby was a scene of bollywood flick from eighties. After a rest for a while, once again we moved ahead and crossed to wooden bridges, stones and climbed further for an hour and half to reach Thansing. Read more

 

 

Trek Fees


Goechala Trek

Rs 10,450

per person (Yuksom to Yuksom)

A service tax of 3.09% applicable on the trek fees

What the trek fee includes, excludes and Cancellation charges

 

April/May batches

27 Apr to 6 May (Full)

2 to 11 May (Full)

11 to 20 May (Full)

25 May to 3 June (Full)

 

Sept/Oct batches

28 Sept to 7 Oct (Open)

5 Oct to 14 Oct (Open)

12 Oct to 21 Oct (Open)

*Find out who can trek free

Central government employees can avail special casual leave for trekking the Goecha la trek, write to info@indiahikes.in for the application kit..

Contact Us

Email: Info@indiahikes.in

Phone: 09343831803

09342812775

www.indiahikes.in

Weather Observations

Dated; 24/5/2013

Clear skies, warm day at Yuksom..

Hectic activity at base camp to receive the last batch of trekkers for this season...

Trek Calendar

Other Indiahikes Treks

Trek Itinerary

Day 1: Drive from NJP to Yuksom 5,670 ft (6 hrs)

Day 2: Trek starts at Yuksom 5,600 ft to Sachen 7,150 ft

Day 3: Sachen 7,150 ft to Tshokha 9,700 ft via Bhakim 8,600 ft

Day 4: Tshokha 9,700 ft to Dzongri 12,980 ft via Phedang 12,000 ft

Day 5: Dzongri 12,980 ft to Dzongri top 13,675 ft , then to Thansing 12,900 ft via Kokchurang (12,000 ft)

Day 6: Thansing 12,900 ft to Lamuney 13,600 ft

Day 7: Lamuney 13,600 ft to Goecha La 16,000 f) via Samiti Lake 14,100 ft, then back to Thansing

Day 8: Thansing to Tshokha via Phedang

Day 9: Tshokha to Yuksom via Bhakim and Sachen

Day 10: Leave Yuksom early morning and reach NJP by 4.00 - 5.00 pm

Trek Facts

Difficulty 
Moderate-Difficult. See link for details.

Trail type
Cricular trek. Returns back to the base camp.

Altitude
Goechala 16,000 feet (4880 mts).

Rail head
NJP (New Jalpaiguri). NJP can be easily reached from Kolkata or Delhi by train.

Nearest Airport
Bagdogra is the nearest airport. It is 25 kms away from NJP or Siliguri. Note: NJP and Siliguri are sister towns and not separated from each other. There are no hotels or accommodation at Bagdogra. Auto/taxi ply frequently between Bagdogra and Siliguri

Base Camp
Yuksom near Jorethang in Sikkim

Best Season
April last  week to June end; Mid September to October end. It is also possible to trek in Nov and Dec but gets dry and very cold.

Temperature in May, Jun.
Day: 15° to 25°C. Night: 8° to 15°C. Temp at highest camp, Dzongri: Day 7°C to 15°C. Night: 3° to -2°C.

Temperature in Sept and Oct.
Day: 13° to 20°C. Night: 2° to 7°C. Temp at highest camp, Dzongri: Day 3°C to 10°C. Night: 3° to -4°C.

Rain
Rains start end June until mid September. Approach road landslides/blocks common in late August and early Sep. Usually repaired in a few days.

Snow
Stretch after view point 1 could be under snow in early May. Eases out by June. Light snow cover in Sep/Oct on the higher reaches.

Preparation
Physical preparation mandatory. See link for more details.

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