India is a country full of rich culture, traditions and festivals. India has some extremely beautiful states to visit. One such incredible state is Sikkim.
The state of Sikkim is incredibly beautiful and has many fantastic things to offer. For an adventure junkie, Sikkim is a delight. All kinds of adventure activities like trekking, camping, paragliding, mountain biking, hot air ballooning, rafting, hiking etc. are organized here.
Thousands of adventure lovers across the world, visit Sikkim for trekking purposes. Sikkim has some mind-blowing trekking destinations. Goechala is one of the most preferred trekking destinations in the state.
The majestic Goechala trek is located at an elevation of 4940 m. known for its enchanting beauty, this trek is a mixture of the untouched natural beauty, rich culture, thrills, myriad and a massive variety of flora and fauna. Walking on the Goechala trails is like a journey filled with thrill, surprises, excitement, which promise to give you an adrenaline rush.
You can witness the splendid sunrise and mesmerise sunset from Goechala trek which is also known as Kanchenjunga Base Camp. The base point or the starting point of the trek is a small town named Yuksom which has dense forest and beautiful water streams, where you will be experiencing the beauty of lush green landscapes, distant mountain peaks and wild colourful flowers.
The trekking distance to Goechala is approx 90 km. which can be covered in 10 to 15 days. If you can walk 8 to 10 km in a single day in the plains, you will easily cover this long distance. The grade of the trek is moderate to difficult. So you have to be careful all the time, or physical injuries like ankle twisting etc. might occur.
Region :- Sikkim
Days:- 10-15 Days
Grade :- Moderate To Difficult
Elevation :- 16,027 Ft. (4940 m)
Trekking in Km :- 90 Kms.
Best time to visit- summer season (April to June) and Post Monsoon (Mid September to Early November)
How to reach there-
Sikkim- Darjeeling- Yuksom town- Goechala
You can start Goechala trek either from Darjeeling, the doorway of Sikkim or Yuksom town, which is the main highlighted feature of the trek and is well connected with Darjeeling by road. Yuksom is 85 km away from Darjeeling.
Darjeeling is well connected by all the major cities in India by Air, Train and Road.
Trek highlights-
- Yuksom town
- Kanchenjunga
- Dzongri top
- Rathong,
- Koktang
- A chance to explore rich culture of the state of Sikkim
Best time for conducting Goechala Trek-
Any time of the year is the best time for an avid trekker. But for an ordinary person, the best time to do the trek of Goechala is in the summer season between the months of April to June or during pre-monsoon season which is between Mid September to October. During these months pathways and trails are not slippery, snow doesn’t start to settle and fear of leeches in the ground is far away. Heavy rainfall and snow make the trekking difficult, and due to it, many injuries may occur, so it is for the best to be avoided this trek during Monsoon and Winter.
Temperatures ranging according to the 4 seasons in a year-
Summer- somewhere between 15 and 25 degree celsius
Winter- ranging from 5 to -5 degree celsius
Monsoon- 5 to 15 degree celsius
Spring- between 10 and 18 degree celsius
Things to carry
- Filterable water bottle
- Wollen clothes(sweater, jacket, gloves, socks, pants)
- Mosquito repellent
- First aid box with all necessary medicines including water purification tablets
- Protein bar and munching items
- Raincoat
- Reusable plastic bags- to keep the waste and wet clothes
- Trekking shoes and slippers
- Gears
- Poles
- Body wipes and Hand wipes
Advisory-
- Don’t make fun of the local traditions and cultures
- Drinking and smoking are not allowed
- Follow your team leader’s instructions if you are travelling in a group
- If you’re travelling solo, stay alert all the time. And whenever you get phone signal, call your family
- Harm no animals and plants during the trip
- Don’t mess with other trekkers. It might ruin your journey.
- Don’t play loud music. Many people go there to find peace. So give them their moment, instead of showing them your party-animal side
