Lachung

Lachung is the most popular tourist destination of North Sikkim and serves as a base for visits of Yumthang, Katao and Yumasamdong areas. Lachung is situated at an altitude of 8610 ft, at 27.54° latitude and 88.64° longitude. It has been described as the "most picturesque village of Sikkim" by Joseph Salton Hooker in his Himalayan Journal (1855). The weather is rather cold with temperatures between 12-20° C in summer and below freezing point in winter.

Due to Lachung proximity to Nepal and the military presence, entry to North Sikkim is only possible on a guided tour, and a travel permit must be organised in Gangtok 1-2 days prior to travel.

Although the distance from Gangtok to Lachung is only 120 km, travel takes 5-6 hours on account of the mountainous terrain. Nevertheless, the journey into the valley is stunning. All travel is by 4-wheel-drive as the roads are subject to frequent landslides.

You can easily explore the town by foot.

• Lachung Gompa. Sitting atop the hill across the valley from the town, is one of the most picturesque gompas (Buddhist temples) in Sikkim. It is a short 30 minute walk uphill from the town, and the amazing backdrop of snow-capped peaks makes this a worthwhile stroll.

• excursion to Yumthang Valley (elevation: 12000 ft, 3.564 m. latitude: N 27° 52'. longitude: E 88° 41'). You must stay overnight at Lachung and visit Yumthang valley in the morning. The valley can be visited as part of a package tour only. The best season for visiting the valley is from late February to mid June, when thousands of colourful flowers are in full bloom. September to December is best if you want to enjoy a view of the snow-capped mountains. It is a drive of about 1 hr from Lachung to Yumthang Valley. The road from Lachung and Yumthang is lined with rhododendrons which bloom in April and May and give the valley the name "Valley of Flowers".
• excursion to Yumesamdong, about 15 km (1 hr drive) from Yumthang at an altitude of 15.300 ft, close to Chinese border.

Most hotels are vegetarian here but those belonging to the locals of Lachung, giving you a more authentic experience offer non-vegetarian options as well which are usually prepared completely separately keeping religious sentiments in mind. Check out the restaurants at Fortuna for strictly vegetarian and Etho Metho by RIghtClique and Yarlam for a more relaxed, friendly atmosphere. Great food at all these places.

While there are many options to stay in Lachung, it would be wise to ensure your hotel has clean, comfortable linen, heater and hygienically prepared food. There are lodges, homestays, homestays that call themselves hotels, travel agent run hotels that are usually forced upon travellers and then you have the better accommodation offering a much better experience than the others such as Yarlam and Etho Metho by RightClique. The previous, set the initial bar of hospitality in 2011 while the second is the new kid on the block.