Zuluk Silk Route
Located at a height of around 10,100 feet on the rugged terrain of the lower Himalayas in East Sikkim, Zuluk or Dzuluk is a small village beside a winding road. It was once a transit point to the historic Silk Route from Tibet to India. It is relatively an emerging and offbeat destination in East Sikkim. This small village accommodates a population of around 700 people. There is also an Indian Army base at Zuluk, which has been used as a transit camp for the army movement to the Chinese border, a few kilometres away. It is the very first village within this whole Silk Route circuit to offer home-stay facilities for tourists. Zuluk itself does not offer views of the snow peaks but only 14 kms away the Thambi View Point offers a panoramic view of the entire Mt. Kanchenjungha range.
What to see in Zuluk:
Zuluk is a hilltop and a transit point within the Silk Route. The road through Zuluk makes almost 32 hairpin turns to reach Lungthung, which makes it a unique engineering feat. There is a local Nag Temple here. The temple has a cave like structure and the deity of King Cobra or Nag, famous Hindu mythical god is worshipped in the temple. Another great attraction of Zuluk lies in watching the sunrise over Mt. Kanchenjungha and its allied peaks from Thambi View Point (around 14 kms away) at 11,200 feet. The glittering rays of the rising sun kisses the snow clad peak of Mt. Kanchenjungha, which slowly turns crimson and then golden and finally silver. The spectacle is truly breathtaking. While staying at Zuluk you can cover Padamchen, Lungthung, Nathang, Kupup Lake, Tukla Valley and all other spots in the Silk Route circuit in day trips. Zuluk has high diversity of Himalayan fauna. The place shelters variety of birds like Monal Pheasant, Blood Pheasant, Khaleez Pheasant, Snow Pheasant and others. You may also catch a glimpse of Himalayan Weasel or A Martin. Sighting of Red Panda, wild dog and deer in the high hills have also been recorded.
Accommodation in Zuluk:
There are few nice, clean and comfortable homestays in Zuluk with attached Western bathrooms. The beds are well made-up and decked with sufficient amounts of blankets and pillows. Hot water is usually supplied in buckets and food is home-cooked, nice and warm served in dining rooms with Bukharis (a traditional wood burning room heater). There are no televisions in rooms but you would find one in the dining room. Food is typically Indian cuisine with vegetables, egg and chicken being the most prominent fares. Fish is usually not available.
Best time to visit Zuluk:
During August and September, Zuluk is drenched is a riot of colours of wild flowers. The whole region is covered in various wild flowers. From January to April Zuluk is covered in snow. The rainy season of May to July is usually foggy but the rest of the year it has nice sparkling weather.
Packages of Zuluk:
NJP – Icchey Gaon – Reshikhola – Mankhim – Padamchen – Nathang – Gangtok drop
Siliguri / NJP/ Bagdogra to Icchey Gaon: Reach Icchey Gaon from NJP. Nature Walk in Pine Forest. Overnight at Icchey Gaon.
Icchey Gaon to Reshikhola: Sunrise over Mt. Kanchenjungha from Icchey Gaon. Walk in the Pine Forest. Sightseeing at Pedong, Sillery Gaon. Overnight at Reshikhola.
Reshikhola to Mankhim: Enjoy by the Reshi Riverside. Sightseeing at Lampokhari (Aritar Lake), British Bungalow, Rai Temple. Overnight at Mankhim.
Mankhim to Padamchen/ Zuluk: Sunrise over Mt. Kanchenjungha from Mankhim. Take a jungle walk and visit monastery. Sightseeing at Lingtum, Kuikhola Waterfalls. Overnight at Padamchen/ Zuluk.
Padamchen/ Zuluk to Nathang: Morning trip to Thambi View point and continue sightseeing at Zuluk, Zig Zag road, Lungthung and reach Nathang.
Nathang to Gangtok: Early morning sunrise trip to Eagle’s Nest Bunker/ Lungthung (extra chargeable on spot). Return to Nathang for breakfast. Leave Nathang after breakfast and reach Gangtok. On the way sightseeing at Old Baba Mandir, Kupup Lake, New Baba Mandir, Menmecho Lake (you have to trek to reach Menmecho), Tukla Valley, Jelepla Pass, Yak Golf Course, Ice Hockey Field, Four Lake Point, Tsomgo (Changu) Lake. Drop at Gangtok.
NJP – Gangtok – Nathang – Padamchen/ Zuluk – Mankhim – Icchey Gaon – NJP
NJP to Gangtok – Overnight stay at Gangtok.
Gangtok to Nathang – Start from Gangtok early morning. Reach Changu Lake (Tsomgo Lake), New Baba Mandir, Nathula (optional with extra costs), Four Lake Point, Menmecho Lake, Tukla, Old Baba Mandir, Kupup Lake, Jelep la, Yak Golf Course, Ice Hockey Field and reach Nathang by afternoon. Overnight stay at Nathang Valley.
Nathang to Padamchen/ Zuluk – Sunrise from Eagle’s Nest Bunker Point/ Lungthung (extra chargeable on spot) and back for breakfast to Nathang. Have breakfast and leave for Zuluk via Lungthung, Thambi View Point and Zuluk. Overnight stay at Padamchen/ Zuluk.
Padamchen/ Zuluk to Mankhim – Sunrise from Thambi View Point (extra chargeable on spot) and back for breakfast to Padamchen. Have breakfast and leave for Mankhim. On the way sightseeing at Kuikhola Waterfalls, Lingtum, Lampokhari (Aritar Lake), British Bungalow, Rai Temple. Overnight at Mankhim.
Mankhim to Icchey Gaon – Sunrise over Mt. Kanchenjungha from Mankhim. Take a jungle walk and visit monastery. Leave Mankhim for Icchey Gaon. On the way sightseeing at Reshikhola, Pedong, Sillery Gaon. Overnight at Icchey Gaon.
Icchey Gaon to NJP: Sunrise over Mt. Kanchenjungha from Icchey Gaon. Visit Delo and drop to NJP/ Siliguri/ Bagdogra.
NJP – Padamchen/ Zuluk – Nathang – Mankhim – Icchey Gaon – Reshikhola – Icchey Gaon – NJP
NJP to Padamchen/ Zuluk – Sightseeing at Kuikhola Waterfalls, Lingtum. Overnight at Padamchen/ Zuluk.
Padamchen/ Zuluk to Nathang – Morning trip to Thambi View point and continue sightseeing at Zuluk, Zig Zag road, Lungthung and reach Nathang. Sightseeing at Old Baba Mandir, Kupup Lake, New Baba Mandir, Menmecho Lake (you have to trek to reach Menmecho), Tukla Valley, Jelepla Pass, Yak Golf Course, Ice Hockey Field. Overnight at Nathang.
Nathang to Mankhim – Early morning sunrise trip to Eagle’s Nest Bunker/ Lungthung (extra chargeable on spot). Return to Nathang for breakfast. Leave Nathang after breakfast and reach Mankhim. Sightseeing at Lampokhari (Aritar Lake), Aritar Bungalow. Overnight at Mankhim Homestay.
Mankhim to Reshikhola – Sunrise over Mt. Kanchenjungha from Mankhim. Take a Jungle Walk and visit monastery and Rai temple. Overnight at Reshikhola.
Reshikhola to Icchey Gaon – On the way sightseeing at Pedong, Sillery Gaon. Overnight at Icchey Gaon.
Icchey Gaon to NJP – Sunrise over Mt. Kanchenjungha from Icchey Gaon. Take a walk in the Pine Forest. Visit Delo and drop at NJP/ Siliguri/ Bagdogra.
