Divine Lachen is a small town that lies in the North district of the Indian state of Sikkim. This place is located at an elevation of 2,750 meters. The name Lachen means “big pass.” And this is a town which is being promoted as an emerging tourist destination by the Sikkim Government. The village consists of about 150 houses, which were earlier inhabited by the locals only during the winters who spent their summers on the pastures along the Tibetan border tending to their herd of yaks at an altitude of 8838 ft.
Unexplored Beauty of Lachen
Some of the beautiful aspects of Lachen remain unexplored to this day, owing to the remoteness of its location. Lachen is a fairly small settlement amidst the lofty mountains that are perennially clad with snow and lush green thickets inhabited by the exotic Himalayan fauna. Prime attraction here apart from nature’s beauty is the Lachen Gompa. Lachen tourism is a place where every nature enthusiast’s dreams come true. Here are some of the basic facts related to Lachen that will heighten the resplendence of this snug location –
Unknown Facts about Lachen Tourism
1. Nearby Attraction Sightseeing:
The famous Lachen sightseeing places in this town base are the Chopta Valley and the famed Gurudongmar Lake and Lhamu lakes. Another major attraction nearby Lachen is the two-hour away Yumthang Valley, which can be best explored if you take a two-day trek. Best time to visit this emerging tourist attraction would be summer when annual yak races are held.
2. Transport Facilities From Gangtok:
The capital of Gangtok is at a distance of about 129 kilometers from Lachen. It normally requires a six-hour drive to reach there. The route that takes you from Lachen to Gangtok passes through destinations like Phodong & Chungtang.
3. Visiting Gurudongmar Lake:
As Lachen is situated in the Northern part of Sikkim, this is the best transit point for visiting the Gurudongmar Lake, the 2nd highest lake in India. Although to visit this lake, you might need a permit as it is a restricted area, holy to the locals of Sikkim.
4. Provision of Permits :
The trusted agency that you are looking for, that takes care of all the necessary requirements like acquiring the restricted area permit as well as transport facilities to Lachen, and also for the entire North Sikkim, is undoubtedly us.
5. Do’s at Gurudongmar Lake (Green Lake):
Situated at an altitude of 17,000 ft the weather is extremely cold with the influx of strong freezing winds in the afternoon. Staying overnight at Lachen to procure proper rest is highly advisable before going to the Gurudongmar Lake for a day tour.
6. Excursion To the Chopta Valley:
It is the valley which is situated at an altitude of 14,000 ft, latitude of 27.9 North and a longitude of 88.52 East. The valley is easily accessible from Lachen and is a breathtaking sightseeing place covered with ice sheets during the winters of December. Also, the road gets stuck. During the whole year, the temperature is below 10 degrees and very much below the freezing point during the nights. Foreigners may visit the Chopta Valley only for the green vegetation of the lower altitudes that changes to an alpine one and finally to the Tibetan plateau type of the terrain. Indians citizens are allowed to proceed at the Gurudongmar Lake.
7. Language Mostly Spoken:
The languages that are mostly spoken are Hindi and some of them understand English as well but it’s too rare at this remote village of Lachen.
8. Availability of transport services:
There are many models of vehicles available like Sumo/Mahindra Max from Gangtok to Lachen and one may either book a whole Sumo which will cost them around INR 15000 to 20000 approximately and this price also includes the food and the lodging. Packages cost around 3000 per person, 10 people vehicle if you opt for the sharing packages.
9. What Should You Carry, Checklist For Lachen:
You have to carry enough warm woolens in all seasons as it can be biting cold when you are reaching to the higher altitudes. Carry all your medication particularly for high altitude sickness and if you have any sort of breathing problem then it is advised not to visit Chopta Valley or Gurudongmar. There are no ATMs here so you have to carry enough cash with you in your trip with safety.
10. When To Visit Lachen:
April to May is a great time for Lachen Sikkim weather as the Rhododendrons are in full bloom during these months of Spring. The beginning of December is also the great time to see the Chopta Valley blanketed in ice over the frozen river.
11. How You Can Plan Out For the Unknown Place:
If your plan is for 2 days, you can reach Lachen from Gangtok and stay overnight at Lachen for day one. On day 2, you can start early around 4 am to visit Gurudongmar Lake and the Chopta Valley then return to the hotel, have your lunch and then proceed back to Gangtok, with an overnight halt at Gangtok.
12. Where to Stay At Lachen:
Lachen has plenty of hotels but once you have selected a hotel you can ask your tour operators to book the hotels within their package. Some of the good destinations of the Lachen Sikkim hotels that you can spend the night are the Apple Orchard Resort, Hotel Hill Retreat, and Hotel Himalayan Residency.
13. Gateway Of The Sacred Place:
It is believed that with the natural beauty of this place, Lachen is popularly famous for the Buddhist pilgrimage sites amongst the tourists. Lachen is a beautiful holiday destination & is a gateway to the sacred Guru Dongmar and Tso Lhamu Lakes. It is a small, quiet town which is the home to Buddhist tribes, both Indian & Tibetan, inhabiting a totality of 150 settlements.
14. Base Activities Of Lachen:
In this small town, as far the activities are concerned; you can go for trekking as Lachen is the base station for several popular trekking routes of Sikkim.
15. Travelers Can Get the Lachen Thrilling Experience:
In Lachen, the traditional system that is practiced is an administrative system that follows the rules and the regulations and is famously known as Dzumsa. During the summer the interesting annual Yak Race, called the Thangu takes place at Lachen which is worth witnessing.
16. Lachen’s Cuisine Nearby Sikkim:
The local cuisine of the Sikkim is popular in the village of Lachen, and some of the other cuisines such as the Indian, Chinese, et cetera are also available in the nearby restaurants.