Dzongu Valley

Do you want to experience the unmatched beauty of nature and the homeland of Sikkim's indigenous people in northern Sikkim? Are you keen to visit the remote village of the Lepchas, far away from the clutch of urbanization and the most popular sites in North Sikkim? If "yes", you will be delighted to visit Dzongu Valley, a hidden treasure in North Sikkim.

A piece of Paradise on earth, Dzongu Valley, the heartland of the Lepchas, offers a sweeping view of mighty Kanchenjunga from the cluster of villages in this beautiful valley. Dotted with lush alpine forest and surrounded by daunting hills, Dzongu is a must-visit travel destination for those who are in love with nature and its intense serenity.

The shimmering Teesta River in the South East, Tholung Chu River in the northeast, and the enthralling mountains in the west adjacent to Kanchenjunga Biosphere Reserve, this bewitching valley is truly a worth visiting one. You need to acquire a special permit from the Sikkim Government to explore the valley.

Dzongu Sightseeing Attractions

There are several sightseeing attractions one can explore in Dzongu Valley apart from witnessing the natural beauty.

Several Beautiful Villages

In Dzongu Valley, there are many villages you would love to explore. Passingdang is one of these villages 30 minutes distance away from Mangan. In the upper Dzongu region, Kusong is the highest village whose main livelihood is Cardamon plantation. You can explore many other villages in this valley including Lingthem, Rukum, Pentong, Sakyong, Tingvong, Lingzya, and more.

HeeGyathang is a village with promising allure. Located at the lower Dzongu, you can reach the village by jeep from Passingdang. The lake of HeeGyathang decorated with prayer flags and under the canopy trees is worth a visit. There are many ancient legends revolving around this lake. The silver-coloured fishes in the lake are believed to be created from the lice of a goddess who falls in love with a supernatural being. Moreover, a clan named Hemos believes that if the fish die, they will die too. As a result, the fish are regularly fed.

Adjacent to the mountains, Pentong is the last inhabited place in the region. So, if you are in love with mountains, it is the place you should visit. To reach the village, you have to trek through the thrilling cliffs and the lush green forest full of flowers. Upon reaching here, you will be delighted by the view of the twin hilltops namely Tarbot and Tarbi.

Tholung Monastery

An ancient monastery built in the 18th century is another attraction of Dzongu Valley. At an elevation of 8000 feet above sea level, Tholung Monastery houses some of the primaeval artefacts and relics of Tibetan Buddhism which are put in an exhibition once every three years. Weapons and tools used by the early Lepcha community and thousands of years old Buddhist manuscripts are also in the exhibition here.

Lingzya Waterfall

Lingzya Waterfall is the most beautiful one in this valley. Located in the upper Lingzya village, the waterfall has about 300 feet of vertical height. And in order to reach there, you have to go through the beautiful villages of Nom, Shibing, Passingdang, and the bamboo bridges. The calm and composed atmosphere and the beautiful surroundings make it quite a photogenic place. You can try Hammer fishing on the natural shelf of the falls and can also enjoy taking a bath in the icy cold water.

Traditional Lepcha Museum

Near the confluence of the Teesta and Rongyung Chu Rivers, the Traditional Lepcha Museum is another worth-visiting attraction in Dzongu Valley. It is situated in Namprikdong village known for its architecture just like a traditional Lepcha House. The museum is full of artefacts and old tools that will help you understand the Lepcha community's way of life.

Hot Springs of Dzongu Valley

Adjacent to Lingdem Village and in the lower Dzongu, there is a hot spring with two log cabins; one of them is for males and the other one is for females. The hot spring inside the forest is full of sulfur which is believed to have healing properties and power. You can try bathing in this hot spring and enjoy the view of the surrounding dense jungle.

Passindang Village

If you are visiting Dzongu Valley, your base for the night stay will be Passindang Village. There are some homestays in the village that serve the travellers visiting the valley. The villagers are quite welcoming here and help the traveling to know the Indigenous culture and lifestyle of Lepchas. The soothing climate of the village and its enclosing hills covered with lush greenery bewitched every visitor. You can try Chang or millet beer. It is a kind of traditional liquor prepared in homes by the locals.

Beautiful Lakes

The valley of Dzongu also has some serene lakes to offer to travellers. A day's trekking will lead you to Keushong, Dawathang, Ringdem, and Tung Kyong Lakes. According to the Lepchas, these are the sacred lakes and they firmly believe that their clans originated from these lakes. You as a tourist can explore all of them and capture stunning photos to share on social media.

How to Reach Dzongu

From Gangtok, you can go for a hired car or shared vehicle to Mangan. From Mangan again, you can rent a car to reach Dzongu comfortably. Prepaid cars can be availed for Mangan from Siliguri, NJP, or even Bagdogra. NJP and Bagdogra Airport are the nearest railhead and airport respectively. The approximate distance from Bagdogra/NJP to Dzongu is around 75 km and takes not more than 7 hours to reach by car.

As it is a protected area, you need a valid permit to enter the valley. A permit can be availed by your travel operator prior to your journey. To make a permit, you need a photo ID (Voter Card) and two passport-size photos.

Things to Do in and around Dzongu Valley

There are several outdoor activities to do in and around Dzongu. However, the most popular activities you can indulge yourself are:

Trekking

Dzongu Valley's motley elevation makes it a heaven for the trekkers. The lush greenery, sweeping view of the mountains, and blossoming flowers transform the challenging trekking route into a quite enjoying one. You can start your trekking from Lingzya Village to Tholung located at an elevation of 8000 feet above sea level. The duration of the trek will be of 5 hours and you will be passing a stream named Tholung Chu. Those who are in love with high altitude trekking can trek to Kushon Pass which is situated at an elevation of 15000 feet. It takes around 5 days to reach the final destination.

Bird and Butterfly Watching

This valley is a safe haven for many species of birds and butterflies. In the forested area of this valley, you can spot more than 27 species of butterflies. The most number of butterflies can be seen fluttering around the banks of Rongyung Chu, Dingdong, and Namprikdang villages.

More than 200 species of birds can be spotted here making it the avid birdwatcher's paradise. The Dzongu Hills covered with lush green forest provides shelter to the various species of birds. You can spot some of them through your binoculars or camera.

Enjoy Fishing

You can enjoy fishing in rivers like River Teesta, Rungyoung Chu, and Rungkyoung, etc. If you are lucky enough, you can catch fishes like Katla, Mahaseer, trout, and many other kinds of fishes.

Best Time to Visit Dzongu Valley

March, April, and May are the best time to visit Dzongu Valley. The season of summer dominates the valley during these months when the temperature stays soothing and quite pleasant. The sky is clear and the view of the mountains looks truly magnificent.

Monsoon dominates the valley from June to September. One should not plan a trip to Dzongu Valley in the season of Monsson due to the frequent landslides. Moreover, heavy showers also cause the roads to be muddy and inaccessible. The chance of spotting birds is also less due to the cloudy and foggy weather.

December to January is the season of winter here. The weather becomes cold but the view of snow-covered mountain peaks stays too clear. Warm clothes are recommended to carry if you are planning to visit Dzongu Valley during any months of winter.

Accommodation in Dzongu Valley

Many homestays are available in Dzongu to spend a great holiday. However, in order to reach these homestays, one needs to take a boat to cross over the lake which was formed in the year 2016. These homestays lack luxury amenities as they are located in an offbeat region of Sikkim. However, you can expect most of the basic amenities here in these homestays.