| Blue Sheep Trail |
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BLUE SHEEP TRAIL
Day 01: Bagdogra – Gangtok ( Sikkim ) Arrive to Bagdogra and drive to Gangtok ( 3 - 4 hrs ). Stop for formalities at the Sikkim border ( altitude 1256 ft ). Continue along the beautiful Teesta river to Gangtok, the capital of Sikkim at an elevation of 5,500 ft. Check into a hotel. Day 02: Gangtok - Martam If you wish, you could enjoy a beautiful sunrise view of Kanchendzonga from the hotel. Today we will visit the local market and tour the local sights. Places of interest include Enchey monastery. This name means “place of solitude”. About 90 monks are in residence here. It is important to our hosts that we are respectful when visiting monasteries. Check that your attire is acceptable and be sure to leave a small donation. Most important be sure to walk clockwise around holy objects like mani walls ( prayers carved in stone ). In the p.m. we drive to Rumtek monastery which was built to seat the 16th Gyalwa Karmapa when he fled from Tibet. Stay at Martmam village resort, a peaceful hillside retreat far away from the hustle and bustle of Gangtok. Day 03: Martam – Yuksom: Travel by jeep to Yuksom ( 6,000 ft ). The seven hours drive is very picturesque traveling up and down the green, undulating hills of Sikkim. Yuksom is just a small, sleepy town now but as the former capital of Sikkim it is the place where the first King was crowned. It is also the trailhead for our trek. Overnight at the Tashigang Hotel, Yuksom. Day 04: Yuksom – Prekchu: The trek staff will be busy loading up the porter and dealing with red tape. You may want to take a short hike to the interesting monasteries nearby. Our second trek begins with a long but gentle climb along the Ratang Chu ( river ). It takes five to six hours to reach our camp at Prek chu ( 7,600 ft ). The trek goes through forests all day with an occasional stream crossing on well-maintained bridges. Camp at Prek chu ( 7,600 ft. ). Today’s ascent is approximately 3,000 ft. Welcome to wonderful world of trekking. Day 05: Prekchu – Tsokha: Today’s three-hour trek climbs steeply through forest of pine, magnolia and rhododendron, into the alpine country for the classic view of Mt Pandim. The scene is awe-inspiring. After a half day of steep up hill hiking camp is at Tsokha at 10,000 ft. Tsokha is a small Tibetan settlement with a monastery and a holy lake. Today’s ascent is approximately 2500 ft. Day 06: Tsokha – Dzongri: Our five hours, 3900 foot climb begins in deep forests and ends in high alpine yak grazing country. The land is dotted with Chortens. ( A Chorten is a large dome and pyramid-like structure containing religious relics. ). This is ideal habitat for the ‘Blue sheep’ which you will often see grazing across the valley. Upon reaching Dzongri ( “a mountain fortress”), we discover two rough, primitive, ston sheds for yak herds. The sheds stand in splendid isolation beneath Rathong Glacier. Camp at Dzongri 13,200 ft. Day 07: Dzongri: ( Rest and acclimatize ) Today we shall rest and acclimatize as we explore the surroundings. Camp at Dzongri 13,200 ft. Day 08: Dzongri – Thangshing: From Dzongri we descend a few hundred feet until we reach our camp at Thangshing. Camp at Thangshing. Day 09: Thangshing – Samiti lake: We’ll be careful to make sure everyone is acclimatized well. It’s important to drink plenty of water when hiking this high. Overnight at Samiti lake at 14,200 ft. Day 10: Samiti – Gochala – Thangshing: Our day hike takes about nine hours and we must get a very early start in order to ensure clear views. We can climb the 2800 dramatic feet to Gochala ( 16,200 ft ) which is so close, it feels we can reach out and touch the mountain. Day 11: Thangshing – Choakchrung: We start our trek down to Choakchrung and camp overnight. Choakchrung ( 10,000 ft ) Day 12: Choakchrung – Tsokha: We take a new trail through deep green virgin forest of rhododendron, white fur and blue spruce. Today’s walk takes us five hours and has taken into a different drainage. There is 1000 ft. of ascent today, and we enjoy the sounds of the forest as we return to the low country. Hiking below moss covered branches we are surrounded by birds and butterflies. Camp at Tsokha ( 10,000 ft ). Day 13: Tsokha – Yuksom: Now we are retracing our steps as we return down hill to Yuksom. It is a steep 4000 ft descent and takes about seven hours. Evening we bid farewell during a gathering with the porters and all the trekking staff. Overnight at Tashigang hotel ( 6,000 ft ) Yuksom. Day 14: Yuksom – Darjeeling: Enjoy captivating scenes of tea gardens and orange groves as we drive four hours via back roads to Darjeeling. Check into the Hotel. The British originally established Darjeeling as a hill station in the mid 1800s. People come up here to escape the heat of the plains. Pleasantly surrounded by tea plantations on all sides, we can enjoy magnificent views of snowy peaks including Kanchendzonga. Overnight at hotel. Day 15: Darjeeling: Take an early morning trip to Tiger Hill to see the sunrise. Tiger Hill is the highest spot in the area at 8,500 ft and is famous for its dawn views of the Eastern Himalayas including on the clearest days Mt. Everest. On return, visit the famous Ghoom monastery which enshrines an image of the Maitreya Buddha ( the coming Buddha ). A small donation is customary. The monks are friendly and will probably invite us to join them for a cup of salty yak butter tea ( think of it as a light soup or broth as you drink it ). We may take a short ride 4.5 miles back to Darjeeling from Ghoom on the famous toy train. Completed in 1882 the railway connected Darjeeling with the rest of British India. Our ride, although short, will give us a chance to admire the Batasia loop, one of four complete loops and five switchbacks maneuvered on this feat of engineering. After lunch visit the Himalayan Mountaineering institute, zoological park, Tibetan refugee self help centre which is a popular place to shop for arts and crafts. Overnight at hotel, Darjeeling. Day 16: Darjeeling – Bagdogra/Delhi After breakfast drive to Bagdogra airport ( 3.5 hrs ) to catch the flight to Delhi on your way home
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