East Sikkim
The Old Silk Route: Aritar, Zuluk & Nathang
- NJP / Bagdogra
- Aritar
- Zuluk
- Thambi
- Nathang
- Kupup
- NJP
Price on request
The route we are named after
East Sikkim and the Old Silk Route
A mule track to Tibet that became a road of a hundred hairpins: Zuluk, Thambi’s sunrise over Kanchenjunga, and the high Nathang valley.
For centuries traders carried wool, salt and musk between Lhasa and the plains of Bengal over the Jelep La pass, through the villages of East Sikkim. The route is a road now, and its most famous stretch — the tight zigzags below Zuluk, best seen from Thambi viewpoint — has become one of the great drives of the Himalaya.
It is our namesake and one of our favourite trips to plan. Zuluk sits at around 10,000 ft and has no hotels, only homestays, and the circuit is a restricted area that needs permits arranged in advance. The reward is a sunrise at Thambi with the whole Kanchenjunga range lit pink above a sea of cloud.
Registered with Sikkim Tourism Reg. No. 77/DoT&CAv/S/20/TA
What to see
Places worth your time
- 01
Zuluk
A small village on the old trade route, with homestays and an army camp, at the foot of the famous loops.
- 02
Thambi viewpoint
The place to see the zigzag road below and Kanchenjunga above. Go at sunrise.
- 03
Nathang valley
A high, open valley often called Sikkim’s Ladakh, with a small monastery and a war memorial.
- 04
Kupup & Elephant Lake
A lake shaped like an elephant near the Jelep La, on the road towards Tsomgo.
- 05
Old Baba Mandir
The original shrine to Baba Harbhajan Singh, an army soldier venerated across Sikkim.
- 06
Aritar & Lampokhari Lake
A lakeside village at lower altitude, the usual first night on the way to Zuluk.
Itineraries
East Sikkim & the Old Silk Route tour packages
Every itinerary can be changed to your dates and pace. Prices on request.
When to go
Seasons
March – May
Spring
Rhododendrons on the lower slopes and generally open roads.
June – September
Monsoon
Cloud and rain; the view from Thambi is rare. Not recommended.
October – December
Autumn
The best sunrises and the clearest Kanchenjunga views of the year.
January – February
Winter
Snow on the loops and a frozen landscape. Spectacular, but roads may close.
Getting there
About 5 to 6 hours from NJP or Bagdogra via Rhenock and Rongli, where permits are checked. Most trips spend the first night lower down, at Aritar or Rishikhola.
With the right permits the route can continue past Kupup towards Tsomgo Lake and Gangtok.
Permits & documents
The Zuluk circuit is a restricted area. Indian nationals need a permit, applied for in advance through a registered operator with an original photo ID and passport photographs. Foreign nationals are not currently permitted.
From our office in Namchi
Local tips
- Do not try Zuluk as a day trip. The altitude, the permit timings and the sunrise at Thambi all call for at least one night up there.
- Homestay rooms are simple and cold. Bring warm layers even in April.
Questions
East Sikkim & the Old Silk Route: frequently asked
Why is your company called Silk Route?
Because the old Silk Route trade road through East Sikkim is part of the region’s history and one of our favourite journeys to plan.
Can foreigners do the Silk Route trip?
Not at present: the Zuluk circuit is open to Indian nationals only. Foreign travellers can see the Kanchenjunga range from Pelling, Darjeeling or Ravangla instead.
Talk to a local
Tell us where you want to go
Send your dates and the number of travellers. We reply with a written, day-by-day itinerary and an itemised quote — and it costs nothing to ask.
- +91 80162 57040
- WhatsApp the office
- Lower Ghurpisey, Namchi, South Sikkim 737126, India
Registered with Sikkim Tourism Reg. No. 77/DoT&CAv/S/20/TA