Kasturi Trek

• Rail: Take New Jalpaiguri Shatabdi express from Howrah at 2:15 pm, which arrives at NJP at 10: 20 pm. Spend overnight in New Jalpaiguri and take a taxi to Yuksom the next day.

• Road: Kolkata to Yoksum is 700 km by road and takes about 20 hours to reach. The road from New Jalpaiguri to Yuksom is poorly lit and it is not advisable to travel at night.

Day 1: Yuksam to Tsokha

Distance: 14 Km, Duration: 5 to 6 hrs

Have breakfast and hike upto Saichen(2300 m) near the Prek Chu river. As you trek ahead, you will pass through tropical jungles and cross over raging rivers and waterfalls. Lookout for white monkeys. You will pass through Bakhim(2700m), which is a small settlement where there is a two storied wooden hut specially established for the forest department and also used by the HMI (Himalayan Mountaineering Institute). After reaching Tsokha, one can get wonderful views of the beautiful valley looking towards Yuksam, Pelling and Darjeeling and three close views of Mt. Pandim(6691 m),Mt. Tenchinkhang( 6090 m),Mt. Jopuno(5890 m). Overnight stay in trekkers hut/tents.

Day 2: Tsokha to Phedang to Dzongri

Distance: 10 Km, Duration: 5 to 6 hrs

Have breakfast at Tsokha and head towards Phedang passing through rhododendron forest. Have lunch and replenish your energy, once you reach Phedang. From here, you can see beautiful panaromic views of Mt.Pandim, Mt.Thenchinkhang, Mt.Jhuponu. Phedang is surrounded by a large forest of rhodendrons with their lovely bell-shaped red blooms. The first hour of the trek ahead is a steep climb, but as you go ahead after that, it is mostly downhill passing through endless forests of rhododendron with its brown peeling bark and red blooms to Dzongri. Dzongri has only single Trekkers hut and two forest huts. From the ridge above the campsite, you can get panaromic views of Mt.Khanchendzonga, Mt.Kabru and Mt Pandim. Overnight stay in trekkers hut/tents.

Day 3: Dzongri to Thangsing

Distance: 10 Km, Duration: 4 to 5 hrs

Have breakfast and make your way to Thangsing(3875). Today, you will walk up the valley to across the alpine region and see some outstanding views of the valley below. Trek downhill from Dzongri to Prek Chu valley. Have lunch at the campsite. Head up the valley after crossing over raging prek chu river past glacial moraines and then through battered forests of Abies, Sorbus and Rhododendrons. After a short while, you will be walking over alpine pastures with amazing views of the entire Khangchendzonga mountain range. Arrive at Thangsing. Overnight stay in trekkers hut/tents.

Day 4: Thangsing to Lumenay

Have breakfast at Thangsing and gently trek towards Lamuney base camp through alpine pastures of dwarf Rhododendrons, along prek chu river. Lookout to get a glimpse of Himalayan blue sheep, which is the only remaining wild yak herd left in Sikkim. Overnight stay in tents.

Day 5: Lumenay to Goechala to Thangsing

We have to leave quite early morning as fog and cloud descend on the pass shortly after sunrise. The trail to Goecha la climbs steeply through moraines. From the pass, ringed with colorful prayer flags we can see Mt Kanchenjunga and beyond that the Talung glacier. The views are simply amazing and captivating. We trek back to Thangsing. Overnight stay in Thangsing.

Day 6: Thangsing to Lampokhari lake

Have breakfast at Thangsing and start trekking towards the Lampokhari lake.The trek today is relatively easier and gradual, where you climb through alpine areas. Overnight Camping.

Day 7: Lampohkari Lake to Kasturi Odar

Have breakfast and hike towards Kasturi Odar via Kasturi la. Overnight camping.

Day 8: Kasturi Odar to Labdang

After breakfast, hike down towards Labdang village. Overnight camping.

Day 9: Labdang to Tashiding

Have breakfast and hike downhill towards Tashiding.Visit the famous Tashiding monastery, in after noon and rest in the guest house overnight. You can leave for Bagdogra Airport or NJP station next morning.