Sikkim · 5 destinations & hidden spots
Zuluk, Pakyong District, East Sikkim
Zuluk was a historic transit transit post on the ancient Indo-Tibet Silk Route. Today it is famous for the 32 dizzying hairpin turns carved into mountain faces that climb dramatically from 9,400 to over 11,200 feet, offering one of the most thrilling road journeys on the Indian subcontinent.
Above Zuluk loops, Pakyong District, East Sikkim
Situated 14 km ahead of Zuluk at an elevation of 11,200 feet, Thambi View Point provides an unmatched panoramic vista of the entire 32-hairpin road network looping below, alongside golden morning sunrises washing over the Eastern Himalayan peaks and Kangchenjunga.
Hidden Gem
Nathang Valley, Old Silk Route, East Sikkim
Originally inhabited by traditional Tibetan yak herders, Nathang Valley is a high-altitude bowl at 13,500 feet with picturesque wooden hamlets, a Buddhist Gompa, and an old British war memorial. It changes character dramatically through the year — golden in autumn, blanketed in deep snow in winter, and covered in wild gentians in monsoon.
Near Jelep La Pass, Kupup, East Sikkim
Revered locally as Bitan Cho, Kupup Lake resembles an elephant in shape — with a curved trunk outline on the right and tail on the left. Located at 13,066 feet near the Jelep La pass into Tibet, it is bordered by the world's highest yak golf course maintained by the Indian Army.
Hidden Gem
Aritar, Rhenock, Pakyong District, East Sikkim
Perched at 4,600 feet in the lower reaches of the Silk Route corridor, Lampokhari ('Boot-shaped Lake') is one of Sikkim's oldest natural water bodies. Fringed by verdant pine groves, it features paddle boating, a serene lakeside pathway, and the hilltop Mankhim viewpoint offering 360-degree vistas.
