Goechala Trek will take you disarmingly close to the third-highest mountain range in the world, Kanchenjunga Mountain. Boasting staggering views of ginormous peaks, stunning reflections mirrored faithfully in the serene waters of Samiti Lake, and long walks along suspension bridges lined with colorful prayer flags, this trek climbs up to a whopping 16000 ft. in altitude. This trek within the leafy jungles of the Kanchenjunga National Park is one of the Toughest and Most Beautiful Treks in India.
Challenges:
Trail: The main difficulty in the Goechala trek, aside from the large distances (>10 km) one must walk every day, is getting used to the higher altitude.
Altitude and Acclimatization: To reach the summit, the trail will require numerous difficult ascents. There is an ascent of over 1000M in a single day from Tshoka (2,900M) to Dzongri (3,950 M).
Night Trek: The trek starts at 1 AM on the day of the summit from Thansing camp to ensure we reach View Point 1 in time to witness the Kanchenjunga range become golden as the sun rises.
Weather: We trekked almost 3 days in Full Rain to reach Thansing with no hope of viewing Kanchenjunga. Few fellow Trekkers who had already done Everest Base Camp, could not even Reach the Summit Point. A very good fitness level is paramount to finishing this trek.
Gear Required for Goechala
- A Branded Backpack
- A High-Ankle Waterproof Trekking Shoe, 3 sets of Socks
- Thermals, Windproof Trousers and Jackets, Warm Jacket, 3 set t-shirts.
- Sunglasses, Gloves, Head Lamp, and Face Mask to protect from the Sun
- Poncho/ Raincoat
- Hot case, Cup, Water Bottle
- Common Medicines
ITINERARY
Day 1 | Siliguri to Yuksom (150 km drive)
Yuksum is the base camp of Goechala Trek. We took a cab from Siliguri to Yuksum, and our travel agency organized our overnight accommodation in Yuksum.
Day 2 | Yuksom (1,720 M) to Sachen (2, 195 M)
Trek Starts from Yuksum. The trail mostly passes through deep jungles and over three lengthy suspension bridges, one of which spans the renowned Tshushay Khola waterfalls. The trail climbs steeply to Sachen after a moderate hike to the second bridge.
Day 3 | Sachen (2, 195 M) to Tshoka (2, 900 M)
The journey to Tshoka is a gentle climb interspersed with a few steep stretches. The trek’s halfway point, Bakhim, offers a beautiful vista and a camping area. Embarking on the trail from Bakhim to Tsoka, we faced the relentless challenge of trekking through the rain – just the inaugural chapter of our adventurous journey. Up up, Tshoka has a calm monastery situated across a placid pond.
PS: We completed the journey from Yuksom to Tsoka in a single day to ensure an expedited completion of the trek.
Day 4 | Tshoka (2900 M) to Dzongri (3895 M)
This day is extremely difficult considering the forced altitude climb of over 1000 meters. We reached Phedang, after a few hours of hiking and had lunch there. With prayer flags along the path and breathtaking snow-capped mountains all around, this is where we had a leisurely break before continuing our trip. The campsite for the day, Dzongri, is still a good four-five hour hike from Phedang and has several difficult ascents.
Enduring relentless rain once again today, we found ourselves trekking through it for the majority of our journey. Unfortunately, we had to cancel our plans to visit the Dzongri viewpoint the next day morning due to the persistent downpour. Despite the weather challenges, our determination to explore the beauty of the region remains unwavering.
Day 5 | Dzongri (3895 M) to Thansing (3704 M)
As we had to skip the Early morning Trek to Dzongri Top, we headed through Dzongri Top to Thansing with no luck to view the spectacular Kanchenjunga and Singalila ranges from Dzongri Top. Navigating a steep descent through Kokchurang meadows amidst ceaseless rain, grappling with slips and falls, we persevered until reaching Kokchurang, where we finally enjoyed a well-deserved lunch. After lunch and some rest, we started hiking to the final Campsite Thansing alongside the Prekchu River. Thansing is located right at the foot of Mt. Pandim and It is a stark meadow on the riverbed of Prekchu.
Day 7 | Thansing (3704 M) to View Point 1 (4, 602 M) to Kokchurang(3, 657 M)
This is Summit Day, and it will surely be a day full of rewards for all the time, effort, and hard work we have put into this expedition.
Commenced our trek at approximately 1 AM, traversing past Lamuney Camp Site and the reflective Samiti Lake. The path from Lamuney to View Point via Samiti Lake becomes steeper and narrower, with a challenging ascent and reduced oxygen levels, making the climb more demanding. As we finally arrived at View Point 1, we were rewarded with a breathtaking view of Mt. Kanchenjunga, both literally and figuratively, as we saw its snow-capped peaks turn stunning gold beneath the sun’s first light of the day. The achievement of reaching the summit at last left us stunned and awed, and it was THE BEST EXPERIENCE on the Goechala Trek.
After spending around an hour we descended to Thansing. After some rest and breakfast in Thansing we headed to Kokchurang and camped there.
Day 8 | Kokchurung to Tshoka
The descent back to Tshoka through dense forest is very pleasing, But, can be steep and slippery in some places. So, be careful while descending and it is advised to trek slow.
Day 9 | Tshoka to Yuksom
We started our descent at 4.45 AM as we planned to head back to Siliguri on the same day. We reached Yuksom by 9.30, freshened, had breakfast, and started for Siliguri by 11.30 AM. As North Sikkim was cut off from the rest of the country, we had to take an additional route through Darjeeling, which made today’s journey rather long.
While we managed to finish the Resilient Journey through Goechala’s Rugged Terrain(Yuksom-Goechala-Yuksom) in six days, the planned itinerary typically spans 8-9 days.
Closing Thoughts
The Goechala Trek was not just a physical journey through the rugged terrain of the Himalayas but a profound experience that tested my limits. Battling rough weather and enduring continuous rain added an extra layer of challenge, making every step a testament to resilience. Despite the adverse conditions, the trek rewarded me with unparalleled views that will stay etched in my memory forever. As I bid farewell to the Goechala Trail, I couldn’t help but feel a profound sense of gratitude for the mountains, the trails, and the extraordinary journey that unfolded with each step, making it an experience of a lifetime.
