LACHEN :

The word “Lachen” means “big pass”. The entire region of Lachen is located near the Indo-Tibet (China) border in North Sikkim. The Village of Lachen, which is locally referred to as “Lamten”, is situated at an altitude of 8920ft above sea level. Lachen is 129 km from the State Capital of Gangtok. Normally it takes around 5 hours to reach Lachen from Gangtok. The main road is located on the North Sikkim Highway.

The Lachenpas :

The Lachenpas, who have been living in their ancestral homeland of Lachen for more than eight centuries, are tribals of the State who belong to the Bhutia community and practice the Nyingmapa sect of Mahayana Buddhism.

The closely-knit communities of the Lachenpas, who are Sikkim’s only nomadic highland tribals, are governed by the traditional Dzomsa system which has been in existence for generations. The main occupation of the Lachenpas is farming and cattle raising. In the distant past the Lachenpas also took an active part in the border trade with Tibet but this has been discontinued from early 1960s due to border conflicts.

Presently, the Lachenpas have taken an active interest in promotion of tourism. It may be mentioned that Lachen is perhaps the biggest village in the State as far as its size is concerned. Kanchenjunga, the world’s third highest mountain and India’s highest mountain, is located lachen and the traditional route for Kanchenjunga mountaineering expedition passes through Lachen.

Tourist Spots :

The main tourism spots in Lachen are:

Gurudongmar Lake – Located at the height of 17,800 ft. above sea level, this holy Lake of Guru Padmasambhava (Guru Rinpoche) is one of the State’s main pilgrimage centers for Buddhist devotees in the State.

Meditation Cave – the sacred meditation caves of Lachen Gomchen Rinpoche and Alexandra David Neel, a French explorer and mystic, which is located at Dewthang below Thangu at an altitude of 14,000 ft., is one of the main trekking routes in Lachen.

Tsoptha Valley – this picturesque valley’s meandering river (Tsoptha Chu) is a breathtaking site for all those who visit the area. The valley also has a natural garden of rhododendron flowers.

Green Lake – the trek to Green Lake at the foot of Kanchenjunga from Lachen village passes through Zema and Zemathang, where several endangered wild animals such as blue sheep live. From the Green Lake (18,000 ft. apprx) one can see the panoramic view of the Kanchenjunga range of mountains, including Sinol Chu, Lama Angden, Pyramid Peak, Nepal Peak and Twins Peak.

Lahar Valley – located on the eastern side of Thangu, Lashar Valley provides a stunning view of Khangchen Gayao Mountain, one of the sacred mountains in Lachen which is the abode of an important local deity.

Lachen Monastery and Nunnery – Lachen Monastery and the adjoining Nunnery in Lachen are the main centres of Buddhism in the Lachen Valley. The monastery is one of the oldest gompas os Sikkim. Every household of Lachen is represented in the monastery. The annual religious festival or chham of the monastery, which falls in the month of January-February, is one of the main cultural-cum-religious festivals of the Lachenpas.

This festival takes at the time of Losoong (New Year celebrations) festival of the Lachenpas.

Pang Lhabsol and Thukpa Tsezhi – these two important cultural and religious festivals fall in the months of July September at Thangu Monastery and Lashar vallery. Many domestic and foreign tourists flock to participate in these festivals.

RC Home Stay – the homestay provides three rooms for the visitors. The rooms have separate toilet-cum-bathrooms and are clean and spacious. Only local food (veg and non-veg) are served at the homestay. Room charges are Rs. 2000 per head, including food (breakfast, lunch, tea and dinner). We also provide local tour guides for trekking and sightseeing on request.