Overview
Goecha La is a mountain pass located in Sikkim and apart from being one of the oldest mountain routes it has in recent times gained popularity for its scenics and ravishing view of the world's third highest mountain peak also known as the Kanchenjunga range.
The trekking route is 90km and takes approximately 9-11 days to complete having six major stops, in ascending order: Sachen(7200ft), Tshoka(9750ft), Dzojongri(12,900), Thansing(12,900ft), Lamuney(13,700ft) and the last, our destination Goechala at 15,100ft. If you like this trek then you also like the Kodachadri Trek which uplifts your trekking experience.
How to Reach
If you wish to get started with your journey, the nearest railway station to reach your destination is New Jalpaiguri(NJP) and the nearest airport is the Bagdogra Airport where the base camp for the trek is located at Yuksom. One must be cautious of the fact that altitude sickness is common here thus a day's break at Dzogri on your trek is recommended to avoid nausea. The trek starts from Yuksom moving forward towards the first assigned campsite Sachen followed by the stop at Pakhim.
Start Trek
Bakim is another campsite in the series after with comes Tshoka a beautiful camping site with a monastery, pasture land, old chortens, a few huts and shops, and a lake, it's heading on from here that we find the famous wooden trail of Goechala surrounded by rhododendrons which leads to
Phedang which is also used as a campsite, there are 2 trails, one that would take towards Dzongri and another that is taken on the second last day of the trek to return. Moving ahead comes Dzongri followed by Dzongri top from where Mt. Pandim, mt. Tenzig Khark, Kanchenjunga, and other summits are visible. Then comes Khokchurang which has the Pherech Chu River which originates from the same lake- a Surreal turquoise color water mirror some say. The series then continues with the destination as follows:
Thangsing, Lamuney, and Goechala Viewpoint 1 and Goechala Viewpoint 2 though the latter has been closed to the public due to increasing pollution by tourists.
Necessary to inform you
It becomes necessary to inform you that the 1st day of the trek is often said to be the easiest, the trek is famously rated as difficult, and thus physical training three months prior to the event is highly recommended. Well, the difficulty is often explained by the way the mountains have been formed that is they are created due to the continental collision between Eurasia and Indian tectonic plates these mountains have emerged rapidly and are thus young which comes along with their roughness which just is the reflection of its rapid formation.
How did Goechala become famous?
Trekking has been famous in Nepal as it provided a perfect balance of scenic and endurance but around the 1990's the region got gulp in socio-political tensions due to which trekking in the region came to a halt and the tourism that it attracted went in search for something similar thus as a result Goechala became famous for having all that tourists were searching for and also for being just beside the formal state. This must not be mistaken by the fact that Goechala became a trek during the 1990s rather it took an exceptional spike for the same during the 1990s due to the above-stated reasons.
Attraction Of Trek
The biggest attraction of the trek is the clear view that it provides of the World's third-highest mountain peak- Kanchenjunga, along with other thirteen peaks and summits. Another remarkable aspect of the trek is that a part of it falls in the Kanchenjunga National Park which holds one of the highest biodiversity in the world. Further Rhododendrons are wonders that have an audience of their own which blooms especially during April and its hub in Phedang is now becoming one of the main reasons for tourist attraction. Thus witnessing these biodiversities, lush green forests, picturesque scenic, and majestic mountains guarantees one takes one to the heavens.
The best view of the mountains is seen from the Dzongri top for which one must be there by at least 5 am and the best campsite is suggested to be Thansing.
Goodies:
- Sunrise at the Kanchenjunga range.
- Samiti Lake- a turquoise-colored glacial lake that provides you with a magnificent view of Mountain Pandim.
- Dense alpine jungles along with Rhododendron trees at full bloom in April and May
- Suspension bridges through deep gorges.
- Monastery at Toshak
