Dzongri Trails

The Dzongri Goechla trek in Sikkim is revered by adventure buffs and it is regarded as one of the six toughest treks in the Indian Himalayas. The trek begins from the small and beautiful village of Yuksom in West Sikkim and takes one right up to the feet of Mt Kanchenjunga .

The rewards of the trek  overshadowed self doubt; I knew this  was going to be a tougher one than the previous . I had trained for it but did not get sufficient time for recovery, the ice packs took care of the sore muscles.

So, my husband and I set off on the Dzongri trail , for a few days close to heaven. We decided to complete the 5-6 days trek in 4 days. Judging by the Singalila trek which we finished in 3 days , cutting short 2 night halts; we thought it was achievable in Dzongri too.

We reached Yuksom late in the night of 31st May 2016 and checked into a hotel. After a shower and dinner, we crashed out for the night. The next morning, we woke up to a brilliant view of Mt Kabru from our balcony; the whitest of white amidst deep green mountains.

Soon we met our crew; two guides, two porters, three yaks . We also met two trek mates , Malte Lautzas from Germany and Kelly Alves from Brazil. We were driven a km from Yuksom, the starting point of the trek.

The yaks and porters moved ahead with the kitchen and bedding equipment while we trailed behind slowly. Nothing would be available beyond Yuksom and so everything had to be carried up . From what it seemed right from the start, this was going to be a memorable experience and certainly not an easy trek.

About 6 kms from Yuksom , is a place called Sachen . We stopped to refuel here, we were carrying packed lunch. A little chat with our trek mates revealed that the lady had undergone a knee surgery and had undertaken the Annapurna circuit in Nepal after that. Also, a week prior to the current trek in Dzongri , she had completed the Singalila trek. What an indomitable spirit! I thought.

From Sachen, the trail was a real test of endurance, very steep and rough. One had to be wary of loose stones over which the feet skidded, falling boulders from above and the prevalence of bears and leopards, though we were told that the predators rarely made an appearance! Of course one had to be careful of the blood sucking leeches and tiny stinging insects got to you the moment you stopped walking.

As we continued to ascend from Sachen, it became progressively steeper and the climb seemed endless. At every bend, there was a steeper climb awaiting us. We had to cover 15 km on the first day itself. And here, I would like to tell you that a km in the hills is like 3 km in the plains in terms of endurance.

While going through Kanchenjunga National park , my attention was drawn to a stream gushing over the rocks below. This is when I missed a step and my right knee hit a boulder, it wasn't too bad I thought, and I gathered myself for a sharp  ascent through picture perfect hills with emerald green waterfalls and rich alpine vegetation, toad stools on moss covered rocks and tree trunks, ferns and wild berries . The pine trees kept thinning out and made way for the myriad hues of rhododendrons and primula . The sound of a flowing stream or the chirping of different species of birds, soothed the weary travelers.
Often, we made way for the oncoming traffic of ponies, flocks of sheep and yaks moving up the narrow trail. Many say that the fear of the unknown can be unnerving but some feel the protection of the powers, those who crawl into nature's lap and don't try to conquer it. We continued our climb slowly with snicker and water breaks for a further 6-7 kms to Bakhim which offered an exquisite view of the valley below. A much deserved tea break with my comfort food of Wai Wai noodles worked well to recharge the batteries since the next 2 kms to Tsokha were going to be tougher. I found a canine friend here, she decided to accompany me along the way right up to Tsokha, halting or moving with me. Animals are capable of showing great compassion, she could sense my fatigue. Villagers or porters on the way, exchanged cheerful greetings and encouraged us to keep going slowly and steadily, " Bistari bistari jaunu la." The hills people have unparalleled endurance and I've seen that for years now. Whether they're young boys skipping more than 20 kms downhill in less than 2 hours or old men and women climbing up with heavy loads on their backs, they're an inspiring people.

By this time, I felt that I had released my body with all it's aches and pains somewhere down the trail and was only being guided by my mind and a deep consciousness that drew me towards my inner self, made me see who I really am.  It was a beautiful feeling.

We made it to Tsokha ( 10000 feet) around 4:30 pm, with our friends, Malte and Kelly waiting to greet us at the Trekker's hut.They looked excited and as we came up to the hut, we just saw the most amazing view of Mt Pandim and Mt Tensinkhang standing tall, right in front of us ! It seemed so magical to watch the passing clouds unveil the snow clad peaks for us. I slumped down to the wooden stairs of the hut , stunned by the jaw dropping beauty of the Himalayas. All the fatigue dissipated with the reward on the first day. Crystal white mountains overlooking the green meadows of Tsokha with the twin stupas sitting in the heart of the green.

We sat around a kitchen fire in the neighbouring hut while the crew cooked a hot meal for us in a makeshift kitchen. A basic vegetarian meal , mostly boiled or steamed, some hot soup and an animated conversation with our trek mates over a simple candle lit
dinner served on a wooden table with checked table cloth; attention to detail , I thought. Since the region does not have electricity, the headlamps helped for the nocturnal movements. The rooms were plain wooden cabins with bare beds where the guides put out thin mattresses and the sleeping bags. The bare walls with a few hooks served well to air out the clothing.

The next morning, we had some tea and breakfast comprising boiled eggs, bananas, the dependable bread and jam, cereal and boiled potatoes. A portion of the same menu sufficed as  packed lunch. I stood outside the hut soaking in the surroundings with ponies and yaks grazing in the meadowlands and a comforting sound emanating from the bells tied around the yaks , filling the valley with it's own music.

We started for Dzongri  from Tsokha, a steep 5 km to Phedang would be our lunch halt. At a small wooden structure in Phedang , we met other trekkers making their way down to Tsokha. They asked us to brace ourselves for the climb thereafter, just when I thought it couldn't get any steeper. The views were breathtaking. Some parts of the trail were out of a children's classic. This is what I came for and no pain could take away the sights that greeted us. The stretch from Phedang to Deorali can take the steam out of the fittest. They say that the mountains have a way of dealing with overconfidence. Human pride begins to move it's lips in prayer.

From thick alpine vegetation, we had now come to rocky terrain with small flowering shrubs, mosses and lichens in pretty hues of pink, violet and white. The air smelt different, it was getting thinner. At Deorali , we rested for a couple of minutes near a stupa with prayer flags lining the clearing. I stared into the tunnel of mist that would lead to Dzongri. From here on the climb was a gradual ascent with some undulating parts.

A further 3 km took us to Dzongri base camp. We found Malte and Kelly seated on a thin wooden bench outside the cottage. Interesting graffiti on the walls created some light moments for us. The chowkidar and his family are the only human inhabitants at Dzongri. We sat around his kitchen fire chatting up . I noticed a large Trogopan perched on the top of the hill, I recognized it from it's distinct call . Everyone rushed out to get a glimpse of the rare , endangered Himalayan bird.  The next day's trail was the hardest and we retired after a sumptuous meal. We had to start our ascent at 3:30 am to view the sunrise over the Himalayas. Sleep eluded me again.

It was a 200 mtr ascent covered in 1 km of really hard trail with almost 20% incline. I had to take two trekking poles to tackle the gradient. As I braved it to the top, I found myself caught between the moon on one side and the rising sun on the other side. Finally, I made it to the top, privy to the splendor and majesty of the Himalayas. I had earned my way to it . The rising sun shone upon the peaks, gifting mankind the rarest view . Only those who seek, shall find it. The changing hues of the snow clad peaks from an icy blue to golden and pinkish white can render the greatest bard speechless..
I stood in reverence and humility before the might of nature. It was the closest view I had of Mt Kabru, North & South, Black Kabru, Mt Kanchenjunga, Rathong peak, Mt Pandim , Mt Tensinkhang and Narsing . The mind was silent, offering gratitude for the good fortune; the peaks were hidden until a few days before we arrived. It had rained prior to our trek. However, the weather held up since the day we started our trek. Sitting at 13800 feet in the high mountains, I had come a long way for this moment. All I wanted was a walk in the clouds but I received a blessing..

The stupas and prayer flags lining the ridge add to the serenity of the Himalayas. For the first time , I could hear the stillness. It is so sacred that one does not even want to desecrate  the purity of that heaven with one's voice..
Below, in the valley, the nomads settle during the summer. The pass was also used by the three lamas who came in to annoint the first Chogyal of Sikkim in the 17th century. The route was used by Tibetan migrants. There I was, an urban nomad , in search of the Shangri la.  A veteran mountaineer once said that the answer to why we trek can be found somewhere between the bottom and the summit of the trek. Every such journey makes new revelations to the traveler. 

After luring man to it's beauty, the elements start playing games. Camera and phone batteries, power banks, die out in the cold and only a lucky few could capture the moments. Though reluctant, it was time to descend from the top. The winds were getting stronger and the air was rarified. We came down for breakfast and shortly after that, began our journey back to Tsokha. The knee injury from the first day was going to trouble me in the descent and I had to pull through it without bending the right knee. I had to bank on pain killers and a lot of courage. We made it to Tsokha in good time and got some rest before dinner. 

The next day's trail would be punishing, 15 km of mostly sharp descent. I had to be careful in not causing further injury to an already inflamed knee. Every wrong step felt like a dagger driven into it.
I transferred the entire load of my body onto the left leg and thanks to the little training I had undergone, it bore the brunt of the descent pretty well.

In the hills, distance is not measured in kms but the number of hills leading to a destination. So, we must have lost count of how many we crossed. We reached Sachen around 2pm and after a quick lunch, resumed the remaining few kms to Yuksom. We had more than 6 kms to finish before sunset. Our guide, Nambun, an 18 yr old lad, was extremely efficient and good natured. Finally, with a deep sense of caring, he said, " Ma'am, this is the last of the steepest gradients. The rest of the way is plainer. " He had seen me fight the pain. We reached Yuksom at 4 pm and walked another km or so to get to the hotel. An hour after that, the rains came down heavily , like a farewell shower. 42 km in 4 days, 1780 mts to 4200 mts and back, the trek had been completed despite the odds- a hurt knee ,sleep deprivation and dehydration. Yet, victory tasted sweet. The body felt stronger than ever, probably because I had  conquered  pain and come back to the world , with a piece of Heaven within me..my own Shangri la .