Winding through the old Silk Route

The Sikkim Silk Route tour is one of the most popular attractions as it is dotted with dizzying zig-zag roads, hairpin bends, and quaint villages in the backdrop of the mountains

Nathang Valley

Long ago, I had seen a jaw-dropping photograph of the old Silk Route winding and passing through India. It had since been my wish to see it in real. I decided to include that scenic route in the itinerary of my family’s vacation in Sikkim.

We began our day from Gangtok with a pleasant accompaniment of Buddhist peace flags fluttering all along the highway till we arrived at Tsomgo Lake, a serene lake popular among tourists. We clicked a few photos with the yaks grazing around its periphery before proceeding towards the Indo-China border at Nathula Pass.

Nathula was crowded. People were amok and erratic, having no idea about what to expect at an international border. Some were standing in attention saluting the Indian tricolour, while some were touching and praying at the bordering fence. Some were putting their feet across the barbed wire to get a feel of going to China and a few more were busy chasing the Indian Army men for selfies. We did a quick walkthrough seeing the border gates, the embassy buildings and the army camps of both India and China posted high up and got a distant view of the mountains that marked Bhutan. We then returned to our vehicle to squeeze out of the maddening traffic.

The last and the major destination on a typical touristy circuit is the temple of Baba Harbhajan Singh, a folklore hero and an ex-Army soldier whose spirit is believed to be roaming around the place, protecting the soldiers posted in this extreme terrain. There are old and new temples dedicated to him, both maintained by the Indian Army. We managed to find our way out of the chock-a-block towards Nathang Valley. Beyond the Army temple, it is convenient to call the roads deserted. Except for some excavators clearing the landslides and BRO trucks laying new roads, it was just us all the way. We passed through what the Army claims to be the world’s highest altitude golf course, several Army camps and discrete civilian settlements along our way. All that we had envisaged of this journey at the time of commencing this drive was passing through a viewpoint and reaching Siliguri for the night’s stay. But as the journey unfolded, we were in for surprises.

The road that we were driving on, seemed as if it was curving around the edge of the land. The sun was beaming brightly in a blue sky. Yet, the clouds had engulfed the horizon like never before. The rhododendron plants had blanketed the valley, which I’m sure must be a visual delight during their blooming season. By late afternoon, the sun had started to descend and the fog began to take over. Our visibility of the road ahead and the possibility to see the view that we wanted, had both now become zero.

Our driver pulled up at Lungthung, a tiny settlement en route to enquire about a place for our night’s stay. Soon arrangements were made at a homestay, a basic sheet structure. The mercury level was already below zero. But with the night rolling in, the winds too got stronger. The clouds cleared up and the stars and the planets shone brighter than ever. We sat outside, counting stars quite literally. The moon lit up the road below and a lone filament bulb illuminated a roof at a little distance. Apart from occasional goods carrying Army trucks that roughed it out on the slope, there was no civilisation around us for miles together. Not in our wildest dreams, had we imagined that we would live a day on the Silk Route! We decided to call it a day, following our host’s recommendation to walk down the road for sunrise. The cold temperature and the noisy sheets fluttering outside our room had kept me awake all night. Even the thought of coming out of the blanket was impossible for me on the following morning. One glance through the windowpane outside was enough motivation for me to get off the bed. The breaking dawn with a streak of deep red was visible from the window. The view got me rushing outside to not miss the complete visuals of an unfolding day. I woke everyone else and we raced towards the viewpoint that we were told about. We didn’t mind slipping down a couple of times on the frozen roads. As we reached the viewpoint, we were panting for breath, gasping in amazement at the sight, chattering due to the freezing temperature and everything else at the same time. The moment was inexplainable. We were standing at Thambi viewpoint and had lost the sense of place for that moment. The Kanchenjunga had lit up in crimson and the winding roads through Zuluk Valley appeared down below. The photograph had come alive in front me!

Travel tips

Permits: Only Indian nationals are permitted on this stretch of East Sikkim. An inner line permit needs to be obtained from Gangtok on the day of your departure.

Transportation: The nearest airport is at Bagdogra. The closest railway station is at Siliguri. There is no connectivity to East Sikkim through public transport. Private vehicles are available for hire from Gangtok or Siliguri.

Stay: Homestays with basic facilities are available at Lungthung, a tiny village located close to the viewpoint. Zuluk is the other nearest place to find accommodation.

Food: The local food is influenced by Tibetan, Bengali and Nepali cuisine. Thukpa, thenthuk etc., are some of the local pasta consumed and can be enjoyed at most homestays.