Tea horse road

Tripoto
15th Aug 2018

Zuluk located at a height of around 10,000 ft (3,000 m) and 91 km away from Gangtok city. Zuluk is one of the emerging offbeat destinations in east Sikkim. It was once a transit point to the historic silk route, from India to Tibet and Tibet to China. Another name of this silk route is Tea-Horse Road or the Sikkim silk route, which was an economic lifeline for China, Tibet and the Himalayan kingdoms of North-East India for over 1900 years. This route started to use by Tibetans, Indian and Chines traders from 2nd BCE. Through this route tea from Yunnan (one of the oldest tea growing region) was sold to the Tibetans in exchange for Tibetan Yaks and warhorses. This tea was then brought by Tibetans to India through this pass in Sikkim. From India spices, corals, pearls, incense and perfume ware trade to Tibet and China. It was commonly used by traders traveling to Tibet, China and middle Asia through Jelep-la (pass). There are two routes to Jelep-La directly connected with Lhasa in Tibet, one through Gangtok (Sikkim) and the other through Kalimpong (West Bengal). The route started from Kalimpong and passed through Pedong, Aritar, Zuluk and Jelepla to Chumbi valley in Tibet is the ancient one. The importance of trade along the route has stopped after the Indo- Chinese war in 1962. This territory has been opened to tourists recently; even now most of the route is restricted area due to India and China’s international boundary. Zuluk is famous for its beautiful landscape and zigzag road. It offers the great views of the eastern Himalayan Mountain including the Kanchenjunga. Also Zuluk is surrounded by wild forest and some of them are still undiscovered.

Photo of Zuluk by Md Noumam
Photo of Zuluk by Md Noumam
Photo of Zuluk by Md Noumam
Photo of Zuluk by Md Noumam
Photo of Zuluk by Md Noumam
Photo of Zuluk by Md Noumam
Photo of Zuluk by Md Noumam
Photo of Zuluk by Md Noumam