All About Travelling To Yuksom In West Sikkim, A Model Village For Sustainable Tourism

Yuksom is a small yet well-recognised town on a traveller's map owing to the famous Goechala trek that starts from here. Many trekkers camp here for a day before they start an 8-day long trek across the Kanchendzonga National Park. For me Yuksom was a pit-stop on my week-long trip through West Sikkim and what a delight it was! This little town was Sikkim's first capital established in 1642 AD by Phuntsog Namgyal, Sikkim's first Chogyal or the temporal and religious king. A trip to this town will surely give you some insight into the history of Sikkim.

Dubdi Monstery is the oldest monastery in all of Sikkim established in 1701 by Sikkim's first Chogyal or King. For visitors it's an important place to visit to understand the history of Sikkim. It was in Yuksom that the three ascetics or lamas met and crowned Phuntsog Namgyal the first king of Sikkim in 1642. In fact, the word Yuksom literally means meeting place of the three wise men. Dubdi Monastery still stands as a symbol of the first royal and religious establishment that promoted Buddhism in Sikkim. It's a 2-3 km walk uphill starting from Government Health Centre in Yuksom.

I first read about the Kartok lake at the Norbugang Chorten. It is believed that the three lamas and the first king of Sikkim were anointed with the water from this lake. It's a hidden spot that can be reached of you follow the road ahead of the primary school instead of taking the Norbugang bifurcation. It's at a walking distance from the main town and if you wish, you can carry fish feed for the fish in this lake.

Khecheopalri Lake is an upcoming destination on the tourist map. It's a footprint-shaped lake that is home to densely forested area and unparalleled biodiversity. If you take a day trip from Yuksom to Khecheopalri, take a hike to the view point through the ridge surrounding Khecheopalri Lake and reach a certain view point from where the lake appears to be in the shape of a footprint. You can also take a short hike to the monastery here.

Local contact for hikes in Khecheopalri: Latup - +91- 8145702994

Yuksom is a model village for sustainable tourism and there are plenty of homestays across this little town which are clean, hygienic and within a backpacker's budget. My recommendation from here is Mama's Kitchen and Homestay which is a cosy space for solo travellers and small groups. Freshly cooked food is served in the cafe of the homestay which makes it convenient for travellers.