Zuluk
Zuluk at a glance
Dzuluk or Zuluk or Jhuluk or Jaluk is a small hamlet located at a height of around 10,000 feet (3,000 m) on the rugged terrain of the lower Himalayas in East Sikkim of the Indian state Sikkim (Pincode 737131). This place is relatively an emerging and offbeat destination in East Sikkim. Today it is fast emerging as a new tourist destination. It derives its tourism importance due to the excellent view of the eastern Himalayan mountain range including the Kanchenjunga.
Zuluk is about 4 hours from Gangtok (90 kms). Technically you may travel from Gangtok to Zuluk through Tsongo lake and Baba Mandir, but permit for this route is relatively difficult to get. More common route goes through Pakyong and Lingtham.
If you are travelling from any other place, such as Darjeeling, Pelling or NJP / Bagdogra, you have to first travel to Rongpo, the entry point of Sikkim. From here a less trodden route will take you to Dzuluk through Rorathang.
People travelling to Dzuluk from East Sikkim adjacent Bengal region, that is the Kalimpong subdivision, would do better to travel through Pedong, Reshi, Aritar route.
The travel time and distance from different major destinations is given below. The actual travel time will depend on prevailing road condition at the time of travel. Trying to guess travel time based on distance and average vehicle speed mostly proves futile in this region.
From Gangtok – 90 kms, about 4 hours
From NJP / Bagdogra - 160 kms about 6 hours
From Kalimpong – 90 kms, about 3.5 hours
From Pelling – 150 kms, about 7 hours
From Darjeeling – 140 kms, about 5 hours
Zuluk is a place which you would visit for the beauty of the mountain and the forests rather than going for typical sightseeing tours. From Zuluk we would highly recommend you to drive further north to visit a number of great attractions. If you have a full day in hand and proper permits, you may visit upto Tsongo lake from here on a day tour. The different tourist attraction on this route are described below.
Thambi View Point
Immediately after crossing Zuluk, your vehicle will start climbing steep mountains. The famous Zig Zag road, takes couple of dozen turns and twists to cover the 14 kms distance to Thambi view point. At an altitude of 11,200 ft it provides excellent sunrise view. The entire eastern Himalaya can be viewed from this spot including the Kanchenjunga massif. In front of you is the dense virgin forest parts of which have never been reached by human. Look out for large colourful birds such as Satyr Tragopan or the Himalayan Monal. You can also walk around and try to locate the original silk route. The stone paved road is still intact at many places.
On the way to Thambi view point you can also stop over to the spot where a group of local people have reportedly seen the Yeti. The story of "Yeti", "Bonzhakri" and other folklore seems very plausible sitting besides the small fire in the night under the open moonlit sky. Listing to those stories from the locals may itself turn out to be a good reason to visit Zuluk.
Lungthung
Little ahead (about 4 kms) is Lungthung at an altitude of 13,000 ft. Your steep uphill journey ends here as you will start following the mountain ridges now. A couple of small tea stalls can refresh you before you continue your journey further. Much of the population of Lungthung as well as other villages in the area constitutes of Tibetan migrants who had to flee their country at the time of Chinese invasion. Some old people may still be able to tell you stories of those days, if you care enough.
Tukla
About 4 kms ahead of Lungthung is Tukla, known for the battle of Tukla. A contingent of British army led by Lt. Col Francis Younghusband invaded Tibet through this route in 1903. They faced fierce resistance from the Tibetan fighters and the battle of Tukla ensued. The Tibetan soldiers suffered heavy loss in the face of British firearms. It is said that close to 2000 Tibetan soldiers lost their life in this battle. There is a memorial here remembering the British soldiers who fought and fell here.
Nathang Valley
The road bifurcates at Tukla. The road on the left goes to Nathang Valley and the road on your right goes to Old Baba Mandir. Both roads will meet again at a distance about about 7 / 8 kms.
The left road will take you to Nathang Valley. The place has come up as an alternative to Zuluk as a tourist overnight destination. However accommodation options are more limited than in Zuluk. Also as the place is situated at a high altitude, sudden night stay without acclimatisation may lead to altitude sickness.
The beautiful Nathang valley is an ideal place for winter snow sports. This is the only place in Sikkim where you can try skiing or snow boarding.
Old Baba Mandir
Your next stop should be the Old Baba Mandir, which you may also visit on your way back. The Old Baba Mandir is less touristic and more authentic. The original Bunker of Baba Harbhajan Singh, dresses, bed, even the writing desk is preserved here. There is a temple in the neighbourhood in the name of Baba Harbhajan Singh.
Kupup
About 5 kms from the place where the roads from Baba Mandir and Nathang valley meet, you will reach Kupup. If you are hungry, you may grab a few bites in the small eateries here. This place is famous due to several reason, The Yak Golf course of Indian Army here is said to be the highest in the world (13025 feet, 3970 meter). However do not expect the usual greenery of a golf course at this altitude. The Kupup lake locally known as Hatisure, is shaped like Hati or the elephant. The Younghusbands track that reaches Jelepla, also starts near the Golf course. However the Younghusbands track is out of bound for tourists.
Baba Mandir
Another 5 kms from Kupup is the tourist destination of Baba Mandir. You can expect to meet a large number of tourists here who have reached here from the opposite direction, that is Gangtok. Tea and coffee shops as well as souvenir shops are available here.
Memenchu Lake
About a kilometre before you reach Baba Mandir on your left you can see the Memenchu Lake. The road to Memenchu originates from Baba Mandir but requires special permission to reach. There is a cottage next to the lake where you may also spend a night with special arrangements.
The road further ahead connects with the famous Tsongo lake near Gangtok. From here start your return journey back to Zuluk.
Weather
Zuluk at an altitude of about 7,000 ft offers pleasant weather during most of the year. The rainy season is a little protracted and heavy to very heavy showers are common. The winter may see snowfall in the area. The summer temperature would be varying near 20 degree Celsius with substantial difference between the day and night temperature. Tourists visiting the area are advised to carry worm clothing and umbrella.
Wildlife
Zuluk is surrounded by wild forest, some of the forests are completely virgin. Sighting of Deer, Wild Dog, Himalayan Bear the red panda is not very uncommon. Some tigers have also reportedly been sighted in the area. A variety of birds can also be seen such as Monal Pheasant, Blood Pheasant, Khaleez Pheasant, Snow Pheasant and others.
Zuluk is only a small village and the references to Lower Zuluk actually refers to places or villages situated at much lower altitudes than Dzuluk. Lower Zuluk actually refers to Lingtam, Nimachen as well as Padamchen. Zuluk derived its importance from its location on the historic Old Silk Route.
Zuluk, a small village in East Sikkim, part of Old Silk Route 10000 ft. above the ... Momos and traditional Sikkimese dishes are mostly available in the evenings.