Goecha La trek in Sikkim | Goecha Trek | UFO Adventure Travel
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Difficulty

Moderate

Max. Altitude

4600m

Duration

11 Days

Best Time

Mar, Apr, May, Sept, Oct,

In A Hurry?

You can download our complete tour details and guide for GOECHA LA TREK. Also, you can schedule a callback from UFO Adventure Travel.


Tour description

Trekking in North-East, particularly Sikkim, is a totally different experience from trekking in the Northern Himalayas. Goecha La is an option in the North-East which would not make you think twice. With walks through Rhododendron and Pine forests, views of high mountains and friendly people. The southeast face of Mt. Kanchenjunga, the world's third highest mountain, can be seen from the pass and 14 other summits including Mt. Pandim (6691m), Japuno(5650m) , Tenchenkhang (6010m), Kabru North(7353m) and more. The beautiful Samiti Lake, with still water and the reflection of Mt. Pandim is another major attraction on the this trek. Goecha La is nestled in the vibrant Kanchenjunga National Park, one of the greenest regions in the world. The rich flora and fauna is unmatchable. The dramatic changes in the weather combined with quick altitude gain makes it a moderate to challenging trek, suitable for trekkers with moderate experience and fitness. This is a protected area and it is an offence to litter or disturb the flora and fauna . 

It takes one full working day to organize the permits for foreigners. Therefore, please keep this in mind when planning your trip. It is advised that you reach the base, Yuksom, at least one working day before you leave for the trek.


Virtual tour of
GOECHA LA TREK

Is this Holiday for you ?

On this holiday we will be at considerable altitude with Goecha La pass at 4600m. Therefore, it will help that you acclimatize well in order to make the best of the week. You will be advised by the UFO guide to rest and keep your body hydrated, walk slow and steady and eat well. You should be ready to walk an average of 5-6 hours a day and there is fair bit of gradient to be climbed every day. We would encourage you to do a bit of walking/running and breathing exercises to enjoy this trek. A decent level of fitness will help you enjoy the trekking holiday better.

Walk through beautiful Rhododendron and Magnolia forests

Sunrise views at the third highest mountain in the world, Kangchenjunga (8586m)

Visit the stunning Samiti Lake





  • 11 Days, 3 nights hotel, 7 nights camping
  • 10 breakfasts, 8 lunches, 10 dinners
  • max group size: 10
  • On the high mountains of Sikkim, the maximum daytime temperature low down on our trip will be around 15°C, with night-time lows below 0°C. There is always a chance of rain during the day, so rain gear will be very important. Usually there will be sunlight from early morning to 11 am. After that there are little bouts of rain or mix of snow and sleet. After 12 noon, usually the low mist blocks out the sun. Mountains do generate their own weather systems and some rain or wind cannot be ruled out at anytime.

Start Date End Date Code Adult Price Status  
10-04-2023 20-04-2023 GOC-0423 750 Available
08-10-2023 18-10-2023 GOC-1023 750 Available

  • Local guide and kitchen staff
  • Airport transfers as described
  • All land transport involved in the itinerary
  • All accommodation as described
  • Meals as per the Meal Plan
  • All permits and entrance fees in the itinerary
  • Private group toilet
  • All costs are applicable for double occupancy
  • Travel insurance
  • Visas
  • Some meals as per the Meal Plan
  • Airport transfers other than those described
  • Personal gear
  • Tips for local staff including the local guide and drivers
  • Miscellaneous expenses - drinks and souvenirs etc.
  • Flights and airfare
  • Meals will be a mix of local and comfort food. Breakfasts will consist of bread, cheese, honey, jams, fruit, tea and Nescafe along with eggs, paranthas, etc. For lunch there will be a variety of local food , or a full packed lunch. Dinner will usually be a soup followed by lentils, vegetable curry and meat as available. Vegetarians can be catered for.
  • A single group transfer will be arranged from Bagdogra Airport to Yuksom. This transfer will meet the arrival of the flights by 12 noon from Delhi. At the end of the trip there will be a single group transfer from the group hotel to Bagdogra Airport at 10-11 am. This transfer will be after breakfast on Day 11 of the trip itinerary. A representative of our local agent will assist with the transfers between the airport and the group hotel. If the arrival transfer does not work with your flight, you will need to make your own transfer arrangements at Bagdogra Airport. Should you require an airport transfer, these can be arranged by the hotel reception staff or alternatively please contact the UFO office.
  • During this trip the group will spend 3 nights in hotel and 7 nights camping.. All accommodation is allocated on a twin sharing basis. If you are travelling by yourself you will be paired up with another single client of the same sex. All accommodations used by UFO adhere to hygiene and comfort norms. For Hotel prices and single supplement costs please contact UFO office.
  • Day will start with a hot cup of tea served to you in the tent at around 6.30-7 am. At around 8 a.m. breakfast will be under way and by 8.30 we should be back on the trail to our next camp. You will have plenty of time to get up and pack your trek bag which will be transported safely to the next camp on mules. Please make sure you fill you water bottles for the trek ahead. After breakfast, you can pick your packed lunch prior to setting off. Usually, our route will involve a mix of walking through rugged terrain and scrambling over loose rocks. Be prepared for some uphill climbing every day. We will pick a beautiful spot with some shade or a meadow for Lunch. Usually we walk for around 5-6 hours every day. On arrival at camp, we can relax in our tent or lodge and take tea or coffee. Dinner is ready at around 7 p.m. This is a great time of day for reliving the events of the trip so far and for general socializing. After dark, the temperature starts to fall and everyone will soon be tucked up in their sleeping bags.

How UFO makes GOECHA LA TREK special?

    Small Groups

We are all about small groups and personalized services! Small groups tend to bond together much more than large groups and also help us give personal attention to each client. Also are you not in the mountains to get away from the crowd?

    Inclusive package and no additional cost

Our adventure holidays have a lot of amenities and services included i.e accommodation, transportation, meals, staff et all. Right from picking you up at the airport we do not want you bother you with arranging or spending on anything other than personal expenses or some meals. Let us take care of you for the duration of your holiday!

    Camping equipment

All quality equipment is used for our camping and climbing holidays. Usually, a camping setup includes client tents, mess tent, kitchen tent and private group toilet tent. We use 3 person tents on twin occupancy basis and 5 person tent on a twin basis on our glamping trips.

    Mules and transport

Your transport from Bagdogra is included in this package as well as your main backpack being carried by mules. We want you to enjoy your walk in the mountains and not be bogged down by a heavy backpack.

    Meals

We have extensive meal options for our meals. Meals are a combination of eggs, paranthas, pancakes etc. accompanied by Nutella, peanut butter, coffee, tea perpetually on the table. Packed lunch usually comes with carbs, juice, fruit and a bar of chocolate. Dinner has at least 3 -4 options on the table. We understand the importance of food in the mountains. We follow our mantra of ‘ Adventure by day, Luxury by night’!

    Accommodation

Your stay in Yuksom will be at a clean and hygienic hotel on twin occupancy. We also make you stay in Bagdogra at the end of the holiday so you can relax in the city before catching your flight or train the next day.

    Guide client ratio

Our guide client ratio for treks is 1:4 for treks and 1:3 for climbing holidays. As we said, personal attention is paramount to us. As a responsible company, a local guide will always lead the group so that you get the local perspective as well as generating employment in the area.

More reasons to love the experience

Make new friends
Sunrise over Kanchenjunga (8586m)
All land transport included
Laze on the banks of Samiti lake at 4200m
Hike to the high altitude of 4600m
Trek one of the most popular trails in India

ITINERARY FOR THE TREK

DAY 1

LAND IN BAGDOGRA AIRPORT. DRIVE TO YUKSOM (1720m)

UFO representative will pick you up from the Bagdogra airport at 12 noon and we will leave at 1 pm for our destination. Our destination will be Yuksom, which will take us at least 7 hours to reach from Bagdogra. The roads are perpetually under construction so be prepared for a pretty bumpy ride. Yuksom was the capital of ancient Sikkim kingdom and is a fairly large settlement. You will probably reach your group hotel in time for dinner by 8 to 9 pm. An early night will get us ready for the next day to start our trek.


The first day is reserved for acclimatization and you will be advised to rest and drink water as much as possible. 



  Accommodation
Hotel
  Meals
Dinner
  Time
7-8 Hrs drive

DAY 2

TREK TO SACHEN (2195m)

After early breakfast, we get on the trail for our first day of the trek. We head out towards Sachen which will be 4-5 hour walk. Keeping in mind that you have to acclimatize well for the trek ahead we will camp here, providing you ample time to rest on the first day. We walk through the town of Yuksom  and nearby huts, to the gate of Kangchendzonga National Park. We walk all the way down to the bridge over Tshushay Khola. Then, there is fair bit of steep climb all the way to Sachen. 



  Accommodation
Camping
  Meals
BLD
  Time
5-6 hrs walking(10-11 kms)

DAY 3

WALK TO TSHOKA (2950m)

A fine day of walking through Rhododendron and Pine trees. It will take you about 2-2.5 hours to reach Bhakim  at 2600m. It has a great view of the Yuksom Valley. There is also a tea stall which can offer a hot beverage and snacks. It will take another 3 hours to reach our campsite for the Tshokha. A former Tibetan refugee settlement, you will get your first views of the high peaks with Mt. Pandim and Japuno standing tall in the background. There is also a little pond a little uphill next to the monastery.  



  Accommodation
Camping
  Meals
BLD
  Time
5-6 hrs walking(10-12 kms)

DAY 4

TSHOKA TO DZONGRI (3970m) VIA PHEDANG (3680m)

The first part of the day is beautiful walk on wooden plans through Rhododendron forest. If you are trekking in April-May, these will be blooming red and pink. Today will be the most difficult day yet of the trek.  A gradual climb will get you to Phedang, an open meadow with a wooden hut and great views of the big mountains. Then an hour of steep climb will take you to a shrine adorned with flags.  After a couple of ups and down, a 40 min walk will get you to Dzongri.  Many people only trek till Dzongri and go back the way they came. 



  Accommodation
Camping
  Meals
BLD
  Time
6-7 hrs walking(12-13 kms)

DAY 5

EARLY MONRING WALK TO DZONGRI TOP (4200m). TREK TO THANSING (3940m) VIA KOKCHURANG (3700m)

Get ready for a long day today. We get up at 4am to leave for Dzongri Top. After a hot cup of tea or coffee and  a bite of biscuit, we leave for the top by 4.30am. It will take us about 40-45 minute to reach the viewpoint.  If the weather gods are happy, and you have clear weather, you will get fantastic views of Kangchenjunga during sunrise. You can also see the Singalila range, which makes the border between India and Nepal.  We spend about an hour/hour and a half depending on the cold and views and then head back down to our camp for a hearty breakfast. We then follow a thin trail traversing the mountain side on the Dzongri meadows and onwards towards our next campsite.  Before you reach the hut at Kokchurang, there is a very steep descent of almost 500ft.   The Prekchu river flows next the wooden lodge and the pine and Rhododendron trees hanging in mist,  make it a stunning setting.  Crossing the bridge over the river, Thansing is about 2-3 kms away and will take you almost an hour. The campsite is set on an open meadow with Mt. Pandim, Japuno and Tenchenkhang peaks giving you company.



  Accommodation
Camping
  Meals
BLD
  Time
5-6 hrs walking(8-10 kms)

DAY 6

WALK FROM THANSING TO LAMUNE (4180m)

Another beautiful day with a short walk. You will now notice the barren rocky cliffs and shrubs have taken over as we are now above the treeline. Today is an easy and lazy walk to Lamune, our basecamp for our early morning walk to the viewpoint 1.  Walk slow and steady, drink lots of water and eat well. Once you reach Lamune, you have the choice to walk up till Samiti Lake , which will take another 45 min to 1 hour at a good pace.  We have an early dinner at 6 pm and hit the bed early to wake up at 2 am for our walk to Goecha La .  You will be advised to keep your daypack and necessary items you want to carry the next day ready for the early morning departure. 



  Accommodation
Camping
  Meals
BLD
  Time
2-3 hrs walking(4 kms)

DAY 7

TREK TO VIEWPOINT 1 (4600m) AND BACK TO KOKCHURANG(3700m)

Finally, we get ready for the day we have been all waiting for. We get up early at 2 am and after a hot beverage and biscuit, head out towards Viewpoint 1 on Goecha La pass by 2.30 am. This will ensure that we have a good chance of catching the sunrise on Kanchnejunga. Also, the probability of getting the views is higher early morning. The first glimpse of the Kanchenjunga range basking in golden sunlight, is a moment you will remember for the rest of your life. On our way back we stop and take rest near the crystal waters of Samiti Lake.  After spending 40-50 minutes by the lake, we head back to our camp for breakfast. Afetr breakfast, we start our descent to Kokchurang.   



  Accommodation
Camping
  Meals
BLD
  Time
12-14 hrs walking(16-18 kms)

DAY 8

TREK DOWN TO TSHOKA (2950m) VIA PHEDANG

After an early breakfast, we head out back down to Tshoka. We will take an alternate trail from Kokchurang straight to Phedang, bypassing Dzongri.  This quiet trail is  a bird watching paradise  and there is a great chance of you to spot the blood pheasant, the state bird of Sikkim.  After Phedang it is downhill all the way to Tshoka.  Evening at leisure.



  Accommodation
Camping
  Meals
BLD
  Time
6-7 hrs walking(12-14 kms)

DAY 9

TSHOKA TO YUKSOM (1720m)

After an early breakfast, we finally make it back to town life to Yuksom. We enjoy a hot shower and our final dinner in Sikkim at the group hotel. 



  Accommodation
Hotel
  Meals
BLD
  Time
6-7 hrs walking(12-14 kms)

DAY 10

DRIVE TO BAGDOGRA

We wake up on an easy note today . After breakfast, we can explore Yuksom a bit and get ready to leave for our 7-8 hour ride to  Bagdogra. The group  has the option of having an early lunch at 12 noon in Yuksom and then head out.  We will reach Bagdogra late in the evening and the group can reminisce about the last 10 days spent together.  



  Accommodation
Hotel
  Meals
B D
  Time
7-8 hrs drive

DAY 11

TRANSFER TO AIRPORT

After breakfast, the group will be transferred to the airport by 11 am for your onward journey.



  Meals
Breakfast

Why trekkers love us?

I joined UFO on their Twin peaks initiative in Ladakh attempting Stok Kangri (6150m) & Golep Kangri (5900m) in Ladakh, India and the experience could not have been better curated. From the start of the trip till the very end, everything was well organised to meet the best quality standards. The team is beautifully welcoming and cheerful! The guides, equipment and food were all top notch.What started off as a bunch of strangers on a clean up drive and a summit expedition returned as great buddies with memories to cherish for a lifetime.

Shuchita Grover

UFO are great partners when seeking adventure. I did an expedition to Mentok Kangri in Ladakh, day hike to the double living root bridge in Cherrapunji, Meghalaya and camping in Hemis national park in Ladakh. UFO are very hospitable in accommodating their guests specially at high altitudes.

Suyesh Rawat

I have done two treks, Rumtse to Tsokar , Ladakh & Gosaikunda Trek, Nepal with Ultimate Frontier Outlands. I am pretty sure that i will do my third trek with the same team! Thank you to the UFO team for always taking care of me.

Deepa Agarwal

Schedule a callback in next 4 hour?

Our representative will get back to you within next 4 working hours and solve all your queries about Goecha la trek

Frequently asked questions

What is the style of accommodation in this trek?

Stay in Yuksom on Day 1 and Day 9 and Bagdogra on Day 10 will be in a hotel, on double occupancy basis. The stay on all other days will be in tents. Each tent will accommodate two people. Apart from this, UFO will also put up toilet tents alongside each campsite.

What will the temperatures be like during this trek?

Day time temperatures will range from 13-18ºC and night time temperature will range from 3-5ºC in May. Expect temperatures to be lower by a few degrees in October/November.

Which are the best seasons for the Goechala trek?

Goechala is also called the Rhododendron trek because of its forests of Magnolia and Rhododendrons in are in full bloom in April and May. Mid September to October end is also a good time for the trek – the views during these months are crystal clear.

Is this a good trek for a first timer?

Goechala is a moderate-difficult trek. We recommend that you have prior high altitude trekking experience before embarking on this one. Irrespective of your prior experience, this trek requires good level of fitness.

Do i have to carry my backpack on the trek?

You will only have to carry your day pack on the trek with your water, snacks, camera and waterproof jackets. Your main duffel or backpack will be carried on mules. Please keep the bag to a max 15 kgs and buy waterproof covers for your bags. Trolleys or suitcases are strongly discouraged.

What kind of food is served on the trek? Should we carry any food?

UFO uses a well planned, nutritious menu suitable for high altitude treks. Breakfast varies from bread butter, semia, poha to sandwiches, paranthas, eggs and cornflakes. Nutella, peanut butter,etc. along with tea and coffee is ever present on the table. Lunch mainly comprises of roti or puri vegetables or packed lunch. Dinner is complete with rice, lentil soup, roti, vegetables and dessert. Small snacks like biscuits and chikki (sugar coated nuts) are also provided. You may carry your personal snacks as well.