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TREK DIFFICULTY
Moderate-Difficult
TREK DURATION
10 days
HIGHEST ALTITUDE
15,100 ft
AGE LIMIT
13 to 62 years
The Best Trek in India for Big Mountains Views
The biggest reason to do the Goechala trek is the grand views of the big mountains you see. You don’t just see one summit — the Kanchenjunga — but 14 other big summits. That’s a lot for any trek — especially as close to the eyes as on the Goechala trek. It is no wonder that trekkers consider Goechala to be the closest to the big mountain treks of Nepal.
Before we dive into the details about the Goechala trek, here is a little backdrop of why Goechala is well-known among trekkers all over the world:
While the trail to Goechala is old, it wasn’t always so famous. The change that occurred during the Nepalese Civil War lasted from 1996 to 2006.
Disturbances in Nepal during this time shut the country to trekkers. Suddenly trekking to the highest mountains of the world was out of bounds. It was a massive blow to the trekkers, who frantically started looking for alternatives.
At that time, Goechala emerged as the closest solace. The trail promised a brilliant close-up of the third highest mountain in the world and offered breathtaking views of the Singalila range from Dzongri Top.
Sunrise on the Kanchenjunga Range
One of the biggest highlights of the Goechala trek is the sunrise scene on the Kanchenjunga range. Even though trekkers are not allowed to the actual Goecha Pass, the view from ViewPoint 1 and Dzongri is worth an arm and a leg!
Rhododendrons in April and May
The trail to Goechala is blessed with rhododendron forests. And come spring-summer months of April and May, they burst to life with pink and red flowers! It’s an enormously pleasant walk through the wooden-log trails of these jungles!
The Samiti Lake
Samiti Lake is another big attraction on the Goechala trek. The view of the still waters, and the reflection of Mt Pandim in the lake, especially in the early hours, is a visual treat.
The biggest reason to do the Goechala trek is the grand views of the big mountains you see. You don’t just see one summit — the Kanchenjunga — but 14 other big summits. That’s a lot for any trek — especially as close to the eyes as on the Goechala trek. It is no wonder that trekkers consider Goechala to be the closest to the big mountain treks of Nepal.
Before we dive into the details about the Goechala trek, here is a little backdrop of why Goechala is well-known among trekkers all over the world:
Goechala - Complete Trek Information
We have always wanted trekkers to be well-informed before they go on a Himalayan trek. Knowledge is the difference between a safe trek and a dangerous one. It’s also the difference between a wholesome experience and a superficial experience.
Use this section to learn about the Goechala trek. It has in-depth information about each day of the trek, what to expect, and how you need to prepare for it. Many years of expertise have gone into this content. Trekkers find that extremely useful.
Goechala Videos
Watch these videos to plan and prepare for your trek.
Photo Gallery
Goechala is Best Discovered Through Pictures
Campsites at a Glance
At Indiahikes, we are very particular about choosing terrific campsites. For the Goechala trek too, after a lot of back and forth, we have settled on these terrific campsites, which trekkers have come to love.
What I Like and Don’t Like About the Goechala Trek
What I Like About the Goechala Trek
Trek Trivia
Things Nobody Tells You About Goechala
Did You Know about the Chogyal Community of Sikkim?
Yuksom is known as the meeting place of three monks. A long time ago, three monks travelled down here from Tibet. They crowned the first king of that region and named the community ‘Chogyal’. Since then, all those who were crowned kings belonged to the Chogyal community. In 1642, the first Chogyal king, Phuntsog Namgyal established Yuksom as the first capital of Sikkim. The Chogyal dynasty ruled there for over 300 years.
The Chogyal community, today too, plays an important role in their society. They banned any expedition in the mountains in the region from the Sikkim side. They considered it a dishonour to their Gods. After putting pressure on the government for some time, the central and state government both finally banned climbing from Sikkim in the early 2000s. That's why Kanchenjunga cannot be climbed from Sikkim and has to be climbed from Nepal.
Kanchenjunga, a Treasure Trove
Kanchenjunga in Nepali translates to ‘five treasures of snow, as it has five peaks in total. Three of them can be seen from India and two from Nepal.
The Goechala trek takes us through the Kanchenjunga National Park. The significance of this is that it is the first and one of the rarest UNESCO World Heritage Sites which is selected under the Mixed Category (Cultural and Environmental Significance). It has high cultural as well as environmental importance.
Some communities here, like the Lepchas, have traditional practices which are still maintained. The indigenous community of the Lepchas have deep knowledge of medicinal plants. They, along with many other local communities, consider mountains to be their gods. These mountains are seen as sacred and are worshipped. Dense vegetation and myriad flora and fauna can be found here. It is also the home of snow leopards.
The Myths of Kanchenjunga
A myth of this region is that there is supposed to be a valley to paradise somewhere in the lower reaches of Kanchenjunga. Once, a monk in Sikkim took many followers down this valley, and the whole lot of them were never found again.
Another story from local mythology tells us how Kanchenjunga is said to be the home of Yeti. It is a mythical creature that has never been seen. But folklore has identified massive footprints seen in the Himalayas as those of Yeti. This Yeti is said to be found in the lower reaches of the mountain.
There are stories of the war between the Lepcha community and Yetis too. If you catch hold of people from the Lepcha community, don't forget to ask them about this mythical war.
Why Indiahikes
As industry leaders, we have innovated and set safety standards in the trekking industry. Our people, our processes, and our equipment—these are what make Indiahikes the safest trekking organisation in India.
Trekkers often call the Indiahikes Experience “life-changing.” This is because, through our treks, we consciously bring about a transformative impact on your mind, body and spirit.
Green Trails is our promise to leave the mountains better. We have cleaned over 1 lakh kilos of waste from trekking trails. Yet this is a small percentage of what we do. Green Trails dives into reducing the use of resources, reducing our carbon footprint, and bringing about a change in the daily practices of our trekkers too.
On our treks, you learn skills that teach you to trek independently. Besides, not every time you trek, you will have Indiahikes next to you. Our vast database of trek information gives you all the confidence you need to trek on your own.
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