Lachung

Lachung is a beautiful hamlet in the north eastern state in India. Standing at an elevation of about8610 ft, the town is embraced with the snow-cloaked mountain range, charming cascades and scintillating streams and is dotted with plantations of apple orchards, all making it a perfect holiday destination in the state of Sikkim.

This quaint little town stands on the bank of the river Lachung Chu which slices this exquisite hamlet into two fractions. It is also famous for its plantations of apples, peaches and apricots. This town of Lachung is situated in the northern part of the state and gives a warm welcome to the tourist of diverse cultures and traditions. The town enjoys a unique system of self governance known as the Zumsa system where the people local people solve their issues and disputes by a representative body, which is headed by an elected Pipon.

It is also popular for being the converging point of the two famous tributaries such as Lachung and Lachen, which are known as the tributaries of the river Teesta. The lofty snow-masked mountains set up a backdrop for this wonderful town, making it like another world.

On your trip to this heaven like town, you cannot afford to miss, Lachung Gompa as it stands as one of the most popular hotspots in the town. The there are other attractions in and around the town which are favorite among the tourists and these are Lachung Monastery, Shingba Rhododendron Sanctuary, Yumthang Valley, Mount Katao etc.

The phrase Lachung defines ‘Small Mountain’ and the famous British explorer and writer, Joseph Dalton Hooker has described the place in his book ‘The Himalayan Journal’, as the ‘most picturesque village of Sikkim’. The town is just at a distance of 125 km from the state capital Gangtok.

The local people of the ton are called as the Lachungpas and the town mainly houses the Lepcha and Tibetan people and the languages which are commonly found speaking among the local people are Lepcha, Bhutia and Nepali. The city is wrapped into the snow during its winters, making summers as the best time to pay a visit to the city.

Lachung is easily accessible via road, within the state. The nearest railway station to the town is at New Jalpaiguri in West Bengal, which is situated just at a distance of about 140 km and the nearest airdrome to the town is at Bagdogra in West Bengal only