“Journey began for a Positive Reason…”
Yes! A Positive Reason! As it had been quite a hard time those days when nothing was going right, maybe we had to work harder to reach our goals. Or maybe we had to set our goals. And the whole idea of making it happen came all of a sudden by going on this trip.
‘KANCHENJONDGA TREK’
3RD highest peak in the world lies on the Himalayan range at an elevation of 8586m (28169ft) above the sea level. Our work space was Bihar, we thought of this hard trek because we wanted to basically prove our instinct that, come on we can do it…although our journey of trek was not so known to anyone on extreme roads during those times but we had been climbing small hills during our research and trekked for 44kms at stretch in scorching heat of approx… 48 to 50 degree in summers and many such small treks. Still Kanchenjunga was quite an ambitious dream though.
All three of us just decided and packed our backpacks and dumped everything in our adventure duster car like an immature traveler and moved from Patna the capital city of Bihar towards Sikkim. But hold before that we did all our necessary research being from same field and started reading all the articles and blogs available online as well few books and with the help of one blog we knew our preparations.
What do you need to Pack & Prepare for trek if you are budget traveler?
- Hunger Strike:
Since Goechala Pass Trek is there where no human resides to serve you anything, so you need to be well prepared with all possible necessities.
*food*stove*Gas*Tents*Oil*
Be prepared to be a great chef while camping.
- Helping Hand: Guide Bhaiya
Since the trek has no signs or signals and is in the middle of Jungle, you need to get paid guides from village Yuksum. Also, you will get many tours and travel agents to get you there. We already knew a guide named Buddha with the help of blog we read and had a word beforehand.
Cost varies: 2500/- to 3000/- Per day
- Potters/Yak
Since you will be carrying lot of goods along the trek and so will require helping hand. Single potter carries max.10 to 15kg and yak carries 30 to 35kg.
Cost per yak:1500 to 2300/-
Cost per potter: 3000/-
- How about residence in Jungle: Camping
So now you need to have tent, Sleeping bag and matts
Climate during peak season will be freezing after a point of trek will come to know further.
- Need to wear anything in jungle: Winter & Summer Clothes/ trekking Shoes/sun hat & woolen Cap/Gloves/Raincoats
Hurray I am prepared for the ride towards the world’s 3rd highest peak Kanchenjunga ‘Goe cha la Pass’.
Day 01:
Our journey of achieving goals began and we drove around 612kms stretch towards Yuksum Village in Sikkim with several breaks in between the journey. Our first break was for breakfast at one of the Dhaba connecting to West Bengal border, as it is said journey comes with so many wonders roadside and here we can enjoy the greens of tea Garden spread across the high side and one can drop out of the car and enjoy few photo shoots, and then lunch at Siliguri with Ilish Fish and an authentic Bengali style thali at one of the city food outlet. O man Illish fish is very expensive 350/- for one piece and my friends were so happy although that thought of having expensive thali that afternoon was bit looking at pockets and each other too. Ride began further crossing a railway track and just after that steep slope was inviting us towards those Himalayan range and also time for evening tea & snacks. Where a little girl at a cafeteria was getting ready for a performance, for some local festival and folk dance performed by local kids was like a cherry on a cake.
And here the climb was getting us goose bumps, with each zig and zag mountains kept passing by, well guys Sikkim is also way to Darjeeling and there is a turn which leads to left and right side where we took right towards Joerthang moving ahead for Yuksum. Joerthang is the place where normally tourist wish to take a break for a day. And it is quite a populated town one can hang around and so did we for a while and as usual I came across two cute puppies while Divyabh was trying his camera skills.
We already took lot many breaks before reaching Yuksum and believe me what happened next, we took wrong route in mountain and approx. 30kms in mountain is quite a time taking journey and had to return back for right route well thanks to our guesthouse owner at Yuksum, who were waiting for us at 9:30 in the night and had prepared food for us too. The Stay was quite ok and since we were on budget tour so shared one room with four beds and costed us 1000/- per night. Dinner was quite satisfying in fact delicious. And a long day ended up with great sleep. Now Buddha with whom I had word for our trekking had some personal emergency and was not available, but he assured things would be fine, so now next morning we had to fix it.
Yuksum is a very small village and a gate way to Kanchenjunga trek.
Day 02:
Morning blues…at Yuksum
Very cute and small village at the elevation of 1780m above sea level with very less population. Carrying legacy of being gate way of Kanchendzonga trek, Bollywood star Danny Denzongpa’s home town and fortunately even we got time to spend in his hotel too for a while. Not that expensive I suppose but very beautiful hotel in the village. You will find many hotels and home stay at Yuksum being the only place closer to trek.
Now our journey was yet to begin but we were quite excited. Our preparations for next day was getting done and got time to move around where in total we found six shops. Incase one forgets to carry warm clothes they may buy from there. You will get second and third copy products; jackets, track pants, warm caps, gloves etc. Also one can rent few things like sleeping bags, tents, as well as utensils .
Yuksum is Buddhist village and there we found one place of worship, a small monastery which had huge prayer wheels quite interesting place to be in, it is open for specific time, I prayed to lord to give me strength and energy to make my visit worth, as for my positive reason. Well walking by those muddy roads a smiling wrinkled cute face came to me asking how I felt after visiting Yuksum village. Well what else I could have responded, except what you can see in this picture above. Her smile turned into happiness and so was I .
Day 03 :
Now today after having pancakes and milk tea at our stay, we tried little more stuff, a cafeteria in market which was hardly 100m from hotel, there I met a gentleman who became an inspiration to me, in that summit after hearing his story, he narrated his journey, the reason why he came for and was unable to achieve at fullest. He said; it had been a week and climate was quite unfavourable, he wasn’t able to see the view of Kanchendzonga after reaching there and had to come down empty handed. Now this was something which is obvious in mountains, quite unpredictable. That view is always very important for each one of us who trek.
Now my instinct was more strong enough to achieve my goal and I was super excited.
Also visited around the pond, farms and actual seat of power of King Phuntsog Namgyal( first Chogyal monarch of Sikkim)
Well to add more about Yuksum legacy as seat of power and was first capital of Sikkim.
Now excitement was increasing with the nausea of the place and it’s simplicity. But it is said nothing comes so easy and our guide denied to take us after closing a deal in the evening. Now for us it was quite difficult to make arrangements for next day’s trek. We wanted Yak which he commuted and than denied, the reason for him to deny was due to my hotel owner who expected us to trek with his own package which was expensive for us and so we booked from outside but he had word with him to not take us.
Now this situation happens sometimes but for us it was end of it as I had 7days which is very less time for trek and we needed minimum 8 days and one day was already lost. I was quite upset and Divyabh decided to return back because as per the trek size it was impossible now because I had my exams after 8days I was appearing for Journalism and Mass Communication.
But I didn’t want to give up and so I called secretary of Sikkim and told him what happened and I need help. By his help we got to the Forest Officer there. Who again spoke to me and asked me not go disappointed he can make it happen. Next morning at 9, the same Buddha(guide) came to me with two potters and asked me to get ready for trek
The Trek Day to Kanchendzonga To Dzongri as per plan still story has a twist.
Now this was so sudden as we were really not prepared travelling with potters as things we carried were heavy weight and potter were not in capacity atall. Now somehow we left few things behind as we were rest assured we may find help during trek. So somehow half prepared we left for trek at 11am in the morning which was quite late for that journey stage wise. Still we started…