Yumthang

Visit Yumthang To Enjoy A Heavenly Feeling in This Valley Of Flowers

About The Valley Of FlowersThe beautiful valley of Yumthang, which is no less than a haven on Earth for nature lovers, is located in the northern region of Sikkim. Surrounded by the magnificent Himalayan Mountains, the valley is renowned for its diverse range of flowers, which give it a vibrant and colorful appearance during spring and summer seasons and have made it famous by the name of “Valley of Flowers”. Due to its proximity with the Chinese border, visitors were prohibited from going there until quite recently, when it was again thrown open to tourists. Located at a height of nearly 11800 feet, the valley offers breathtaking views of the beautiful surroundings including lush green slopes covered with trees, grassy meadows and sparkling waters of the river flowing by.

Places of Tourist Interest In Yumthang Valley The natural beauty of Yumthang valley has been attracting visitors to this place from ancient times. Even though the place was closed for visitors for some time, the popularity of its beauty never diminished. That is why after the valley was re-opened to visitors only a few years back, it is frequented by hordes of nature lovers and people wanting to spend some time in its peaceful and rejuvenating atmosphere.

Rumtek Monastery: This Tibetan Buddhist monastery was originally constructed in the 16th century by Wangchuk Dorje, the 9th Karmapa and is also famous by the name of Dharmachakra Centre.  The monastery was Sikkim’s primary centre of Karma Kagyu lineage and once it was reconstructed, it was chosen to preserve the sacred items and relics taken from the Tsurphu Monastery, the holy seat of Karmapa. Besides being the largest monastery in Sikkim, it is also home to numerous monks.

Chungthang: This magnificent town located at the meeting point of Rivers Lachen and Lachung Chu is believed to have hosted Guru Padmasmbhabwa, during this journey to Tibet. The town features a rock with his footprints, which is believed to be the place where the great Guru rested. LAso the area around the rock is known for its produce of paddy, which is not generally cultivated in the region. . It is also believed that Sikh Guru, Guru Nanak Dev Ji also paid a visit to this town while travelling to China and Tibet. 

The Changu Lake: This lake is a prominent tourist destination of Yumthang valley, and is situated at a height of 12,310 feet, In the local Bhutia language, the name of the lake means, “source of the lake” and is considered holy by the natives. The lake, having a length of 1 km and a depth of around 15 m, freezes completely during the winter season. An alpine forest lies in close vicinity to the lake, and houses a wide range of animal species including the red-panda and the Brahminy ducks. During the spring season, the surrounding areas of the lake are bedecked with various beautiful flowers such as rhododendrons, primulas, blue and yellow poppies, etc. Since the lake falls within the restricted area, it is not accessible to foreign nationals and even Indian citizens have to obtain a Inner Line Permit or ILP to see the lake.

The Yumthang River: Another major tourist destination of Yumthang valley is the Yumthang river. This river is also famous by the name of Yumthang Chu and traces a course through the Shingba Rhododendron Sanctuary which is populated by various shrubs and Rhododendron trees. There is also a natural hot spring located at the right side of the river, which also attracts a large number of tourists to this place throughout the year.