North Sikkim Dzongu Village IMG 9823

Dzongu

The Forbidden Lepcha Territory
Once a forbidden place kept as a Lepcha reserve by the British, Dzongu is the Lepchas' sacred Mayel Lyong – the land of bliss. Now its veil of mystery is lifted, and those who respect nature and tradition can have a wonderful experience.
A village homestay destination in north Sikkim, Dzongu has a lot to offer - walking and birding options in the Kanchenjunga National Park, an alternative route to Green Lake and a 4-hour long jungle trek to the historic Tolung Monastery.
With the proximity to the great Kangchenjunga Biosphere Reserve, a unique ecologically-rich biome in the Himalayas, Dzongu offers an exciting natural & ethnological experience in this remote part of Sikkim. The impenetrable terrain ranges from 500 meters to a staggering 6000 meters with sharply tilted hillslopes threading numerous cascading waterfalls & streams, sacred caves & lakes have created a mysterious land, where lays a small territory of a 'Vanishing Tribe' called Lepcha. These beautiful people of this Holy Land are traditionally animistic, who worship everything natural and act as a protecting deity for their environment. The people here still practice Shamanism. Perhaps this is one of the very few places left in the world where one can meet the Shaman (or Boongthing) practising the Animistic Rituals and Spiritism following their age-old tradition.
Being a protected reserve, Dzongu has preserved many of its unique traditions, allowing the travellers to understand an ethnic community's culture, which is still very little known to the outside world.
Surrounded by stunning natural beauties and a unique way of life of the aboriginal people in this remote part of Sikkim, Dzongu started drawing the travellers' attention looking for an authentic rural experience. Sporadic villages with a cluster of houses scatter the vast area of Dzongu Reserve. Traditionally built small colourful huts dot the valley, some of which are only accessible by foot.

Activities in Dzongu

Trekking and Day Hikes

  • Trekking and Day Hikes - Under the shadow of towering snowy peaks of Mt Kanchenjunga and Mt Pandim, the villages' serene landscape offers exciting nature hikes to the higher ridges of the Himalayas and easy walks down the valleys and villages as well. An arduous hiking expedition for about ten days goes to Green Lake at 5000 Metre - the core of Kangchenjunga Biosphere Reserve – the base of Kangchenjunga Peak. Another exciting trek for 3-4 days takes you to Keushong Lake at 4000 Meters – an enchanting valley of flowers associated with many myths and legends.

Bird Watching in Dzongu

  • Bird Watching in Dzongu - The verdant forests in varying altitude levels, fed by glacial streams, display a fantastic range of life forms - a natural home to rare orchids, and extremely endangered species of birds and mammals. With the great variety of landforms and rich vegetation types from temperate to alpine, Dzongu is a fascinating destination for bird lovers. MORE

Village Experience

  • Village Experience - There are several villages across the Dzongu Reserve and many of which are still not accessible by road and only option to reach by foot. Few traditional footbridges made with bamboo and cane are still used as the main connectors between some of the remote villages. These bridges themselves are an attraction. Kusong, Linza, Tinvong, Passindong Hee-Gyathang, Lingdong and Lingthem are some of the major villages in Dzongu Reserve scattered at different altitudes. These picturesque villages with terraced cultivated land of buckwheat, corn and cardamom present a fairy-tale atmosphere.MORE

Fishing and picnic by the river

  • Fishing and picnic by the river - The excitements never end in Dzongu. At every turn, you have something to draw your interest. Traditional fishing with your local friend in one of the wild streams will be a fascinating experience. The glacial-fed streams and rivers are potential sources of fish, and it is a meaningful pass time for the people of Dzongu, who spend most of the time in the river fishing. MORE

Attractions in Dzongu

  • Tholung Monastery

    Monastery Tholung, one of the most sacred and oldest, is located in Upper Dzongu. Believed to be built by 5th Lhatsun Pema Dechen Gyatso during the year 1780, this small monastery under the Nyingmapa Sect of Buddhism possesses invaluable Art and Artefacts with ancient holy texts. Situated at an altitude of 8000 ft (approx. 2500 Meters), this monastery is only accessible by walk.

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  • Lepcha Museum 

    A traditional Lepcha House is built just at the entry to Dzongu in Namprikdang village to preserve the Lepcha History & culture and has been turned into a museum. Following a typical Lepcha ethnic architecture, the house itself is a point of interest. It shows the Lepcha people's farsightedness about protecting their buildings from natural calamities like earthquakes and flash floods, which are common in this region.

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  • The Waterfall at Linzey

    There are several waterfalls in Dzongu, but the one in Lingzey overpass all with its ferocity and volume of water discharge, which is noticeable for a long distance. Form Lingzey village is a walk for about an hour through the dense forests teeming with birds.

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