Day 4: Trek to Dzongri Top & Trek from Dzongri to Thangsing via Kokchurang

Trek date during Dzongri & Goecha La Trek: 08th November 2016 (Tuesday)

Trek distance for the day: Around 14 Kms. (4 Kms. of trek to Dzongri Top + 10 Kms. from Dzongri to Thangsing)

Time taken: Around 9 hours.

Difficulty level: Moderate

Highlights during the trek:

1. Chilly Dzongri camp-site.
2. Early morning Trek to Dzongri Top (DABLHAGANG).
3. Fantastic & Evergreen 360 degree view of Kanchendzongha National Park from Dzongri Top.
4. Breathtaking views of North, South, Black & Dome Kabru peaks.
5. Majestic Mt. Kanchendzongha at her Magical Best.
6. Magical journey at KNP from Dzongri to Thangsing.
7. Streams & Snow trails all the way.
8. Horses, Mules & Dzos all over the valley.
9. Getting down to Kokchurang inside dense forest.
10. Kokchurang camp-site on the banks of Prek Chu.
11. Trekkers at Kokchurang camp-site.
12. Famous Wooden Bridge of Kokchurang.
13. Beautiful & Scenic Prek Chu.
14. Dense forest wailk from Kokchurang to Thangsing camp-site.
15. Breathtaking views of Mt. Kangchenjunga, Mt. Pandim, Mt. Jopunu, Mt. Tenzing Khang Mt. Lama & Lamuney all the way till Thangsing.
16. Fabulous Thangsing camp-site in the lap of Himalayas at Oglanthang valley.
17. Golden Beauties of Mt. Pandim & Mt. Jopunu with Thangsing at base.
18. One of the longest days of Himalayan Trek.

Challenges: Moderate day of trek with trek to Dzongri Top & Thangsing at KNP, West Sikkim.

Altitude Meter: Please find altitude details for the day below:

• Dzongri camp-site comes around 4060 Mtr.
• Dzongri Top (DABLHAGANG) comes around 4171 Mtr.
• Kokchurang camp-site comes around 3650 Mtr.
• Thangsing camp-site comes around 3930 Mtr.

Day in brief:

I can divide Day 4 into 2 parts:

1. Trek to Dzongri Top (DABLHAGANG)
2. Trek from Dzongri to Thangsing via Kokchurang

Part 1: Trek to Dzongri Top (DABLHAGANG)

Trek distance to & for Dzongri Top: Around 4 Kms.

Time taken: Around 2 hours.

Difficulty level: Easy to Moderate

Day 4 of Dzongri & Goecha La Trek and very important day in-terms of Adventure. One of the important days of this Himalayan trek too! Trek to Dzongri Top is one of the classic experiences during Dzongri & Goecha La Trek! As informed by Trek crew on previous day evening, all of us got-up early in the morning around 3:30 AM. Getting up early in the morning around 3:30 AM in High Altitude camp-sites never been easy task. Temperatures will be low but when it comes to passion and determination these obstacles comes secondary. After freshen-up, started trek to Dzongri Top around 5:00 AM. 4 of us along with Bhim & Rhik started from Dzongri camp-site. Plan was to reach before 5:40 AM which is nothing but Sunrise time. It was 2 Kms. of continuous steep ascent at KNP, West Sikkim. Myself & Bhim reached Dzongri Top around 5:40 AM. Arjit & Soumen followed us. Richard had some AMS issues so he went back with Rhik to Dzongri camp-site.

Views that matters the most! We got Fantastic & Evergreen 360 degree view of Kanchendzongha National Park from Dzongri Top during Sunrise – Golden Beauties of West Sikkim! Clicked plenty of pics and enjoyed serenity of Mother Nature to the core. Amazing experience indeed!

North, South, Black & Dome Kabru peaks and Majestic Mt. Kanchendzongha at her Magical Best

Kabru is a mountain in the Himalayas on the border of eastern Nepal and India. It is part of a ridge that extends south from Kangchenjunga and is the southernmost 7,000 Mtrs (23,000 ft) peak in the world. It can be seen from Dzongri, Kangchendzonga National Park, West Sikkim.
In pic (Right to Left): Black Kabru, Kabru North (7338 Mtr), Kabru South (7318 Mtr), Kabru Dome (6585 Mtr).

I bought Prayer flag from Yuksum Bazar so i can put it in Dzongri Top. Myself and Bhim busy in putting prayer flag at Dzongri Top.

After spending almost 45 minutes at Dzongri Top, started return journey to Dzongri at 6:30 AM. Reached camp-site by 7:00 AM.

Part 2: Trek from Dzongri to Thangsing via Kokchurang

Trek distance form Dzongri to Thangsing via Kokchurang: Around 10 Kms.

Time taken: Around 7 hours.

Difficulty level: Moderate

After successfully completing Dzongri Top exploration now our journey will continue towards next camp-site Thangsing. It is going to be another long day at KNP with 10 Kms. of trek beckons us.

Had breakfast post reaching from Dzongri Top and started at 10:00 AM from Dzongri camp-site to next destination Thangsing. Best experience of trek comes when it is open valley with beautiful views! This stretch is one of them during Dzongri & Goecha La Trek.

Took break around 11:00 AM on the way and spent around 45 minutes in photography.

Continued our trek to Thangsing camp-site. As we closing in we can see Prek Chu & Thangsing from the trails. Myself had lunch on the way.

Then it come one of the best stretches of the day which took us to Kokchurang. It was steep downhill till Kokchurang which goes through dense forest with Rhododendrons trees.

Reached Kokchurang around 3:00 PM. Myself, Bhim & Richard were walking without any problem and reached Kokchurang first. Arjit, Soumen & Rhik followed us. Took 15 minutes of break and started back to Thangsing which is another 3 Kms. from Kokchurang.

One need to cross famous Wooden Bridge of Kokchurang and we spent some good time in photography here…

Then it comes another stretch with dense forest on the banks of Prek Chu. Finally, reached Thangsing around 5:00 PM. As we approach Thangsing, we can see Golden Beauties of Mt. Pandim & Mt. Jopunu. Weather was much Chillier than Dzongri because we are at Higher Altitude. Arjit, Soumen & Rhik reached 20 minutes late around 5:20 PM.

Had dinner and told Bye Bye for the day with one of the easiest day in store on next day.

Camp-site:

Thangsing camp-site is heavenly camp-site which is situated on the banks of Prek Chu at Oglanthang valley of Kangchendzonga National Park, West Sikkim. One can witness breathtaking views of Mt. Pandim, Mt. Jopunu and Mt. Tenzing Khang on right side of the camp-site. There are many Trekkers Hut available at this camp-site. One of the biggest camp-site of Dzongri & Goecha La Trek.

Temperature: Around -5 to 5 degree Celsius at night.