Day 5: Easy Trek from Thangsing to Lamuney & Trek to Samiti Lake

Trek date during Dzongri & Goecha La Trek: 09th November 2016 (Wednesday)

Trek distance: Around 7 Kms. (4 Kms. from Thangsing to Lamuney + 3 Kms. of trek to Samiti Lake)

Time taken: Around 4 to 5 hours.

Difficulty level: Easy

Highlights during the trek:

1. Fabulous Thangsing camp-site.
2. Breathtaking views of snow-capped mountains such as Mt. Pandim, Mt. Jopunu and Mt. Tenzing Khang from Thangsing camp-site.
3. Evergreen Prek Chu river on left side of Thangsing camp-site.
4. 360 degree view of mesmerizing Oglanthang valley.
5. Small streams all the way en-route Lamuney camp-site.
6. Horses, Mules & Dzos all over the valley.
7. Evergreen Prek Chu(river) on left side of the trail.
8. Classic view of Mt. Kangchendzonga while approaching Lamuney camp-site.
9. Mountains such as Mt. Pandim, Mt. Jopunu and Mt. Tenzing Khang on right side of the trail.
10. Heavenly Lamuney camp-site.
11. Kitchen Hut at Lamuney.
12. Oglanthang camp-site.
13. Trek to scenic Samiti Lake.
14. Semi frozen Samiti Lake.
15. Walking on trails which will take one to Goecha Pass.
16. Bright Sunshine throughout the day.
17. Easiest day during this Himalayan Trek.

Challenges: Easy day of trek on clearly visible trails at Oglanthang valley.

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

• Thangsing camp-site comes around 3930 Mtr.
• Lamuney camp-site comes around 4180 Mtr.
• Samiti Lake comes around 4200 Mtr.

Day in brief:

I can divide Day 5 into 2 parts:

1. Easy Trek from Thangsing to Lamuney
2. Trek to Samiti Lake

Part 1: Easy Trek from Thangsing to Lamuney

Trek distance from Thangsing to Lamuney camp-site: Around 4 Kms.

Time taken: Around 2 and half hours.

Difficulty level: Easy

One of the easiest days at Oglanthang valley of Kangchendzonga National Park, West Sikkim. Just 4 Kms. of trek to Lamuney camp-site is in store. Our Trek Leader Rhik informed us to wake-up bit late i.e. 7:00 AM in the morning on previous day evening because easy day in store and plan was to start bit late around 10:00 AM from Thangsing camp-site.

Myself got up around 7:00 AM. Freshen-up and explored beautiful Thangsing camp-site to fullest. Captured Thangsing beautifully in my camera 🙂

Breakfast was ready at 9:30 AM unlike other days where we used to have at 8:00 AM or 8:30 AM.

Started from Thangsing to Lamuney camp-site around 10:24 AM post breakfast. It was one of the easiest days at Dzongri & Goecha La experience. Initial trek was started on flat trail. Since tree line ends at Thangsing camp-site we got occasional bushes & shrubs.

Small streams were highlight during this stretch.

 

Evergreen Prek Chu (Chu means River in Nepali language) on left side , Mt. Kangchendzonga in-front of you and Mountain ranges including Mt. Pandim, Mt. Jopunu and Mt. Tenzing Khang on right side of the trail while approaching Lamuney camp-site at Oglanthang valley is The Best one can get during Dzongri & Goecha La  experience. 

We enjoyed this stretch to the core by clicking many classic photographs.

It took us 2 and half hours to reach Lamuney camp-site though distance was very less. I was first to reach Lamuney camp-site and time was 1:00 PM in the afternoon. Others reached bit late with 15 minutes delay. We spent more time on photography that is the reason behind delay.

Few important observations on Lamuney camp-site:

1. Lamuney camp-site is considered as base camp for Goecha La Trek.
2. There is small Kitchen Hut on left side of the trail and there is no Trekkers Hut available at this camp-site. Thangsing camp-site is last to have Trekkers Hut.
3. There are multiple options for camping around Lamuney camp-site since we can find streams all over Oglanthang valley and Prek Chu on left side of the trail.
4. Oglanthang camp-site is available for camping option little ahead of Lamuney.

Part 2: Trek to Samiti Lake

Trek distance to Samiti Lake: Around 3 Kms. (Two way)

Time taken: Around 2 hours.

Difficulty level: Easy

Since we reached early in the afternoon had enough time in the day. Myself informed Rhik to plan Trek to Samiti Lake in the afternoon. Our trek crew Bhim & Rohit reached bit early to Lamuney camp-site as usual and prepared afternoon lunch for us.

I spent  sometime on exploring Lamuney camp-site and clicked some stunning photographs from the camp-site.

All of us had lunch around 1:45 PM and started Trek to Samiti Lake at 2:30 PM. It was another easiest trek for us. It took us 45 minutes to reach Samiti Lake. Time was 3:10 PM when we reached Samiti Lake.

Explored Samiti Lake for 30 minutes and spent time on photography too.

About Samiti Lake: Samiti Lake is beautful Lake situated in the lap of Himalayas at Oglanthang valley of Kangchendzonga National Park, West Sikkim. It comes around altitude of 4200 Mtr. Lake is situated at base of Mt. Pandim. Lovely place to spend some time at Himalayas with Lake freezes during winter.

Started back to Lamuney camp-site from Samiti Lake around 3:40 PM and reached camp-site at 4:30 PM.

Trek Lead Rhik briefed us about Goecha La day plans and informed us to sleep early so we can get up around 1:30 AM in the midnight.

Had dinner early at Kitchen Hut and told Bye Bye for the day around 6:00 PM with most challenging day of our lives in store!

Camp-site:

Lamuney camp-site is heavenly camp-site which is situated on the banks of Prek Chu at Oglanthang valley of Kangchendzonga National Park, West Sikkim.  With views of Mt. Kangchendzonga in-front of you, Mt. Pandim, Mt. Jopunu and Mt. Tenzing Khang on right side of the camp-site will make it one of the best camp-sites of Dzongri & Goecha La Trek.

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