Viewpoints · Zuluk
The zigzag loops from Thambi View Point
A short drive above Zuluk to Thambi View Point, about 3,400 m, where the Silk Route road can be seen below in tier after tier of hairpin bends. Go early on a clear morning, before cloud fills the valley, and dress for wind.
Thambi View Point is a roadside platform on the climb from Zuluk towards Lungthung, about 500 m higher than the village. From the edge you look straight down on the road you have just driven: bend over bend, stacked down the hillside, with the army camp and Zuluk's roofs further below. It is the single most photographed view in East Sikkim, and the reason many people come at all. Most drivers stop here on the way down from Lungthung after sunrise, which is the best plan.
Light matters more than anything. Between about 7 and 9 am on a clear day the sun is behind you and the road stands out sharp against the slope. By late morning cloud often rises from the valleys and the loops vanish, sometimes for the rest of the day. In winter the bends can be white with snow, which looks fine in photographs but means the road may be closed, and in the monsoon months you may see nothing at all.
It is cold and windy at 3,400 m in every month, so take a jacket, a hat and gloves out of the car with you. Stay behind the barriers; the edge is steep and the ground can be icy. Tea stalls appear here in the main seasons, but do not count on them. There is no entry fee. The stop is covered by your Silk Route permit and your car hire, and fifteen to thirty minutes is plenty.
Cost: Included in your Silk Route car
Questions people ask
Good to know
How far is Thambi View Point from Zuluk?
Thambi View Point is a short drive above Zuluk on the road towards Lungthung, usually about 30–45 minutes depending on road and snow. It sits at about 3,400 m, some 500 m above the village. Most drivers stop here on the way back from the Lungthung sunrise rather than going up twice.
What is the best time to see the Zuluk loops?
Clear mornings between October and April, roughly 7–9 am, give the sharpest view of the loops. Cloud usually rises by late morning. From June to September the road is often wrapped in mist and landslides can close it, so the view is a gamble then. Check current status before you travel.
Is there an entry fee at Thambi View Point?
No. Thambi View Point is a roadside stop on NH717B and there is no ticket. You do need the Silk Route permit that covers Zuluk and the road beyond, which Indian travellers get at Rongli, usually arranged by the driver or homestay. Rules change, so check current status before you travel.
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