North Sikkim: Lachung & Lachen · forest village

Dzongu

The Lepcha reserve across the Teesta, on its own permit

Altitude1,200m Nights2–3 BestOct – Apr

Photo: Suniel Pradhan · CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

In brief

Dzongu is a reserved Lepcha homeland across the Teesta from Mangan, a valley of villages, cardamom and forest running up to Khangchendzonga National Park. Outsiders need a separate Dzongu permit. Stay in a Lepcha homestay for about ₹1,800–2,500 per person with all meals. Check current status before you travel.

The local story

Mayel Lyang: a homeland set aside for the Lepchas

Lepchas, who call themselves Mutanchi Rongkup, are regarded as Sikkim's first people, and their name for this land is Mayel Lyang. Dzongu, the wedge of valleys between the Teesta and the slopes of Kanchenjunga, was set aside for the Lepchas in the time of the Chogyals, and it remains a protected reserve: outsiders need a permit to enter, and land is held by Dzongu Lepchas. That protection is why villages such as Lingthem, Passingdang and Hee Gyathang still speak Lepcha at home and keep their own rituals.

Lepcha elders tell that Itbu-moo, the creator mother, shaped the first man, Fudongthing, and the first woman, Nazaong Nyu, from the snows of Kongchen Konglo, Kanchenjunga, which is why the mountain is their guardian. In upper Dzongu stands Tholung Monastery, revealed as a sacred site in 1760 and built in 1789, where relics from other monasteries were hidden during the Gorkha invasions. In 2007–08, Lepcha activists held a long hunger strike in Gangtok against hydropower projects in Dzongu, drawing national attention to the reserve and its rivers.

Tholung Monastery's relics are aired and shown to the public only once every three years, at the Kamsel ceremony in April.

Upper Dzongu lies in the buffer zone of Khangchendzonga National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2016.

Dzongu has its own assembly constituency in the Sikkim legislature, one of three in Mangan district.

About Dzongu

Dzongu is greener, wetter and quieter than the rest of North Sikkim: steep forested slopes, waterfalls, terraces of cardamom and maize, and small Lepcha villages connected by narrow roads. There are no hotels, only family homestays. You come here to slow down, eat Lepcha food, walk village paths and listen.

Access is the hard part. You need a separate Dzongu permit, usually issued at Mangan, and the bridges and roads across the Teesta have been hit by landslides and by the 2023 flood. Some upper villages are cut off for long spells. Ask your homestay how to reach them that week. Once there, two or three nights cost less than one night in Lachung. Check current status before you travel.

What to see and do

A Lepcha homestay

Stay with a family in Lingthem, Passingdang or another village, eat rice, nettle soup, ferns and millet, and hear Lepcha spoken around the kitchen fire. Two nights is the minimum to settle in.

Tholung Monastery

A sacred gompa in upper Dzongu, built in 1789, holding relics hidden here during the Gorkha invasions. Its Kamsel ceremony shows them once every three years in April.

Kongchen Konglo

On clear days Kanchenjunga rises above the upper valley. Ask your host to tell the Lepcha story of the first people made from its snows.

Waterfalls and forest paths

Dzongu's steep side valleys are full of waterfalls and streams. Walk with a local guide; paths are slippery and some cross landslide zones.

Cardamom and millet

Large cardamom grows under the trees, millet on the terraces, and chi, the Lepcha millet beer, is served in bamboo vessels. Visit in September to November for the harvest.

How to get there

Shared jeep and taxi: Shared jeep from Gangtok's Vajra stand to Mangan, ₹200–300, 2.5–3 hours. Get your Dzongu permit in Mangan, then take a taxi across the Teesta to your village, about ₹800–1,500 depending on distance and road. Your homestay can often send a car.
Reserved car from Gangtok: A reserved car to a Dzongu village costs about ₹3,500–5,000 one way. Arrange the permit in advance through your homestay or a Gangtok agent so you do not lose a day.
Homestay pickup: Many Dzongu homestays arrange pickups from Mangan or Gangtok and help with the permit. Ask when booking, and ask how the bridges and roads are that week.

Where to stay

Dzongu has no hotels, only family homestays, most of them in Lingthem, Passingdang, Hee Gyathang, Tingvong and nearby villages. Expect a simple room, shared or attached bathroom, and three home-cooked meals, at roughly ₹1,800–2,500 per person per day. Mayal Lyang Homestay in Lingthem is one of the longest-running. Book directly or through your Gangtok contact, and confirm permit help and road access when you book.

homestayDzongu Mayal Lyang Homestay ₹1,800–2,500 pp with all meals (indicative)

Local tips

Arrive in Mangan before noon on a working day to get your Dzongu permit the same day.
Carry cash from Mangan; there are no ATMs in Dzongu.
Ask before photographing people, rituals or shrines.
Wear leech socks or tuck trousers into socks from April to October.
Do not bring plastic water bottles; ask your host for boiled water.

02,7005,400

Altitude1,200 m

Hill-station height: cool evenings, a sweater most of the year.

What it costs here

Shared jeep Gangtok to Mangan₹200–300 a seat

Taxi Mangan to a Dzongu village₹800–1,500 a car

Lepcha homestay with all meals₹1,800–2,500 pp (indicative)

Local guide for a village or waterfall walk₹500–1,000 a day

Dzongu permitSmall fee or free; ask at Mangan

Chi (millet beer) at a homestay₹100–200

Indicative, 2025–26. Check current status before you travel.

Best months: Oct – Apr
Nights we suggest: 2–3
From Mangan: ≈ 10–25 km · 0.5–1.5 h to the villages
Altitude: ≈ 700–2,000 m across the villages
Known for: Lepcha homestays, Tholung Monastery, cardamom, waterfalls
Network: Patchy; BSNL and Jio in some villages

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

BestGoodAvoid or closed

Things to do

Four things to do in Dzongu

Food · 2 hoursDinner in a Lepcha kitchenDzongu · Included in homestay rate

Monasteries · Full dayTholung Monastery in upper DzonguDzongu · Free · taxi and guide ₹2,500–4,000 (ind…

Treks and walks · 3–5 hoursVillage paths and waterfalls around LingthemDzongu · Guide ₹500–1,000

Crafts · 2 hoursLepcha weaving, bamboo and a few wordsDzongu · Free · buy crafts at fair prices

On the map

Dzongu and its neighbours

Drawn by Darjeeling Himalayas from Natural Earth outlines (public domain). Borders as depicted by India. Not for navigation.

Trips that stop here

Go to Dzongu on a ticket

Comfort North Sikkim6 nights · Reserved car Dzongu and Lachung, Lepcha valley to the snow Phodong · Dzongu · Lachung · Mangan ₹37,000per person
about ₹5,300 a day

Shoestring North Sikkim3 nights · Shared jeeps Three nights with a Lepcha family in Dzongu Dzongu ₹8,500per person
about ₹2,100 a day

Comfort North Sikkim8 nights · Reserved car North Sikkim end to end, slowly, in 8 nights Phodong · Singhik · Lachen · Lachung ₹48,000per person
about ₹5,350 a day

Shoestring North Sikkim5 nights · Shared jeeps Teesta valley by shared jeep: Phodong to Dzongu Phodong · Singhik · Dzongu · Mangan ₹12,000per person
about ₹2,000 a day

Close by

Nearby places

market town956 m Mangan District town of North Sikkim and its large cardamom

viewpoint1,560 m Singhik Kanchenjunga and Siniolchu across the Teesta gorge

river town1,790 m Chungthang Where two rivers become the Teesta, and where the 2023 flood struck

Routes

Mangan to Dzongu

Festivals

Kamsel at Tholung Monastery

Ways to travel

Homestays Food trails Monasteries Solo and backpacking Festivals

Questions people ask

Questions about Dzongu

Do I need a permit for Dzongu?

Yes. Dzongu is a protected Lepcha reserve, and non-residents, including Indian citizens from outside Sikkim, need a special Dzongu permit. It is usually issued by the district administration in Mangan with photo ID and photographs. Homestays often help. Foreign nationals' rules differ. Check current status before you travel.

How do I reach Dzongu from Gangtok?

Take a shared jeep from Gangtok's Vajra stand to Mangan, about ₹200–300 and 2.5–3 hours. Get your permit in Mangan, then take a taxi across the Teesta to your village for about ₹800–1,500. A reserved car from Gangtok costs about ₹3,500–5,000 one way.

What is special about Dzongu?

Dzongu is a reserved homeland for the Lepchas, Sikkim's earliest people. The protection has kept villages, language and rituals strong. You stay in family homestays, eat Lepcha food, walk forest paths to waterfalls and, in a Kamsel year, see Tholung Monastery's relics. It feels very different from the high valleys.

How much does a Dzongu homestay cost?

About ₹1,800–2,500 per person per day with three meals in 2025–26, varying by village and season. Local guides cost ₹500–1,000 a day. Transport from Mangan is ₹800–1,500 per car. A three-night stay can cost less than a single night's package in Lachung.

Was Dzongu affected by the 2023 flood?

Yes, in places. The 2023 Teesta flood and landslides damaged bridges and roads linking Dzongu to Mangan and cut off some upper villages for long periods. Repairs have continued since. Ask your homestay about the route that week and check current status before you travel.

When is the best time to visit Dzongu?

October to April, when it is dry, mild and clear. October and November bring the cardamom harvest and Kanchenjunga views; December and January bring the Lepcha new year, Namsoong. March and April are warm with flowers. Avoid June to September, when rain, leeches and landslides make travel hard.

Can foreigners visit Dzongu?

Foreign nationals have at times been allowed into parts of Dzongu with permits, but rules are stricter than for Indian citizens and have changed. Ask a registered Gangtok agent or your homestay well in advance, and check current status before you travel.

What should I pack for Dzongu?

Walking shoes with grip, leech socks from April to October, a rain jacket, a torch for power cuts, a warm layer for evenings, cash for the whole stay, any medicines you need and a reusable water bottle. Keep clothing modest, especially when visiting monasteries and village homes.

Is Dzongu good for a solo traveller?

Yes. Homestays welcome solo guests, food is included, and hosts usually help with guides and transport. It is quiet and generally safe. The main challenges are the permit and road access, so plan your day in Mangan carefully and keep your homestay informed of your timing.