Yumthang Valley
Yumthang Valley is the main attraction in the north Sikkim. It is located with a distance of 140 kilometers from the capital city Gangtok and 24 km from Lachung, the nearest inhabitant village to Yumthang. With an elevation of 11,800 ft from the sea level, it is a paradise to the tourists. Awesome mountain valley, restless river, sky touch mountaineer ranges, surprising hot spring altogether make the valley magical and amazing. On the month of April and May, the valley is completely covered by the flowers, so it is popularly called as "Valley of Flowers".
Shingba Rhododendron Sanctuary is another attraction of the Yumthang Valley tour. It is the kingdom of more than forty species of rhododendron, which is also known as the state flower of Sikkim. Yumthang Valley is closed on the winter due to the heavy snowfall.
Attraction of Yumthang
Rhododendrons: Yumthang Valley is situated with an high altitude popularly known as “the tree line”, beyond that altitude plants unable to tolerate the environment condition, so trees may grow shorter. But this valley surrounded with a large numbers of alpine and rhododendrons trees. It is also a part of the Shingba Rhododendron Sanctuary, a home of more than 40 species of rhododendrons. Rhododendrons are bushes or trees, which are blooms on the spring (March to May) and paint the valley with different colors. The blossoming of Rhododendrons is over by May end.
Valley: Yumthang Valley is a Beautiful landscape along the river Yumthang Chhu and Phuniya Chhu, tributary of river Teesta and green slopes covered with trees.
Valley of Flowers: During the summer on the month of June, Yumthang Valley blossoms with different kinds of beautiful tiny Himalayan flowers, like the Primroses, iris, Cinquefoils, Lousewort, poppies, Cobra-lilies and others, which makes the Valley exceptionally pictorial.
Best time to Visit
Due to heavy snowfalls, Yumthang Valley is closed for the tourist at winter between the months of December and March. Otherwise it is open for all visitors throughout the year and you may get different moods of the Mother Nature on different session.
How to reach Yumthang
Direct journey to the Yumthang valley from the capital city Gangtok not possible, due to the road condition as well as the foggy environment and also the valley becomes dark early. So, it is convenient to stay overnight at Lachung, the nearest inhabitant village and may arrange accommodation. And start another two hours journey to Yumthang Valley, after next-day early breakfast. You may reserve a full vehicle or shared with other tourist to cover your Yumthang tour from Gangtok. It is also advisable to contact a tourist guide or your hotel manager in Gangtok for Yumthang tour package. They will arrange a vehicle, accommodation at Lachung and all other needs for the tour.