adventure · Dzongri and Goecha La, Pelling
Summit morning to Viewpoint 1
Summit day starts at about 2 or 3 am from Lamuney or Thansing. You walk by head torch past Samiti Lake and along the moraine of the Onglakthang glacier, climbing steadily to Viewpoint 1, at about 4,600 m. It takes most groups three to four hours to get there. The air is thin and very cold, so walk slowly, eat a little every hour and keep a water bottle inside your jacket so it does not freeze.
At sunrise the wall in front of you lights up. This is the south-east face of Kangchenjunga, the side that Sikkim looks at, with the summit that the 1955 climbers chose not to tread. Pandim rises to your right. Goecha La itself is listed at 4,940 m and lies further up the valley. In recent seasons many groups have been allowed only as far as Viewpoint 1, so ask your agency and check current status before you travel.
Turn back by mid-morning, before the wind and cloud build. The descent to Thansing takes several hours, and most people feel tired but very happy. Do not push on if anyone in your group shows signs of altitude sickness such as a bad headache, confusion or vomiting; the only cure is going down. A good guide will make that call for you, and you should accept it without argument. The mountain will still be there next season.
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Questions people ask
Good to know
Can trekkers go up to Goecha La pass
It depends on the current rules. In recent seasons many groups have been allowed only as far as Viewpoint 1, at about 4,600 m, and not all the way to Goecha La at 4,940 m. The forest department sets these limits and changes them from year to year. Ask your agency and check current status before you travel.
How difficult is the Goecha La trek
It is a moderate to difficult high-altitude trek of about 90 km over 8–10 days, reaching about 4,600 m or higher. You need good fitness, comfort walking 6–8 hours a day and the patience to acclimatise. Beginners who train for two or three months and go with a good agency usually manage it well.
What time do you start for Goecha La viewpoint
Groups usually leave Lamuney or Thansing between 2 and 3 am to reach Viewpoint 1 by sunrise, when the sky is clearest and the light falls on Kangchenjunga's south-east face. The climb takes about three to four hours. Carry a head torch with spare batteries, warm gloves and water kept inside your jacket.
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