Spending a vacation at, a destination or a series of spots offering endless scope of experiencing breathtaking scenic beauty is something that all travelers do and prefer. But sometimes a journey offers bigger pleasure than the destination for which one makes it. The eastern part of Sikkim, the ‘Natural Beauty Queen’ of North-Eastern India, delights Nature lovers with one such journey, on every step of which, Mother Nature astonishes her worshippers with her beauty, in the form of the pristine green valley and a stunning view of the snow-capped Kanchenjhungha and her sisters. The path of this breathtaking journey is known as the Silk Route, since it was an ancient trade route connecting India and China. It’s a hectic journey as the roads are rough but the scenic show throughout doesn’t make one feel tired. The first step of this journey comes at Zuluk, a small village standing on the green slope of the Himalayas at an elevation of over 10,000 feet. For Nature lovers, this remote small village is a Paradise on Earth.
The journey for Silk Route starts from either Lingtam or Aritar and it takes around half an hour to reach Zuluk. The village is located very close to an Army camp at the Indo-Chinese border and hence one can see soldiers in uniform roaming here and there. Nature lovers mostly prefer destinations where absolute serenity prevails and a pleasant weather persists. Being located at a height of more than 10,000 feet, Zuluk experiences cold weather throughout the year and it becomes quite unbearable during the winter days, but one can find serenity at its best in this village. Zuluk is home to around 700 people and rows of huts standing on the valley wall look fantastic on a sunny morning. It is a place for enjoying a peaceful holiday on the lap of Nature and there is little scope of activities to perform. However, Zuluk makes way to the real paradise of the Silk Route which is ornamented with astonishing spots like Thambi View Point, Lungthung, Nathang Valley and Kupup Lake. One can keep travelling on the route further to stop finally at the Tsango Lake and Nathu La Pass.
Silk Route offers an incomparable sight of the Kanchenjhungha, especially from Thambi View Pint which is just 10 to 15 minutes from Zuluk. In fact, one can see the view by looking upward from the village. Thambi presents a grand show at the beginning of a clear day when the golden rays of sun turns the bluish Kanchenjungha into dazzling yellow. Lungthung, which is located at a higher elevation, too offers the same pleasure, especially the Sun reveals itself from behind the Zelep La. Nathang Valley is a picturesque valley from where one can enjoy an indescribable view of the peaks especially from an abandoned Army bunker which was built to monitor activities at the border.
Being a very cold place, Zuluk is not ideal for a winter holiday, though its beauty in the months of December and January is an experience to cherish. The valley turns completely white and looks like a badly cut scoop of vanilla ice cream. Another splendid thing that one can experience at Zuluk is the sight of the road that has come up from Lingtam and has gone to Nathang, touching Zuluk. The road beautifully spiraled over the Himalayas and has made 95 hairpin bends. From a height of 10,000 feet, the road looks like a ribbon placed on a green background in a zig zag pattern.
