Goecha La
The classic Kanchenjunga trek to a 4,940 m pass
Goecha La is the finest and most famous trek in Sikkim, and one of the great high-altitude treks in India. Starting from the historic village of Yuksom, it climbs through the Khangchendzonga National Park — India's only mixed UNESCO World Heritage Site — via Dzongri and the Thansing valley to the Goecha La pass at around 4,940 metres, which opens onto a jaw-dropping close-up of the south-east face of Kanchenjunga, the world's third-highest peak.
The route passes through rhododendron and magnolia forest, alpine meadows and the sacred Samiti Lake, with a real sense of remoteness and high mountain grandeur. It demands good fitness and proper acclimatisation, and must be done with a registered agency and permits, but it rewards trekkers with what many consider the best mountain views of any trek in the country.
The trek at a glance
Why trek Goecha La
- The Goecha La viewpoint and the Kanchenjunga massif at dawn
- Dzongri Top, a superb viewpoint in its own right
- The sacred Samiti Lake and alpine meadows
- Rhododendron forests in spring bloom
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