Yumthang Valley of Flowers sanctuary Sikkim Valley of Flowers Sanctuary | |
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Nickname: Sikkim Valley of Flowers Sanctuary | |
Coordinates: 27°49′36″N88°41′45″E / 27.8268°N 88.6959°E | |
Country | India |
State | Sikkim |
District | Mangan |
Elevation | 3,700 m (12,100 ft) |
Languages | |
• Official | Sikkimese, Hindi, English |
Time zone | UTC+5:30 (IST) |
Vehicle registration | SK |
The Yumthang Valley or Sikkim Valley of Flowers sanctuary, is a nature sanctuary with river, hot springs, yaks and grazing pasture on rolling meadows surrounded by the Himalayan mountains in Yumthang in the Mangan district of Sikkim state in India. It is approx. 75 km from Mangan town, the district headquarters. It is at an elevation of 3,564 metres (11,693 ft) above msl at a distance of 150 kilometres (93 mi) from the state capital Gangtok. [1] [2]
It is popularly known as 'Valley of Flowers' [3] and is home to the Shingba Rhododendron Sanctuary, which has over twenty-four species of the rhododendron, the state flower. The flowering season is from late February and to mid June, when countless flowers bloom to carpet the valley in multicolored hues of rainbow. [4] A tributary of the river Teesta flows past the valley and the town of Lachung, the nearest inhabited centre. Yumthang is closed between December and March due to heavy snowfall. There is also a hot spring in the valley.
A forest rest house is the only permanent residence in the valley. During the spring months, the area blooms with rhododendrons, primulas, poppies, iris and other flora. During the summer months, villagers take their cattle to these heights to graze (a practice known as yaylag pastoralism). In view of increasing number of tourists, there is possibility of environmental degradation in near future. [5] Skiing is conducted in the valley. [6] [7]
Tourists may travel from Gangtok to Lachung (the nearest village where accommodation is available) by booking a full vehicle or shared one and stay over night. A direct journey to Yumthang is not feasible as roads are commonly foggy and it becomes dark very early around 5:30 pm. A trip to the Valley takes around two hours from Lachung, which is about 125 km from Gangtok.
Sikkim is a state in northeastern India. It borders the Tibet Autonomous Region of China in the north and northeast, Bhutan in the east, Koshi Province of Nepal in the west, and West Bengal in the south. Sikkim is also close to the Siliguri Corridor, which borders Bangladesh. Sikkim is the least populous and second-smallest among the Indian states. Situated in the Eastern Himalaya, Sikkim is notable for its biodiversity, including alpine and subtropical climates, as well as being a host to Kangchenjunga, the highest peak in India and third-highest on Earth. Sikkim's capital and largest city is Gangtok. Almost 35% of the state is covered by Khangchendzonga National Park – a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Gangtok is the capital and the most populous city of the Indian state of Sikkim. The seat of eponymous district, Gangtok is in the eastern Himalayan range, at an elevation of 1,650 m (5,410 ft). The city's population of 100,000 consists of the three Sikkimese ethnicities the Bhutias, Lepchas, Gorkhalis and also plainsmen from other states of India have settled here. Within the higher peaks of the Himalayas and with a year-round mild temperate climate, Gangtok is at the centre of Sikkim's tourism industry.
Gangtok District is an administrative district of the Indian state of Sikkim. It was renamed in 2021 as a result of administrative reorganisation of the state, which also saw three subdivisions of the East Sikkim district spawned off as a separate Pakyong district.
North Sikkim is a district of the Indian state of Sikkim. Its district headquarters is Mangan. It is the seventh least populous district in the country.
Tsomgo Lake, also known as Tsongmo Lake or Changgu Lake, is a glacial lake in Changu in the Gangtok district of the Indian state of Sikkim, some 40 kilometres (25 mi) from the capital Gangtok. Located at an elevation of 3,753 m (12,313 ft), the lake remains frozen during the winter season. The lake surface reflects different colours with change of seasons and is held in great reverence by the local Sikkimese people. Buddhist monks prognosticated after studying the changing colours of the lake.
Lachung is a town and hill station in Mangan district in northeast Indian state of Sikkim. It is approx. 50 km Mangan town, the district headquarters. It is located in the Mangan district near the border with Tibet. Lachung is at an elevation of about 9,600 feet (2,900 m) and at the confluence of the Lachen and Lachung Rivers, both tributaries of the River Teesta. The word Lachung means "small pass". The town is approximately 125 kilometres (78 mi) from the capital Gangtok.
Singalila National Park is a national park of India located on the Singalila Ridge at an elevation of more than 2,300 metres above sea level, in the Darjeeling district of West Bengal. It is well known for the trekking route to Sandakphu that runs through it.
Chungthang is a town in Mangan district in the Indian state of Sikkim. It is located just 28 km from Mangan town, the district headquarters. It is situated at the confluence of the Lachen and Lachung rivers, which combine to form the Teesta River. Located at a distance of 95 kilometres (59 mi) from the state capital Gangtok, the Indian Army has a major forward base with a medical centre in Chungthang.
Lachen is a town in Mangan District in the Indian state of Sikkim. The name Lachen means "big pass". The Sikkimese government promotes it as a tourist destination. The town forms the base to the Chopta Valley and Gurudongmar Lake. An annual yak race, the Thangu is held there in summer.
Gurudongmar Lake is one of the highest lakes in the world and in India, at an elevation of 5,430 m (17,800 ft) according to the Government of Sikkim. It is located in the Great Himalayas in the Mangan District in Indian state of Sikkim, and considered sacred by Buddhists and Sikhs. The lake is named after Guru Padmasambhava—also known as Guru Rinpoche—founder of Tibetan Buddhism, who visited in the 8th century.
Shingba Rhododendron Sanctuary is a nature park in the Indian state of Sikkim. It has forty species of rhododendron trees. It is located in the Yumthang Valley of Flowers north of Lachung in North Sikkim district. Bird species found in the park include Wood snipe and Hoary-throated barwing. The sanctuary is part of the Sacred Himalayan Landscape.
Rabong or Ravangla is a small tourist town with an elevation of 8000 feet located, near Namchi City in the Namchi district of the Indian state of Sikkim. It is connected by state highway to other major towns in the state and lies between Namchi, Pelling and Gangtok. It is the starting point for the trek to Maenam Wildlife Sanctuary. It is approximately 65 km from the state capital, Gangtok, and 120 km from Siliguri, West Bengal. The name is derived from the Sikkimese language. ‘Ra’ means wild sheep, 'vong' translates to a rearing place, and ‘la’ means a pass.
Lachung Monastery is a Nyingma Buddhist gompa in the Lachung Valley in Mangan district in Northeastern Indian state of Sikkim. It is approx. 50 km from Mangan town, the district headquarters. It was established in 1880.
Mangan is a town and the headquarter of the district of Mangan District in the Indian state of Sikkim. The town lying near River Teesta is connected to the capital Gangtok by a metalled road. Mangan District is the largest district of Sikkim in terms of area. The town lies in the geographic south of the district. After the opening up of the district, Mangan has witnessed a spurt in its economy, mostly due to organic farming. The town opens up the Tibetan Plateau. Mangan also serves the towns of Lachung, Chungthang and Lachen in the far north. Owing to its elevation, the town enjoys a temperate climate.
Govind Pashu Vihar National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary is a national park in Supin Range, near Uttarkashi town in the district and state of the same name in India. It was established initially as a wildlife sanctuary in 1955, and was later converted into a national park. It is named after prominent Indian freedom fighter and politician Govind Ballabh Pant, who became Home Minister in 1955 and is credited for establishing Hindi as an official language of India.
Fambong Lho Wildlife Sanctuary is a 51 km2 (20 sq mi) large wildlife sanctuary in Gangtok district of the state of Sikkim in India. It is contiguous with Khangchendzonga National Park and located around 30 km (19 mi) west of Gangtok. It hosts a few small hamlets inside, namely Dikchu, Pangthang, and Mangan and is managed by State Forest Department.
Dikchu is a small town in the Gangtok District of the Indian state of Sikkim. The town lies at the confluence of the Dikchu River with the Teesta River and is the site of the 96 MW Dikchu River Hydroelectric Power Project as well as 510 MW Teesta V Hydroelectric Power Project. Dikchu is the last town of Gangtok District that lies on the North Sikkim Highway connecting Singtam to Chungthang, after crossing the town we enter Mangan District. Small market north of river Dikchu also lies on Mangan District.
Dzuluk or Zuluk or Jhuluk or Jaluk is a small hamlet located at a height of 9,400 feet (2,900 m) on the rugged terrain of the lower Himalayas in Rongli Subdivision of Pakyong District, which lies in the Indian state Sikkim. This place is relatively an emerging and offbeat destination in Sikkim. Today it is a tourist destination for the view of the eastern Himalayan mountain range including the Kanchenjunga.
Pakyongdistrict is a district in the Indian state of Sikkim, administered from Pakyong. The district was formed in 2021 from three former subdivisions of the East Sikkim district, viz., Pakyong Subdivision, Rangpo Subdivision and Rongli Subdivision. The remaining Gangtok Subdivision of the former district was named as the Gangtok district, which now bounds the Pakyong district in the northwest. In addition, the district is now bounded by the Kalimpong district of West Bengal, Bhutan, China and the Namchi district of Sikkim.
Makha is an important town lying on the bank of Teesta River in Gangtok district of Sikkim, India. Makha lies between Singtam and Dikchu.