What Zuluk is really like
Zuluk is a hamlet of perhaps 50 houses at 2,591 metres in East Sikkim, and it would be entirely unknown to the outside world except for one thing: the road. The Zuluk road climbs from the Teesta valley in 32 hairpin bends — you can look back from the higher loops and count the lower ones zigzagging impossibly below you. This is the Old Silk Route, the ancient trade highway between India and Tibet that carried salt, spices, wool and silk for centuries before the Nathu La Pass closed at the time of the 1962 war. Zuluk is the most famous point on a 3-day circuit that continues north through Lungthung, the Nathang valley plateau (3,738m), Kupup Elephant Lake (3,950m) and Baba Mandir Army shrine (4,310m). The entire circuit is through landscape that most Indian tourists have never seen — high-altitude grasslands, frozen lakes, traditional Bhutia villages, and military checkposts at the edge of the China border. The circuit requires an Inner Line Permit and must be done through a registered operator. The mountains are dramatic, the roads are extraordinary, and the crowds are thin.
Why travellers love Zuluk
The 32 hairpin bends
The Old Silk Route zigzags up the East Sikkim hillside in 32 tight hairpin bends, each visible from the one above. From Thambi Viewpoint at 3,150m you can see the full cascade of loops below you with the Teesta plains far beneath. India has dramatic mountain roads; this is among the most dramatic of all.
Nathang Valley plateau at 3,738m
Nathang is a vast, treeless alpine plateau at 3,738m — flat, silent, and immense. Yak herders camp here in summer. In October and November the plateau is often snow-covered, turning the landscape to white with the Kanchenjunga range on the horizon.
Kupup Elephant Lake
A glacial lake at 3,950m shaped like an elephant, fed by snowmelt and monsoon rains. Prayer flags encircle the shoreline. One of the highest accessible lakes in East Sikkim and a critical stopover for migratory birds.
The Silk Route and Baba Mandir
The Old Silk Route was the trading highway between British India and Tibet until the 1962 war. Zuluk, Lungthung and Nathang are living archaeology of that era — stone rest-houses, mule-trail bridges, and the famous Baba Mandir Army shrine at 4,310m where local tradition says a soldier's spirit still patrols the border.
Things to do in Zuluk
6 experiences our travellers ask for again and again
How long should you spend in Zuluk?
The standard Zuluk / Old Silk Route circuit is 2 nights (3 days). Night 1 in Zuluk, Day 2 full circuit to Nathang/Kupup/Baba Mandir and back, Night 2 in Zuluk (or descend). Three days covers everything at a reasonable pace. One night is tight — the Day 2 circuit is long and the stops are many.
Arrive Zuluk (Day 1 afternoon, 32 hairpin drive), Thambi Viewpoint dawn + full northern circuit to Nathang–Kupup–Baba Mandir–Lungthung (Day 2 full day), departure (Day 3 morning).
As above, plus a village walk in Zuluk, time at Gnathang Monastery, and the return route via Rongli for a different landscape on Day 3 before departure on Day 4.
Most popular routing: Gangtok 2 nights (Tsomgo, Nathula, Rumtek) → Zuluk 2 nights (Silk Route circuit) → return Gangtok. The landscapes are completely different — Gangtok's monastery circuit vs the remote high-altitude Silk Route.
Getting to Zuluk
Bagdogra Airport (IXB)
175 kmFly Bagdogra, transfer to Gangtok (3–4 hours). Zuluk is 90 km from Gangtok by road, taking 3–4 hours. The approach is via Rongli (70 km from Gangtok), then a 20 km climb up the famous hairpin road. All East Sikkim Old Silk Route travel must be arranged through a registered Sikkim tour operator with an Inner Line Permit.
New Jalpaiguri (NJP)
165 kmSame routing as Bagdogra. NJP to Gangtok 3–4 hours, then Gangtok to Zuluk 3–4 hours. Inner Line Permits for East Sikkim Old Silk Route must be processed in advance — minimum 2–3 days.
Driving in
NH10 from the plainsFrom Gangtok: 90 km, 3–4 hours via Rongli. Route: Gangtok → Singtam → Rongli → Zuluk. The Rongli–Zuluk stretch is the famous 32-hairpin climb — your first encounter with the Silk Route road is the drive in. From Siliguri: approximately 130 km, 5–6 hours.
All Silk Route sightseeing is by your permit vehicle. The Day 2 circuit (Thambi Viewpoint → Lungthung → Nathang → Kupup → Baba Mandir) covers approximately 60 km in a loop, taking 7–8 hours. Zuluk village itself is a 15-minute walk end to end. The terrain is completely unpaved above Nathang.
Hotels in Zuluk
Zuluk has around 8–10 small guesthouses and homestays. Standards are simple but acceptable — heated rooms, basic bathrooms, home-cooked food. The cold is real at night (down to 2–5°C in October). Electricity is available via generator; hot water is limited to bucket baths in some properties. Book in advance for October–November peak season.
All accommodation in Zuluk falls in this range. The guesthouses are family-run, blankets are provided (bring a sleeping bag liner), and the food is simple Nepali-Sikkimese home cooking. The difference between properties is mainly about the quality of the kitchen and the warmth of the heating.
Like North Sikkim, the Zuluk circuit is almost always sold as a package tour. Accommodation is pre-arranged and included. We carefully select guesthouses on food quality — on a circuit where breakfast is at 5:30 AM before Thambi Viewpoint dawn, a warm meal matters.
Where to eat in Zuluk
All eating happens at your guesthouse — there are no independent restaurants in Zuluk. The guesthouse kitchens are the whole food scene.
- Silk Route Retreat KitchenIncluded in package or ₹250–450 per meal
Best kitchen in Zuluk. Good thukpa, soft Tibetan bread, pork and bamboo shoot. The packed lunch for the Silk Route day circuit (usually rice, dal, vegetable and a hard-boiled egg) is better than it sounds at 3,700m in the cold.
- Zuluk Nature Camp KitchenIncluded in package or ₹200–400 per meal
Slightly more variety than most properties — the cook occasionally makes noodle dishes and Sikkimese sel roti for breakfast.
Shopping in Zuluk
No shopping in Zuluk. Stock up in Gangtok before coming — warm snacks, energy bars, warm drink sachets. The only thing resembling a shop is one small general store near the main guesthouse cluster.
General Store (1 shop)
Biscuits, instant noodles, bottled water, basic cold medicines and snacks. Limited stock — do not rely on it for anything specific.
When to visit Zuluk
The Silk Route is accessible April–November. Two distinct moods: spring (flowers, clear views) and autumn (snow-dusted plateaus, crystal air). Winter brings road closures above Nathang. Monsoon is passable but landslips are possible on the Rongli–Zuluk climb.
Best for the Silk Route. Post-monsoon clarity is exceptional. The Nathang plateau may have early snow by November, turning the landscape dramatically white with blue skies. Kanchenjunga views are at their clearest. This is when we recommend the Silk Route most strongly.
Spring. Rhododendrons bloom on the lower forested sections of the road. Views are still good before pre-monsoon haze. Recommended as a second-best option, particularly for those who also want to combine with Yumthang flowers.
Monsoon. The Silk Route is operational but the forested sections above Rongli can see landslips. Views into the valleys are cloud-covered. The high-altitude sections (Nathang, Kupup) are often wrapped in mist and the road surfaces can be treacherous. Not recommended.
Nathang and Kupup are typically snow-covered and inaccessible. The Rongli–Zuluk road may remain open but the full circuit is not possible. Only recommended for those specifically wanting a deep-winter Snow experience in the lower village areas.
Zuluk is a Bhutia-Nepali village, and the food reflects this: thukpa, momos, gundruk soup, rice and dal, occasional pork. The guesthouse kitchens are simple and good. Mornings start early on the Silk Route — Thambi Viewpoint at dawn means a 5:30 AM breakfast and a 6 AM departure. Guesthouses are used to this rhythm and will have hot food and tea ready for you. The evenings are quiet and genuinely dark (minimal light pollution) — the Milky Way is clearly visible on cloudless nights. There is no mobile data coverage in most of Zuluk — this is either a problem or a relief depending on your relationship with your phone.
Zuluk questions we get all the time
Combine Zuluk with
Towns that pair naturally with Zuluk on the same trip.
More places in Zuluk
- ViewpointValleySacred LakeHeritageTempleMonastery