At an altitude of 3050 m (10007 ft) above mean sea level Zuluk is a small village with few houses in a valley on the way to the ancient Old Silk Route which connects to Tibet. Once upon a time traders used to come to India through this route crossing the border to sell silk products and thus the route got the name Silk Route. Zuluk is a nice stopover before moving towards higher altitude destinations like the beautiful Gnathang valley, the Thambi view point etc. During winter Zuluk gets good amount of snowfall. Not many tourists know about this place but if you are looking for a place in Sikkim where you can experience exotic views of the Himalayas which few people have seen then this is the destination you are looking for.
Activities
Sightseeing tour: You can go for local sightseeing tour to the various places of Interest in nearby areas. The full day tour program can be customized to meet your needs. Some of the places of Interest are Gnathang Valley, Thambi View Point, Lampokhari Lake, Elephant Lake, Old Baba Mandir etc.
Nature walk: You can go for soulful nature walk in and around the Zuluk village. Sitting on a rock and watching magnificent view of the snowcapped mountains can pass your day like a blink.
Places to Visit: Gnathang Valley, Thambi View Point, Lampokhari Lake, Elephant Lake, Old Baba Mandir, Shri Viswa Vinayaka Mandir etc.
Travel Guide
Weather
Zuluk falls in high altitude zone. The general temperature stays cold here throughout the year. During summer, mercury hardly crosses 20°C in daytime and during night it drops down to 8°C or even below. Zuluk gets a good amount of snowfall during winter and the average temperature stays 11°C. Monsoon has its own charm here and this area gets good amount of rainfall during rainy season.
Local Words
Generals greetings and words: Welcome greetings: Namas-tey, Yes: Hoon-chha, No: Ney-he, Little bit: Ali-kati, Thank you: Dhan-ya-baad, Road: Raas-taa, Shop/Store: Doo-kaan, Market: Baa-zar, Medicine: Daa-wai.
Food and Drinks: Hot water: Taa-to Paa-ni, Cold Water: Chee-so Paa-ni, Rice: Khaa-naa, Lentils:Daal, Vegetables: Sab-jee,
Emotions: Good (Food): Mee-tho, Not Good (food): Mee-tho chha-e-no, Good (Places, things): Daa-me, Not Good: (Place,things): Daa-me Chha-e-no.
Time: Morning/day: Bee-yan, Evening/night: Bel-ka.
Relationships: Elder-brother: Daa-joo, Brother: Bhaa-e, Elder Sister: Dee-Dee, Sister: Ba-hee-nee.
Getting here
The nearest airport name is Bagdogra airport (IXB). It is well connected with Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore and other metro cities of India.
The nearest railway station name is New Jalpaiguri Junction (NJP). It’s well connected with Delhi, Kolkata and other metro cities of India.
Zuluk is well connected by roads with Sikkim and rest of the India.
Permit
Indian tourists need a Protected Area Permit to visit this place. You can get the permit through a registered travel agency. Please note that Foreign tourists are not allowed to visit Zuluk as it’s close to border. For further query please contact us.
Custom
Sikkim is the second smallest state in India with least population. They have deep respect for each other. While visiting in any religious place please remove your footwear before entering into the main temple. While visiting any religious place it is advisable to wear modest clothes. People will happily pose for a picture but please ask them before taking any picture.
*Please note that in a Sikkimese tradition while a guest is leaving they offer Khada (scarf) to their guest as a sign of good luck. If they offer you such then please close your palms together to reply as a thank you gesture.
Safety
Sikkim is India’s one of the few states where the crime rate is very low. Not only towards tourists, people have deep respects for each other also. But for any safety concern, you can share your query with local police station (dial 100 only) or reach to the nearest tourist information center.
Health
Remember Zuluk falls within the high altitude zone. Upon arrival you might feel little headache or lightness in your head. To acclimatize in this situation you should take breath and keep drinking water. You won’t find any mosquitoes here in Zuluk. If you are allergic to plants and pollen then take precaution. The local hotels and restaurants serve safe drinking water but if you are not sure then you can buy packaged drinking water almost at every settlement.