Zuluk travel guide

Zuluk (also spelt Dzuluk) is a small village in East Sikkim, at roughly 2,900 metres by Wikipedia's figure, on the old trade road that once carried goods from Kalimpong over the Jelep La towards Tibet. It was an overnight halt for traders and porters until the trade stopped after 1959 and the Indo-China conflict that followed. Some of those families stayed, and today the village is a handful of homestays, an army transit base and a road kept open by the Border Roads Organisation.

The reason to come is the road and the light. Above the village the road folds back on itself in a long stack of hairpin bends, often described as 32 turns, and Thambi View Point and Lungthung give the best outlooks over them and, on clear mornings, towards Kanchenjunga. Beyond lie Nathang Valley, the monastery and war memorial there, Kupup with Elephant Lake and the Yak Golf Course, and the shrine to Baba Harbhajan Singh.

This is a trip with conditions. The area is close to the border, and sources describe a Protected Area Permit for Indian nationals only, issued at Rongli; rules and offices change, so confirm them before you set out. The altitude, cold and simple homestay rooms are real constraints, and winter snow can close the road. Spring and autumn are the sensible seasons. Gangtok already has its own Raahzo guide, and Zuluk works best as a two-night extension rather than a day trip from there.

For older travellers it is possible but not easy. Spend a night at lower altitude first (Aritar or Rongli are gentle), keep days short, and take medical advice if you have heart, lung or blood-pressure issues. With that done, the slow, quiet pace is a large part of the appeal.