Yuksom
Encyclopedia
Yuksom is a historical town in Geyzing
subdivision of West Sikkim
district in the Northeast Indian state of Sikkim
. It was the first capital of Sikkim established in 1642 AD by Phuntsog Namgyal
who was the first Chogyal
(temporal and religious king) of Sikkim. The coronation site of the first monarch of Sikkim is known as the "Throne of Norbugang". Yuksom is where there is the Norbugang Chorten near the Norbugang throne, the place Namgyal was crowned and several monasteries and a lake. The dynastic rule of the Chogyals lasted for 333 years.
The Chogyal
established the first monastery at Yuksom in Sikkim known as the Dubdi Monastery
in 1701, which is part of Buddhist religious pilgrimage circuit involving the Norbugang Chorten
, Pemayangtse Monastery
, the Rabdentse
ruins, the Sanga Choeling Monastery
, the Khecheopalri Lake
, and the Tashiding Monastery
.
For the Bhutia
tribal community of Sikkim, Yuksom has special religious and cultural significance. It has a number of famous Buddhist monasteries and historical monuments. Being at the head of the Khangchendzonga National Park
and as the base camp for trekking to Mt. Khangchendzonga, it has large influx of mountaineers from all parts of the world. The village people, as stake holders in biodiversity preservation of the Rathong Chu valley, where the village is situated, have played a significant role in trendsetting and promotion of eco-tourism in the area. The inhabitants of this village have most successfully adopted promotion of ecotourism not only in the region but also for other similar areas in Sikkim. Yuksom is thus considered a model village for eco-tourism.
to the state from Tibet is as early as in the 9th century. In the struggle for power between the "Yellow hats" and the "Red hats
" in Tibet, the latter had migrated to Sikkim and converted the mild mannered Lepchas
(the aboriginal inhabitants) to Buddhism. In the 13th century, relations between Sikkim and Tibet were cemented by a "Brother hood treaty" signed between the Lepcha chief Thekong-thek and Tibetan prince Khe-Bhumsa at Kavi, in north Sikkim.
In 1641, Lama Lutsum Chembo travelled from Tibet to Denjong (meaning hidden country) now known as Sikkim to propagate the Buddhist religion. He was then joined by two other lamas, Sempa Chembo and Rinzing Chembo. The trinity of the most revered Lama
s belonged to the Kham district
in Tibet. Their primary aim was to perpetuate Tibetan hold on Sikkim and with a mission to propagate Buddhism in Sikkim. They assembled from different directions at Norbugang, later came to be known as Yuksom. The area in Rathong chu valley at Narbugong was considered as blessed by Guru Padma Sambhava (Guru Rim-bo-che). Since the vision of Saint Padmasambhava (Guru Rim-bo-che) had predicted the essentiality of a fourth person for the purpose, the Lamas went in pursuit of the fourth person, as the three lamas represented three directions of North, South and West in Tibet. According to legend, Guru Rinpoche, the 9th century Buddhist saint had also foretold the event that a Phuntsog from the east would be the next chogyal of Sikkim. In 1642, the three lamas went in search of the chosen person in the eastern region. Near the present day Gangtok
, they found a man churning milk. He offered them some refreshments and gave them shelter. So impressed were they by his deeds that they realised that he was a chosen one. They also identified Phunstsog Namgyal's ancestral royal links with Tibet and decided that he was the right person to become the temporal and religious head of the region, and then they brought him to Yuksom. They then crowned him at Norbugang near Yuksom as the temporal and religious king of Sikkim, with the title of “Chogyal”. The crowning took place at Norbugang on a pedestal set in stones, in a pine-covered hill, and he was anointed by sprinkling water from a sacred urn. At that time he was 38 years of age. He was a fifth generation descendant of Guru Tashi
, a 13th century prince from the Mi-nyak House in Kham
in Eastern Tibet
.
Thereafter, the dynastic rule of Chogyals, propagation of the Buddhist religion and building of monasteries and chortens took firm roots in Sikkim. The Namgyal monarchy of 12 kings lasted from 1642 till 1975 (333 years). Tibetan Mahayana Buddhism known as Vajrayana
sect was introduced, which ultimately was recognized as the state religion of Sikkim.
The climate in Yuksom, which is located at a moderate altitude, is pleasant from March to June and September to November, while in the winter season, the coldest months are December and February.
The natural environmental setting of the town, ensconced amidst rich forests are further accentuated by the history, architecture and Buddhist legacy that evolved from the 17th century with Yuksom's establishment as the first capital of Sikkim. Situated at the head of Khangchenjunga National Park, the largest Protected Area in Sikkim, and at starting gate for the trekking trail to Mt. Khangchendzonga, Yuksom and its hills was named in the past as Ney-Pemathang for its beautiful landscape. The forest cover in the hills consist of broad-leaved oak
, birch
, maple
, chestnut
, magnolia
, rhododendron
, silver fir
, ash
and alder
, which compliment the epithet of "biodiversity hot-spot" given to Sikkim.
tribes to Buddhism
and set about expanding his kingdom up to the Chumbi Valley
in Tibet, parts of modern day Darjeeling in the south, and parts of eastern Nepal
. In this effort the three lamas also lent full support to him.
Phuntsog moved his capital to Yuksom and instituted the first centralised administration. The kingdom was divided into twelve Dzongs or districts under a Lepcha
Dzongpon (governor) who headed a council of twelve ministers. During his reign Buddhism was consolidated as the established religion in Sikkim. He was succeeded by his son, Tensun Namgyal in 1670. However, the importance of Yuksum as capital ended when in 1670, Phuntsok Namgyal’s son Tensung Namgyal, shifted the capital to Rabdentse
.
At present, Yuksam is a heritage village in the Geyzing subdivision of West District of Sikkim. It is now an important tourist destination. It is also the starting point of the popular trek to Goechala (via Dzongri). It is the base camp of Himalayan Mountaineering Institute for treks to Mt. Khangchendzonga.
ese constitute major communities, with the Bhutia community being the dominant ethnic group. However, the service and the trading sectors are dominated by people from the plains.
The village has well established primary and secondary schools. There are three primary schools, one junior school and a senior secondary school. Basic amenities of primary health, potable drinking water, gas and electric supply, post and telegraph office are all well established. To meet the increasing tourist inflow, infrastructure facilities such as hotels guest houses and transportation have also developed, although with attendant concerns of effect on biodiversity and ecological preservation. The environment awareness level is also very high among the village community so much so that the village is now at the core of social activists. They keep a close watch on the environmental and economic conditions in the village.
The Yuksom-Dzongri trek is a popular high altitude trek along the Rathong Chu River in West Sikkim. The trek passes through dense forests, alpine lakes and terminates at the Khangchendzonga. An ecotourism impact study of this route has been carried out jointly by the Forest Department, the Mountain Institute and the Khangchendzonga Conservation Committee (KCC), which is based in Yuksom. Considering that this route has recorded large number of visitors (mostly from England
, USA, Germany
, France
, Australia
, Netherlands
and Switzerland
) in the period between 1990 and 2005 (more than doubled in this period of 15 years), two main trekking seasons of March to May and September to November with October being the peak month have been noted. However, the winter months of January and February are the lean months. Based on this study, innovative additional trek routes have been planned to encourage ecotourism all through the year. The additional packages suggested are the "Monsoon Magic” Alpine Treks and Subtropical Winter Treks, which would promote ecotourism economy with due consideration of the carrying capacity of the region.
Geyzing
Gyalshing or Geyzing is the capital of the district of West Sikkim in the Indian state of Sikkim. The town is connected to the capital Gangtok by a metalled road. Geyzing is also connected to the West Bengal towns of Darjeeling and Kalimpong via Jorethang. A few kilometres north is the town of...
subdivision of West Sikkim
West Sikkim
West Sikkim is a district of theIndian state of Sikkim. Its capital is Geyzing, also known as Gyalshing. The district is a favourite with trekkers due to the high elevations. Other important towns include Pelling and Jorethang.-History:...
district in the Northeast Indian state of Sikkim
Sikkim
Sikkim is a landlocked Indian state nestled in the Himalayan mountains...
. It was the first capital of Sikkim established in 1642 AD by Phuntsog Namgyal
Phuntsog Namgyal
Phuntsog Namgyal was the first chogyal of Sikkim, now an Indian state. He consecrated in 1642 at the age of 38. Phuntsog was a fifth generation descendant of Guru Tashi, a 13th century prince from the Mi-nyak House in Kham in Eastern Tibet.According to legend, Guru Rinpoche, a 9th century...
who was the first Chogyal
Chogyal
The Chogyal were the monarchs of the former kingdoms of Sikkim and Ladakh, which were ruled by separate branches of the Namgyal family. The Chogyal, or divine ruler, was the absolute potentate of Sikkim from 1642 to 1975, when its monarchy was abrogated and its people voted to make Sikkim India's...
(temporal and religious king) of Sikkim. The coronation site of the first monarch of Sikkim is known as the "Throne of Norbugang". Yuksom is where there is the Norbugang Chorten near the Norbugang throne, the place Namgyal was crowned and several monasteries and a lake. The dynastic rule of the Chogyals lasted for 333 years.
The Chogyal
Chogyal
The Chogyal were the monarchs of the former kingdoms of Sikkim and Ladakh, which were ruled by separate branches of the Namgyal family. The Chogyal, or divine ruler, was the absolute potentate of Sikkim from 1642 to 1975, when its monarchy was abrogated and its people voted to make Sikkim India's...
established the first monastery at Yuksom in Sikkim known as the Dubdi Monastery
Dubdi Monastery
Dubdi Monastery, occasionally called Yuksom Monastery is a Buddhist monastery of the Nyingma sect of Tibetan Buddhism near Yuksom, in the Geyzing subdivision of West Sikkim district, in northeastern India....
in 1701, which is part of Buddhist religious pilgrimage circuit involving the Norbugang Chorten
Norbugang Chorten
The Norbugang Chorten is situated in the Geyzing subdivision of West Sikkim district in the Indian State of Sikkim. It was erected following the crowning of the first Chogyal of Sikkim in 1642 at Narbugong Coronation Throne near Yuksom. A holy lake known as Kuthok Lake, a serene lake, is also...
, Pemayangtse Monastery
Pemayangtse Monastery
The Pemayangtse Monastery is a Buddhist monastery in Pemayangtse, near Pelling in the northeastern Indian state of Sikkim, located west of Gangtok. Planned, designed and founded by Lama Lhatsun Chempo in 1705, it is one of the oldest and premier monasteries of Sikkim. It is not only one of the...
, the Rabdentse
Rabdentse
Rabdentse was the second capital of the former kingdom of Sikkim from 1670 to 1814. The capital city was destroyed by the invading Nepalese army and only the ruins of the palace and the chortens are seen here now...
ruins, the Sanga Choeling Monastery
Sanga Choeling Monastery
The Sanga Choeling Monastery, also spelt Sange Choeling Monastery, established in the 17th century by Lama Lhatsun Chempo, is one of the oldest monasteries in the Northeast Indian state of Sikkim. The literal meaning of Sanga Choeling is the “island of esoteric teaching”...
, the Khecheopalri Lake
Khecheopalri Lake
Khecheopalri Lake, originally known as Kha-Chot-Palri , is a sacred Lake for both Buddhists and Hindus, which is believed to be a wish fulfilling lake. It is located near Khecheopalri village, west of Gangtok and to the northwest of Pelling town in the West Sikkim district of the Northeastern...
, and the Tashiding Monastery
Tashiding Monastery
Tashiding Monastery is a Buddhist monastery of the Nyingma sect of Tibetan Buddhism in Western Sikkim, northeastern India. It is located on top of the hill rising between the Rathong chu and the Rangeet River, from Gyalshing and to the south east of Yuksam meaning Yuk-Lamas, Sam- Three in Lepcha...
.
For the Bhutia
Bhutia
The Bhutia are ethnic Tibetans who speak Sikkimese, a Tibetan dialect fairly mutually intelligible to standard Tibetan. In 2001, the Bhutia numbered around 70,300...
tribal community of Sikkim, Yuksom has special religious and cultural significance. It has a number of famous Buddhist monasteries and historical monuments. Being at the head of the Khangchendzonga National Park
Khangchendzonga National Park
Khangchendzonga National Park also Kanchenjunga Biosphere Reserve is a National Park and a Biosphere reserve located in North Sikkim district in the Indian state of Sikkim....
and as the base camp for trekking to Mt. Khangchendzonga, it has large influx of mountaineers from all parts of the world. The village people, as stake holders in biodiversity preservation of the Rathong Chu valley, where the village is situated, have played a significant role in trendsetting and promotion of eco-tourism in the area. The inhabitants of this village have most successfully adopted promotion of ecotourism not only in the region but also for other similar areas in Sikkim. Yuksom is thus considered a model village for eco-tourism.
Etymology
Yuksom literally means the “meeting place of the three learned monks” as three monks who came from Tibet selected Phuntsog Namgyal as the first King of Sikkim and gave him the title Chogyal. 'Chogyal' means “Religious King” or “the king who rules with righteousness”. Yuksom is also one of the sacred landscape "Demazong" (meaning a valley of rice) of four religious sites blessed by Guru Padmasambhava, which are considered to be the four plexuses of the human body, and Yuksom symbolically represents the 'third eye'.History
History of introduction of BuddhismBuddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
to the state from Tibet is as early as in the 9th century. In the struggle for power between the "Yellow hats" and the "Red hats
Tibetan Buddhism
Tibetan Buddhism is the body of Buddhist religious doctrine and institutions characteristic of Tibet and certain regions of the Himalayas, including northern Nepal, Bhutan, and India . It is the state religion of Bhutan...
" in Tibet, the latter had migrated to Sikkim and converted the mild mannered Lepchas
Lepcha people
The Lepcha or Róng people , also called Róngkup , Mútuncí Róngkup Rumkup , and Rongpa , are the aboriginal people of Sikkim, who number between 30,000 and 50,000...
(the aboriginal inhabitants) to Buddhism. In the 13th century, relations between Sikkim and Tibet were cemented by a "Brother hood treaty" signed between the Lepcha chief Thekong-thek and Tibetan prince Khe-Bhumsa at Kavi, in north Sikkim.
In 1641, Lama Lutsum Chembo travelled from Tibet to Denjong (meaning hidden country) now known as Sikkim to propagate the Buddhist religion. He was then joined by two other lamas, Sempa Chembo and Rinzing Chembo. The trinity of the most revered Lama
Lama
Lama is a title for a Tibetan teacher of the Dharma. The name is similar to the Sanskrit term guru .Historically, the term was used for venerated spiritual masters or heads of monasteries...
s belonged to the Kham district
Kham District
Kham is a district of Xiangkhouang Province in northern-central Laos....
in Tibet. Their primary aim was to perpetuate Tibetan hold on Sikkim and with a mission to propagate Buddhism in Sikkim. They assembled from different directions at Norbugang, later came to be known as Yuksom. The area in Rathong chu valley at Narbugong was considered as blessed by Guru Padma Sambhava (Guru Rim-bo-che). Since the vision of Saint Padmasambhava (Guru Rim-bo-che) had predicted the essentiality of a fourth person for the purpose, the Lamas went in pursuit of the fourth person, as the three lamas represented three directions of North, South and West in Tibet. According to legend, Guru Rinpoche, the 9th century Buddhist saint had also foretold the event that a Phuntsog from the east would be the next chogyal of Sikkim. In 1642, the three lamas went in search of the chosen person in the eastern region. Near the present day Gangtok
Gangtok
Gangtok is the capital and largest town of the Indian state of Sikkim. Gangtok is located in the Shivalik Hills of the eastern Himalayan range, at an altitude of . The town, with a population of thirty thousand belonging to different ethnicities such as Nepalis, Lepchas and Bhutia, is administered...
, they found a man churning milk. He offered them some refreshments and gave them shelter. So impressed were they by his deeds that they realised that he was a chosen one. They also identified Phunstsog Namgyal's ancestral royal links with Tibet and decided that he was the right person to become the temporal and religious head of the region, and then they brought him to Yuksom. They then crowned him at Norbugang near Yuksom as the temporal and religious king of Sikkim, with the title of “Chogyal”. The crowning took place at Norbugang on a pedestal set in stones, in a pine-covered hill, and he was anointed by sprinkling water from a sacred urn. At that time he was 38 years of age. He was a fifth generation descendant of Guru Tashi
Guru Tashi
Guru Tashi was a 13th century prince from the Minyak House of the Kham region of Eastern Tibet. According to legend, he had a divine revelation one night instructing him to travel south to seek his fortunes....
, a 13th century prince from the Mi-nyak House in Kham
Kham
Kham , is a historical region covering a land area largely divided between present-day Tibetan Autonomous Region and Sichuan province, with smaller portions located within Qinghai, Gansu and Yunnan provinces of China. During the Republic of China's rule over mainland China , most of the region was...
in Eastern Tibet
Tibet
Tibet is a plateau region in Asia, north-east of the Himalayas. It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people as well as some other ethnic groups such as Monpas, Qiang, and Lhobas, and is now also inhabited by considerable numbers of Han and Hui people...
.
Thereafter, the dynastic rule of Chogyals, propagation of the Buddhist religion and building of monasteries and chortens took firm roots in Sikkim. The Namgyal monarchy of 12 kings lasted from 1642 till 1975 (333 years). Tibetan Mahayana Buddhism known as Vajrayana
Vajrayana
Vajrayāna Buddhism is also known as Tantric Buddhism, Tantrayāna, Mantrayāna, Secret Mantra, Esoteric Buddhism and the Diamond Vehicle...
sect was introduced, which ultimately was recognized as the state religion of Sikkim.
Geography and environment
Yuksom is a large village with a total area of 812.16 hectares (2,006.9 acre). It is located in a basin-like valley surrounded by mountain ranges. Located at the head of the Khangchendzonga National Park, it is the gateway to Mt. Khangchendzonga. The popular mountaineering trek starts from Yuksom. It is well connected by a road network with Geyzing and Gangtok.The climate in Yuksom, which is located at a moderate altitude, is pleasant from March to June and September to November, while in the winter season, the coldest months are December and February.
The natural environmental setting of the town, ensconced amidst rich forests are further accentuated by the history, architecture and Buddhist legacy that evolved from the 17th century with Yuksom's establishment as the first capital of Sikkim. Situated at the head of Khangchenjunga National Park, the largest Protected Area in Sikkim, and at starting gate for the trekking trail to Mt. Khangchendzonga, Yuksom and its hills was named in the past as Ney-Pemathang for its beautiful landscape. The forest cover in the hills consist of broad-leaved oak
Oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
, birch
Birch
Birch is a tree or shrub of the genus Betula , in the family Betulaceae, closely related to the beech/oak family, Fagaceae. The Betula genus contains 30–60 known taxa...
, maple
Maple
Acer is a genus of trees or shrubs commonly known as maple.Maples are variously classified in a family of their own, the Aceraceae, or together with the Hippocastanaceae included in the family Sapindaceae. Modern classifications, including the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group system, favour inclusion in...
, chestnut
Chestnut
Chestnut , some species called chinkapin or chinquapin, is a genus of eight or nine species of deciduous trees and shrubs in the beech family Fagaceae, native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. The name also refers to the edible nuts they produce.-Species:The chestnut belongs to the...
, magnolia
Magnolia
Magnolia is a large genus of about 210 flowering plant species in the subfamily Magnolioideae of the family Magnoliaceae. It is named after French botanist Pierre Magnol....
, rhododendron
Rhododendron
Rhododendron is a genus of over 1 000 species of woody plants in the heath family, most with showy flowers...
, silver fir
Silver Fir
Abies alba, commonly known as the European silver fir, is a fir native to the mountains of Europe, from the Pyrenees north to Normandy, east to the Alps and the Carpathians, and south to southern Italy and northern Serbia.-Description:...
, ash
Ash tree
Fraxinus is a genus flowering plants in the olive and lilac family, Oleaceae. It contains 45-65 species of usually medium to large trees, mostly deciduous though a few subtropical species are evergreen. The tree's common English name, ash, goes back to the Old English æsc, while the generic name...
and alder
Alder
Alder is the common name of a genus of flowering plants belonging to the birch family . The genus comprises about 30 species of monoecious trees and shrubs, few reaching large size, distributed throughout the North Temperate Zone and in the Americas along the Andes southwards to...
, which compliment the epithet of "biodiversity hot-spot" given to Sikkim.
Administration
The first act that Phuntsog initiated after becoming the King was the conversion of the local LepchaLepcha people
The Lepcha or Róng people , also called Róngkup , Mútuncí Róngkup Rumkup , and Rongpa , are the aboriginal people of Sikkim, who number between 30,000 and 50,000...
tribes to Buddhism
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
and set about expanding his kingdom up to the Chumbi Valley
Chumbi Valley
Chumbi Valley is a valley in Tibet at the intersection of India , Bhutan and China in the Himalayas. Two main passes between India and China open up here: the Nathu La Pass and Jelep La Pass....
in Tibet, parts of modern day Darjeeling in the south, and parts of eastern Nepal
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
. In this effort the three lamas also lent full support to him.
Phuntsog moved his capital to Yuksom and instituted the first centralised administration. The kingdom was divided into twelve Dzongs or districts under a Lepcha
Lepcha people
The Lepcha or Róng people , also called Róngkup , Mútuncí Róngkup Rumkup , and Rongpa , are the aboriginal people of Sikkim, who number between 30,000 and 50,000...
Dzongpon (governor) who headed a council of twelve ministers. During his reign Buddhism was consolidated as the established religion in Sikkim. He was succeeded by his son, Tensun Namgyal in 1670. However, the importance of Yuksum as capital ended when in 1670, Phuntsok Namgyal’s son Tensung Namgyal, shifted the capital to Rabdentse
Rabdentse
Rabdentse was the second capital of the former kingdom of Sikkim from 1670 to 1814. The capital city was destroyed by the invading Nepalese army and only the ruins of the palace and the chortens are seen here now...
.
At present, Yuksam is a heritage village in the Geyzing subdivision of West District of Sikkim. It is now an important tourist destination. It is also the starting point of the popular trek to Goechala (via Dzongri). It is the base camp of Himalayan Mountaineering Institute for treks to Mt. Khangchendzonga.
Demographics
Yuksom is a well established village; according to 2001 census, there are 364 households in the village inhabited by 1,951 persons. However, the visiting population of tourists far exceeds the permanent population as it is on the trekking route and is also as a religious centre for Buddhists. In the village, the Bhutias and the NepalNepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
ese constitute major communities, with the Bhutia community being the dominant ethnic group. However, the service and the trading sectors are dominated by people from the plains.
Economy and facilities
With the Himalayan trekking to Khangchendzonga mountain and the Khangchendzonga National Park, centred in the Yuksom town as the base camp, the economy of the town has now become tourism centric. Consequently, the Khangchendzonga Conservation Committee (KCC) located at Yuksom, with the village community as the stakeholders, with Forest Department acting as the chief coordinating agency, have planned several innovative programmes to promote ecotourism, concurrent with encouragement of local handicrafts.The village has well established primary and secondary schools. There are three primary schools, one junior school and a senior secondary school. Basic amenities of primary health, potable drinking water, gas and electric supply, post and telegraph office are all well established. To meet the increasing tourist inflow, infrastructure facilities such as hotels guest houses and transportation have also developed, although with attendant concerns of effect on biodiversity and ecological preservation. The environment awareness level is also very high among the village community so much so that the village is now at the core of social activists. They keep a close watch on the environmental and economic conditions in the village.
The Yuksom-Dzongri trek is a popular high altitude trek along the Rathong Chu River in West Sikkim. The trek passes through dense forests, alpine lakes and terminates at the Khangchendzonga. An ecotourism impact study of this route has been carried out jointly by the Forest Department, the Mountain Institute and the Khangchendzonga Conservation Committee (KCC), which is based in Yuksom. Considering that this route has recorded large number of visitors (mostly from England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, USA, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
and Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
) in the period between 1990 and 2005 (more than doubled in this period of 15 years), two main trekking seasons of March to May and September to November with October being the peak month have been noted. However, the winter months of January and February are the lean months. Based on this study, innovative additional trek routes have been planned to encourage ecotourism all through the year. The additional packages suggested are the "Monsoon Magic” Alpine Treks and Subtropical Winter Treks, which would promote ecotourism economy with due consideration of the carrying capacity of the region.