Get picked up from NJP station and drive into the Sikkim hills toward Sillerygaon — a quiet village at around 6,000 feet with Kanchenjunga views and a mountain stillness that sets the tone for the Silk Route Women-Only Group Tour immediately. The drive passes through the beautiful natural scenery of Silent Valley and the small settlement of Algara on the way up. Arrive, check in, and let the hills do the rest.
Day 02 :
Sillerygaon to Zuluk
Start early for a walk up to the Damsang Fort before breakfast — a short uphill walk to an old fortification with wide views and a quiet sense of history that is worth every step. After breakfast, drive toward Zuluk via the Vinayak Temple, the busy Rongli Market, the Quekhola Waterfalls, and the pine forests of Lingtham and Nimachen — each stop adding another layer to the Silk Route story before arriving in Zuluk for the night.
Day 03 :
Zuluk to Rishikhola
This is the day the Silk Route earns its reputation. Drive up through the famous Zuluk Zigzag Road and Dzuluk Village to the Thambi Viewpoint — where the entire sequence of hairpin bends is visible at once below you. Continue through Tukla Valley, the Eagle Nest Bunker, the old Golf Course plateau, and Laxman Chalk before dropping into the wide, treeless expanse of Gnathang Valley at over 13,000 feet. Visit Kupup Lake and the Old Baba Mandir near the Tibetan border before descending to Rishikhola for the night.
Day 4 :
Rishikhola to drop at NJP
Drive from Rishikhola back toward NJP with stops at Aritar Lake — a peaceful hillside lake set in the lower Sikkim forest — and the Mankhim Monastery and Mankhim View Point, which gives some of the widest panoramic views of the lower Silk Route valley. Drop at NJP station to complete the circuit.
Overview & Route
Silk Route Women-Only Group Tour 3 Nights 4 Days — East Sikkim January 2027 Departure
The Silk Route Women-Only Group Tour 3 Nights 4 Days is a January 2027 departure for women travelling the ancient East Sikkim trade corridor — from the village homestay at Sillerygaon to the dramatic Zuluk Zigzag Road, the high-altitude plateau of Gnathang Valley, the sacred Old Baba Mandir, and the quiet lakeside return via Aritar and Mankhim.
The Silk Route in East Sikkim is one of the finest offbeat road journeys in the Indian Himalayas. It follows the ancient trade path that connected the Indian subcontinent to Tibet and China through high mountain passes, and the landscape along the route — river valleys, pine forests, monastery towns, open plateaus, glacial lakes — shifts dramatically as the altitude climbs.
Why the Silk Route Women-Only Group Tour Is the Best East Sikkim Trip for Women
The Silk Route is not a typical hill station holiday. It is a mountain road journey through restricted terrain that requires an Inner Line Permit, takes you close to the Tibetan border, and passes through some of the most dramatic and least commercialised landscapes in the eastern Himalayas.
For women travelling together in a group with a trusted trip lead, it is one of the most rewarding and genuinely adventurous trips available from NJP — without requiring any trekking, extreme fitness, or prior mountain experience.
Who Is This Trip Designed For
This Silk Route Women-Only Group Tour 3 Nights 4 Days departing 29 January 2027 is for women who want more than a standard hill station holiday. Solo travellers joining as individuals and small groups of friends are both welcome. The January departure hits the Silk Route in peak winter — the high passes carry snow, the air is cold and clear, and the landscape at Gnathang Valley and Kupup is at its most dramatic.
One lady trip lead accompanies the group throughout — a curated, supported experience from pickup to drop.
Every Stop on the Silk Route Women-Only Group Tour 3 Nights 4 Days
Sillerygaon — First Night in the Sikkim Hills
Sillerygaon is a small village at around 6,000 feet with direct Kanchenjunga views on clear mornings and the kind of quiet that is immediately noticeable after the drive up from the NJP plains. The Silent Valley and Algara stops on the way add a gentle scenic introduction before the bigger mountain drives ahead.
It is a deliberate first night — comfortable, calm, and positioned at the right altitude to begin the Silk Route climb the next morning without rushing.
Damsang Fort, Rongli, and the Drive to Zuluk
The Damsang Fort walk before breakfast on Day 2 is one of the most distinctive early morning stops on any East Sikkim itinerary. The fort is a short uphill walk from Sillerygaon and dates to the Chogyal era of Sikkim’s history — a low stone fortification with wide views that rewards the pre-breakfast effort.
The drive to Zuluk passes through the Vinayak Temple, the Rongli Market — a small trading town with a history as part of the old Silk Route corridor — and the Quekhola Waterfalls, which tumble down the hillside beside the road before the landscape opens into the Lingtham and Nimachen pine forests.
Zuluk Zigzag Road and Thambi Viewpoint
The Zuluk Zigzag Road is the defining image of the East Sikkim Silk Route — 32 consecutive hairpin bends stacked one above the other on the mountainside, visible all at once from the Thambi Viewpoint above. In January, some of the bends carry snow and the surrounding peaks are white, making the view even more dramatic than it is in the warmer months.
Dzuluk Village sits among these hairpin bends — a small settlement of stone and wood buildings that has existed on this trade route for generations.
Gnathang Valley, Kupup Lake, and Old Baba Mandir
Gnathang Valley at over 13,000 feet is the high point of the Silk Route Women-Only Group Tour 3 Nights 4 Days — literally and experientially. The valley is wide, flat, and treeless at this altitude, with snow-covered peaks rising on every side and a sky that feels noticeably closer than at lower elevations.
Kupup Lake, also called Biddya Lake, sits near the Tibetan border and is often partially frozen in January. The Old Baba Mandir nearby is a military shrine dedicated to a soldier whose spirit is believed to protect the area — a sacred and atmospheric stop that every group on the Silk Route visits with quiet respect.
The Eagle Nest Bunker, the old Golf Course plateau, and Laxman Chalk are additional stops on this remarkable day, each adding a different texture to the high-altitude circuit.
Rishikhola is a beautiful riverside village where the Rishikhola River flows through a forested valley — a calm and restful overnight stop after the intensity of the Gnathang and Kupup day. The morning at Aritar Lake and the Mankhim Monastery on Day 4 brings the journey back down through the lower Sikkim hills with wide views and a gentle close to the circuit.
What Is Included in the Silk Route Women-Only Group Tour
The package includes 3 nights in deluxe hotels and homestays on triple or quad sharing basis, daily breakfast and dinner, private vehicle for all transfers and sightseeing, driver allowances, fuel, toll, and parking, free travel insurance, a dedicated lady trip lead, and a toiletries and dental kit.
Note that an Inner Line Permit for East Sikkim is required for this tour and will be arranged as part of the package. Entry fees, camera fees, and all activities are at your own cost.
For a longer East Sikkim journey, see our [Silk Route with Gangtok Women’s Tour] which extends the circuit to include Gangtok and MG Marg on the return.
Why Book This Silk Route January Women’s Departure
The Silk Route in January is cold, clear, and extraordinarily beautiful — the snow on the Zigzag Road, the frozen Kupup Lake, and the wide open Gnathang Valley in winter light make it one of the most rewarding East Sikkim windows of the year. The Silk Route Women-Only Group Tour 3 Nights 4 Days departing 29 January 2027 is a supported, safe, and well-curated way for women to experience one of the Himalayas’ most dramatic road journeys.
Route: NJP Railway Station → Sillerygaon → Zuluk → Rishikhola → NJP Railway Station
Highlights
Departure: 29 January 2027 from Guwahati
Drive the famous Zuluk Zigzag Road — 32 hairpin bends visible at once from Thambi Viewpoint
Stand in Gnathang Valley at over 13,000 feet surrounded by snow-covered Himalayan peaks
Visit Kupup Lake near the Tibetan border — partially frozen in January
Pay respects at the Old Baba Mandir, a sacred military shrine on the Silk Route
Early morning walk to the historic Damsang Fort before breakfast in Sillerygaon
Drive through the pine forests of Lingtham and Nimachen on the climb to Zuluk
Stop at Quekhola Waterfalls and the Rongli Market on the Silk Route drive
Relax by the Rishikhola River on the overnight stop before the return
Visit Aritar Lake and the Mankhim Monastery on the final day
Women-only group with a dedicated lady trip lead throughout
Inclusions / Exclusions
Package Includes
3 nights in deluxe hotels and homestays on triple or quad sharing basis
Daily breakfast and dinner
Private vehicle for all transfers and sightseeing as per the itinerary
Driver allowances, fuel charges, toll tax, and parking
Inner Line Permit for East Sikkim
Free travel insurance
One dedicated lady trip lead throughout the trip
Toiletries and dental kit
Package Excludes
Air or train fare to and from Kolkata
Tips for drivers and hotel staff
Laundry
All entry fees and camera fees at any attraction
River rafting, paragliding, ropeway, bonfire, BBQ, and any other activities payable on the day
Personal expenses of any kind
Anything not mentioned under inclusions
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. An Inner Line Permit is required for East Sikkim, including the Zuluk, Gnathang Valley, and Kupup areas. The permit is included in this package and arranged by the tour operator before departure. You do not need to apply separately.
January is a beautiful but cold time on the Silk Route. The roads are generally accessible though snow can affect some sections near Gnathang and Kupup. Your driver and trip lead monitor road conditions and plan accordingly. The views in January — with snow on the Zigzag Road and a partially frozen Kupup Lake — are among the most dramatic of any season.
Gnathang Valley, also called Nathang Valley, is a wide high-altitude plateau in East Sikkim at around 13,000 feet. It is treeless, flat, and ringed by snow-covered peaks — a landscape that feels completely unlike the forested lower Sikkim hills. It is one of the most photographed and talked-about stops on the entire Silk Route.
Yes. The tour involves long drives rather than trekking, and the route is well-established with good vehicle access. The early morning Damsang Fort walk is the only walk of any note. First-time Sikkim travellers consistently find the Silk Route one of the most rewarding introductions to the eastern Himalayas.
January on the Silk Route is genuinely cold — Gnathang Valley and Kupup can drop well below freezing. Pack heavy thermals, a good down jacket, warm gloves, a woolen cap, and windproof layers. Comfortable shoes with grip are important for the Damsang Fort morning walk. Hand warmers are a useful addition for the high-altitude stops.
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