Dzuluk or Zuluk is a small village which is located at a height of around 10,000 feet (3,000 m) on the uneven territory of the lower Himalayas in East Sikkim . Dzuluk is fast emerging as an offbeat destinations in East Sikkim which offers mesmerising views of the entire Kanchenjunga range, and is undoubtedly considered as one of the greatest tourist attractions in Zuluk.
Zuluk Village once served as a transit point to the historic Silk Route from Tibet to India. This small village has a population of around 700 people. There is also an Indian Army base at Zuluk, which was used as a transit camp for the army movement to the Chinese border, a few kilometres away. The route was in use even a few decades ago until the 1959 Chinese crackdown in Tibet. The route is commonly used by traders traveling to Tibet through Jelep La (“La” stands for mountain pass) as an overnight base. The route started from Kalimpong and passed through Pedong Aritar Dzuluk and Jelep La to Chumbi Valley in Tibet .
Zuluk is known to be the very first village offering home-stay facilities for tourists within this whole Silk Route circuit. Also about 14 kms away from Zuluk, the Thambi View Point is located which offers a panoramic view of the entire Kanchenjunga .
Surrounded by the greenery of the wild forest ,there are also reports of sightings of Deer, Wild Dog, Himalayan Bear the red panda and also tigers in the area of Dzuluk.
however not just animals , a variety of birds are sighted including Blood Pheasant, Himalayan monal, Kalij pheasant, Snow Pheasant and others .In summer, the entire area with its surrounding hills are colourfully covered with thousands of blooming rhododendron.
The nearest points to reach Zuluk Village are Gangtok and Siliguri. However since Zuluk is located in the restricted area of East Sikkim, a special Inner Line Permit is required to reach Zuluk. Before travelling tourists are required to carry-
-Passport or Voter ID card for Adult
-Passport or Birth Certificate for Child (Below 18) along with one Photo ID card (School ID / Aadhar etc.)
-4 Copies of Passport Size of Photo
-Photocopies – 4 No. of the above documents
Remember before Travelling
- Although Zuluk offers pleasant weather during most of the year but it is advisable to carry warm woollen clothes, woollen mittens and gloves, cap etc. During the month of Dec to Feb, Zuluk has a very cold and heavy snowfall season. Do carry heavy woolen garments during winter.
- Do carry your water from Rongli, Pedong, or Siliguri. Plus it is always advisable to carry dry foods like biscuits, chips, dry fruits, fruits, etc.
- It is advisable to carry specific medicines as there are no pharmacy shops in Zuluk. Always carry a kit of the basic emergency medicines you might need for diarrhea, fever, etc., also band-aids and an antiseptic ointment. The nearest health facility /medicine shop is available at Rongli.
- Do carry cash for all your transactions .
- Data connectivity is also very poor in Zuluk. It is advisable to carry mobile phones from two different mobile service providers.
- Beware of leeches and walk carefully in the spots of Pine forest.
Weather in Zuluk
October to February — winter, cold and snow
March to May — cold
June to September — the monsoon season.
