Dzongu
Dzongu, the special Lepcha reserve, lies in the North District of Sikkim amidst deep valleys and lush forests of the himalayas. An almost virgin territory with a scanty population of Sikkim's native inhabitants, it is a beautiful land of dense jungle groves and pristine glacial streams. There are numerous waterfalls cascading down steep cliffs and natural hot springs bubbling at the various creeks and caves. The area is remote yet easily accessed from the capital city of Gangtok.
Elevation ranges from1400 ft. to almost 20,000 ft higher up, and this has given way to an amazing diversity of plants and wildlife. It borders the Khangchendzonga National Park and Biosphere Reserve offering panoramic views of Mount Khangchendzonga (8,585m), the third highest summit in the world and the protective deity of Sikkim.
Home to the Lepchas, the original inhabitants of Sikkim, Dzongu was designated a special reserve for the Lepcha community since the 1960's when Sikkim was still a kingdom under Chogyal Palden Thondup Namgyal.
This is the last bastion of the Lepchas in Sikkim and possibly one of the few places where one could meet the local shamans referred to locally as the 'boongthing' who still practice the ancient animistic rituals. Sadly, this culture is fast disappearing with other more popular religions like Christianity and Buddhism taking over as the dominant religion.
