Zuluk or Dzuluk is a small village located on a hilltop in east Sikkim at an altitude of 3000 meters (10000ft). It is known for its rugged terrain and extreme climate conditions. But it is a kingdom of peace and one ideal destination worth visiting when you are tired with your hectic city life. This little village with a population of only 700 people is primarily known for being the transit point of the Old Silk Route that connected Lhasa in Tibet to Kalimpong in India. The route was generally used by traders travelling to Tibet as their overnight base but has been closed down since the Chinese invasion.

Zuluk is now emerging as an attractive tourist destination due to its spectacular rugged landscape and almost deserted look with little settlements. The winters are severe and snowfall makes it a snow paradise, while summers and springtime, is a celebration of colors with wild flowers blooming and Rhododendron trees of different variety and hue. Sightseeing around Zuluk is an exciting activity and a 14 kms drive will take you to Thambi View Point through sharp winding roads to an altitude of 11,200 ft form where you can watch the sun rise over the famous Mt. Kanchenjunga and its other peaks. The glittering sun rays hitting the peak is a remarkable sight indeed.

Driving up further through the steep roads you can cover other places on the Silk Route like Lungthung at an altitude of 13,000 ft, Padamchen and Nathang. Continue to Kalpokhri Lake where you can visit the Adi Baba mandir, a holy shrine. Further you can drive to Kupup Lake, which is a base of the Indian army and is well-known for the highest golf course in the world at an altitude of 13,500 ft. Crossing Kupup you arrive at the Memenchu Lake, the source of the river Rangpo, is also known as Hati or Elephant Lake. It derives its name so as the contours of the lake looks like an elephant when viewed from the hills above.  This road further continues to the famous Tsongo Lake near Gangtok and other tourist spots in this area include the Tukla Valley. There is a war memorial constructed in memory of the battle of Tukla. The famous Jelep La pass can be visited from here, though special permits are required from the military, which are often arranged by the travel agencies. Zuluk has abundance of mountain forests which are still unexplored where one can find a variety of wild animals residing in their natural habitat peacefully. One can get a rare glimpse of variety of rare birds such as Monal Pheasant, Snow Pheasant, and Blood Pheasant along with other animals such as the Red Panda, Snow Leopard, and Himalayan Bears.

Due to the poor livelihood of the locals, there are no prominent hotels available for accommodation. But, homestay or small cottages arranged by the locals are comfortable and clean with basic amenities like delicious home-cooked food and plenty of blankets and also a heater to keep you warm. In every season Zuluk takes on a beautiful look, however the best time to visit this village would be just after the rainy season from September to November when it turns colorful with wild flowers. You can reach Zuluk from Bagdogra Airport or New Jalpaiguri Railway Station on an approx. 6 hours’ drive by road. You can also visit the village on 3-4 hours’ drive from the nearby tourist spots of Kalimpong and Gangtok.