Nature · Dzongu
Streams, falls and hot springs of Dzongu
Spend a day with your host visiting the waterfalls, river bends and, where open, the hot springs of Dzongu, places that the Lepcha treat as sacred. Go gently, follow local rules and expect damaged roads after each monsoon.
Photo: Suniel Pradhan · CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Dzongu is cut by streams that fall in long white ribbons from the forest into the Rongyong and the Teesta. Some falls are close to the road; others need a short walk on a slippery path. In Lepcha belief, mountains, lakes, rivers and springs are home to spirits and deities, so these are not just picnic spots. Your host will tell you which places are fine to visit and what to avoid.
Upper Dzongu has hot springs that local people use and revere. Whether visitors can bathe depends on the place and on the community's rules at the time, so always ask first. Keep noise low, take every scrap of rubbish away, and do not leave offerings unless your host suggests it.
The October 2023 flood and later monsoons damaged roads and bridges across the district, and some points are harder to reach than in older travel stories. Check current status before you travel, and avoid riverbanks in the monsoon.
Good for
Questions travellers ask
Before you book
Are there hot springs in Dzongu?
Yes, upper Dzongu has hot springs that local people use and consider sacred. Access and whether visitors may bathe depend on the place and on current community rules and road conditions. Ask your host or us before planning around them, and never bathe without permission.
Can we swim in Dzongu rivers?
We advise against it. Rivers are fast, cold and can rise suddenly, especially below dams and after rain, and some pools are sacred. Enjoy the water from the bank. If your host says a place is safe for a paddle in winter, follow their judgement and stay close to the edge.
What is the best season for Dzongu waterfalls?
Falls are fullest from July to September but roads are least reliable then. October and November give a good balance of water and safe roads, with clear skies. In late winter some falls thin out, though the walking weather is pleasant. Check current status before you travel.
Also in Dzongu
More hours worth planning
Food
Cooking with a Lepcha family in Dzongu
Join your host family in the kitchen for a Lepcha meal from their own fields: rice, greens, nettle or fern, local meat …
Village life
A village-to-village walk in Dzongu
Walk old footpaths between Dzongu villages with a local guide, past cardamom groves, paddy terraces, prayer flags and streams. Moderate effort, big …
Craft
The cardamom harvest in Dzongu
In autumn, follow a Dzongu family to their cardamom grove under the alder trees and watch the pods being cut, sorted and …
Price your own route
Tell us dates, people and budget. We send a day-by-day plan with every cost shown. StartNot sure where to start?
We match districts to your month, your budget and the people travelling with you. StartAsk the Gangtok desk
An itemised quote within one working day. No payment to start. StartPackages
Trips that stop in Dzongu
Budget
Top1,500M
Dzongu Lepcha village escape
Dzongu
Value
Top5,183M
Dzongu homestay and North Sikkim
Gangtok · Dzongu · Lachen · Lachung · Gangtok
Price your own route
Tell us dates, people and budget. We send a day-by-day plan with every cost shown. StartNot sure where to start?
We match districts to your month, your budget and the people travelling with you. StartAsk the Gangtok desk
An itemised quote within one working day. No payment to start. StartGet my price
Tell us your dates and your budget
Who is travelling, when, and roughly what you want to spend. The Gangtok desk replies within one working day with a day-by-day plan and an itemised price.
- No payment to start
- Permits handled through registered partners
- Every hotel, car and fee listed