Budget homestay village · Zuluk
Zuluk village homestays
Family-run homestays in Zuluk, the old overnight stop for Silk Route mule caravans at about 2,800 m. Simple rooms, thick quilts, home-cooked dal-bhat and momos, and the zigzag road above you at dawn. The usual base for Thambi View Point and Nathang.
Photo: Tsen2006 · CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Family-run homestays in Zuluk, the old overnight stop for Silk Route mule caravans at about 2,800 m. Simple rooms, thick quilts, home-cooked dal-bhat and momos, and the zigzag road above you at dawn. The usual base for Thambi View Point and Nathang.
Zuluk has no hotels. What it has is a row of village houses along the road, most of them with three to six guest rooms on an upper floor, run by the family who lives below. Meals are part of the price: tea on arrival, a simple dinner of rice, dal, a vegetable and often chicken or eggs, then breakfast. Rooms are plain and clean, with heavy blankets rather than heaters in most houses, and hot water by bucket on cold mornings.
We book these homestays for almost every Silk Route trip because they are the right distance from Thambi View Point for sunrise, about 30 to 40 minutes up the loops, and because the families know the road and the weather better than any forecast. Power cuts happen, mobile signal is patchy, and the village goes to bed early. Indian nationals only: a Silk Route permit arranged via Rongli is required. Check current status before you travel.
Why we book it
What it does well
- The closest stay to Thambi View Point for a sunrise start
- All meals included at a fair village rate
- Hosts who read the snow and road conditions every day
Questions travellers ask
Questions about Zuluk village homestays
Do Zuluk homestays have heaters and hot water?
Some do, many do not. Expect heavy quilts, and hot water by bucket in the morning rather than a running geyser. From November to March night temperatures drop below freezing, so bring thermals, a warm cap and socks for sleeping. If a room heater matters to you, tell us when booking and we will place you in a house that has one, usually for a small extra charge.
Can foreigners stay in Zuluk?
No. Zuluk lies on the restricted Silk Route and the permit issued via Rongli is for Indian nationals only. Foreign travellers cannot stay in Zuluk or drive through it to Nathang. They can see the lower Silk Route villages such as Aritar and Rhenock, which need no special permit beyond the Sikkim entry rules. Rules change, so check current status before you travel.
Is there mobile network and ATM in Zuluk?
There is no ATM in Zuluk; the nearest are in Rongli and Rhenock, so carry enough cash for the homestay, tea and tips. Mobile signal is patchy and depends on your operator; BSNL and Jio have worked for most of our guests, but expect dead zones on the loops above the village. Tell family at home you may be out of touch for a night.
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