Khamri .. or as we say Hello in Lepcha. I am Gyatso. I and my wife Samsay have started this eco-tourism venture with a few Lepcha youth from Dzongu. Thank you for logging on our website.

We provide home stays wherein you can experience the warmth and hospitality of the Lepcha people. We believe that to know a place, you have to know it’s people. Hence we make sure that our guests understand our culture, traditions, the surroundings we live in, and everything else that is so dear to us. We are fluent in Lepcha, Hindi, Nepali and English and will help you to explore the place to enjoy the beauty nature has been kind enough to gift us with. We welcome you to experience Dzongu through us.

Our culture and way of life is centuries old and we are the aboriginal inhabitants of Sikkim.  However, for the past few years we have been fighting to save this land, the mountains, the wildlife and all the sections of ecology. The upcoming Hydro Power Projects are threatening to dry out our very life lines, the rivers. In our struggle, we have been on relay hunger strikes for nearly 3 years now. We have been successful to some extent, and still fighting.

We have always felt that development can be achieved without destroying our fragile ecology, culture and tradition. This was how we came up with the idea of Mayal Lyang, an ecotourism venture. We want everyone to see how beautiful this place is and how intricately our way of life is linked to the nature.  We strongly feel that such a venture can bring sustainable economic development to Dzongu and can empower our community, without affecting the pristine nature around us in any way.  This in our opinion is the best way to move forward and ensure that we pass on this beautiful gift of god to our future generations. We believe that conservation of Nature is equally important to all of us because we all live under the same sky and the walk the one Earth.

Please feel free to write to us if you have any query or are interested to know more about us.

About Dzongu

Dzongu lies in Sikkim, in North-East India. It consists of beautiful mountains covered with forests, interspersed with villages, and a river that is the very life line of the people living here. It is not your ideal hill station however. Far from it. It is a rather large area of Sikkim, reserved for the original inhabitants of Sikkim, the Lepcha people. The Lepchas live here as a part of the nature all around them. And so they have lived from time immemorial.

Nestled amongst the trees is Mayal Lyang, a beautiful house  for a homestay. Mayal Lyang means the ‘Hidden Land’ or ‘Land blessed by God’ in the Lepcha language. A small walk around the place will explain why we chose to call it so. Untouched by the tourist hustle bustle, this place has hidden treasures behind every other tree. Life here moves at its own pace. You tend to forget what it was back at your place.

A short walk takes you to the Rongyung Chu river. Sit by the river angling or doing nothing at all! Relax and enjoy the pure mountain air, eat the food we grow here, and understand our way of life. Understand how the nature all around our home is a part of us. Trek these almost untouched mountains, meditate in the monasteries or simply enjoy the views of the great Mt. Konchendzonga.

Find your peace at Dzongu.

To Do

There are lots of things you can do while at Dzongu. Just sitting and enjoying the cool mountain air is an option too!

While in Dzongu, we suggest that you spend your time in exploring this untouched area and understanding it’s wonderful inhabitants. Listen to the enchanting tales that the members of the Vanishing Tribe have to tell. Enjoy the Lepcha food and hospitality. Hike through the dense forests and trek in the pristine mountains. Meditate in the monasteries. Take part in our festivals and rituals. Catch fish in the Rongyung Chu River to have it cooked later. Click photographs and take home memories that you will cherish forever.

• Trek
• Cross Cane Bridges
• Eat Organic Food
• Watch birds
• Watch Butterflies
• Fish
• Watch Cultural Programs
• Understand & experience

To See:

Dzongu is quite a large area and there are many places that you can visit. Some are just a short hike away, others may require hiring a taxi. Click on the links below to read about these places:

• Lingthem Village
• Hee Gyathang
• Pentong
• Tholung Monastery
• Traditional Lepcha House Museum
• Waterfalls
• Tingvong & Kusong
• Keushong