I visited Sikkim’s restricted valley called Dzongu Valley
It felt like a place I had to slowly experience through its forests, rivers, homes, food, stories, silences, and the people who have protected its identity for generations.
Hidden in North Sikkim, Dzongu Valley is the homeland of the Lepcha community, one of Sikkim’s disappearing indigenous communities. It is a region where nature is not just scenery, but a part of everyday life.
Rivers, sacred lakes, forest trails, local farms, traditional crafts, oral stories, music and food all come together to tell you something about how deeply connected people can be to the land they come from.
This video follows my journey through some of Dzongu’s most meaningful places till Pentong, one of the last villages of Dzongu:
– I visited a Himalayan nettle training centre connected to local livelihood and sustainable craft
– Met Padma Shri awardee Jorden Lepcha, one of the few remaining artisans preserving the craft of the traditional Lepcha hat, the Sumok Thyaktuk
– Visited Tungkyoung Dho, a sacred lake and important cultural site in Dzongu
– Stayed in Passingdang and experienced a slower village lifestyle
– Tried chi, an indigenous millet-based drink
– Experienced Lepcha folk music, storytelling and local traditions
– Travelled through Lingzya Valley and Bay village towards Pentong
– Crossed the Tholung Chu bridge and continued towards one of Dzongu’s last villages
– Learnt about indigenous Lepcha rice, local farming practices and everyday village life in Pentong
– Spent time with elders, families, children and host families to understand life in this remote valley
Dzongu made me think about something I keep coming back to in my travels: some places do not need to become famous to be valuable. They only need to be respected, protected and understood on their own terms.
If you ever travel to Dzongu Valley, please go with patience and humility. This is a culturally sensitive and ecologically rich region.
– Respect local homes, traditions, sacred sites, forests and rivers.
– Avoid littering. Support local hosts and guides.
– And most importantly, remember that not every hidden place needs to be consumed like a destination.
Subscribe to my channel for more travel stories from India and around the world.
Special thanks to my team:
Storytelling: Tanya Khanijow
Filmmaker & Drone Pilot: Ashwin KC
DOP: Shubham Kambale
Producer: Pranavi Chikkniwala
Let’s connect on Social Media?
● Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tanyakhanijow/
● Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TanyaKhanijowtravels
● Twitter: https://twitter.com/TanyaKhanijow
00:00 Intro | Why Dzongu?
1:10 Wild Balsam flower Prank
01:23 Welcome to Dzongu
3:00 Trying Lepcha Weaving craft
04:55 Making Momos With the Pradhan
06:48 The Future of Lepcha Culture
7:05 The Farmer Saving Lepcha Seeds
9:17 Seeds Saved Across Generations
10:22 My heart (and belly) is full!
10:08 Three Bridges, Three Generations
11:49 Why Such Big Kitchens?
12:55 Dzongu’s Sacred Lake
14:10 Meeting a Padma Shri Awardee
16:39 Our Next Stop
17:50 Local Folk Music
18:08 A Plant Lover’s Paradise
18:28 Made Buckwheat Pancakes
20:26 Made with love – Buckwheat tea cake
20:56 The Bumpy Road to Pentong
25:37 Pentong: A Village of 200
26:28 Inside Pentong’s Remote School
29:38 Mayallyang Folklore
30:32 Outro
