History
The three holy Lamas namely Latsun chembo, Sempa Chepbo and Rinzing Chembo came from Tibet and consecrated Phuntsog Namgyal as the first Chogyal of Sikkim in 16th century. There is a place called the Coronation Throne in Yuksom where the first Chogyal was named. In 1670 by his son, Tensung Namgyal, shifted the capital from Yuksom to Rabdentse. Only the ruins of the current towns are visible north of Pelling in West Sikkim.
Places to See
A Biodiversity "Hot-spot"
Yuksom lies on the edge of the Khangchendzonga National Park, the largest Protected area in Sikkim. Today the village of Yuksom and its surroundings retain many of the attributes that earned it the title of Ney-Pemathang centuries ago. The picturesque hills are covered with thick broad-leaved forests of oak, birch, maple, chestnut, magnolia, rhododendron, silver fir, ash, and alder. A hike into the forests offer scenes of exhilarating natural beauty and diversity that make Sikkim a "biodiversity hot-spot".
Equally as diverse are the peoples of Yuksom, Bhutia, Lepcha, andvarious Nepali ethnic peoples reside in scattered villages, practicing centuries old traditions and speaking languages including Nepali, Hindi,English, Bhutia, Lepcha and Limbu.
The rich forests also harbor abundant wildlife. With the increasein movement of people and the spread of farming settlements, wildlife sighting have become less frequent, yet with careful observation the following animals and birds can be seen within the Park: deer, bear, squirrels, civet cat, wild cat, rabbits, langurs, tahr, goral, Red Panda, mongoose, pheasants, partridges, magpies, and jungle cocks. In addition there are a number of rare and endangered species including thered panda and snow leopard. Tourists are requested to avoid disturbing wildlife and its habitat. A Wildlife Interpretation Centre is located close to the Trekkers Hut.
Dubdi Monastery
Dubdi literally means the retreat, and it was built in 17th century. It is located half and hour walk on a hilltop of Yuksom.
Melli Monastery
A Lepcha village which is known by the local as Melli.
How to Get to Yuksom
Foreigners visiting Yuksom must possess an Indian visa. No special permit is required for either traveling or trekking inside Yuksom. However, necessary travel documents need to be shown as and when required.
AIR CONNECTIONS: Bagdogra Airport in Siliguri, West Bengal is 145kms away from Yuksom. There is Daily flight from Delhi and Calcutta. Byroad it is approx. 6 hrs. drive from Yuksom.
ROAD CONNECTIONS: Yuksom is well linked with all the major district of Sikkim, state West Bengal, Bhutan Border and Nepal Border. Siliguri, the main city from where one can get various transport to Sikkim is 140 kms away and the same would take you to Gangtok .
RAIL CONNECTIONS: New Jalpaiguri in West Bengal is the nearest Railway station and it is 140 kms away. It is well connected with major cities of India such as Calcutta, New Delhi and Guwahati.