Lachen, Sikkim · premium

The Apple Orchard Resort, Lachen

★★★☆☆

The Apple Orchard Resort stands on the slope above Lachen, next to a monastery more than a century old, and it is the one proper place to stay in the village. It has about a dozen rooms, warm and simple in local timber, with heaters and bed warmers for the cold nights and views up the valley toward the peaks. There is a dining room with hearty food and a lounge with a fire. Gurudongmar Lake is a few hours further up a rough road, and the trip leaves around four in the morning while the wind is still down. The resort arranges the permit, the vehicle and a packed breakfast. Given how remote Lachen is, it is a genuinely comfortable base, and every North Sikkim trip that includes Gurudongmar uses it for the Lachen night.