Black Yak Expedition is a travel agency and trekking company based in Yuksom, West Sikkim. Since 2011, we have organised the Goechala Trek, the Dzongri Trek, mountaineering expeditions, and Sikkim package tours for travellers from across India and internationally.
We operate throughout all four districts of Sikkim, Darjeeling, and Ladakh. Guides, equipment, vehicles, and logistics are all handled internally. Nothing is outsourced.
If you are looking for the best travel agent in Sikkim for a trek, a cultural tour, or a technical mountaineering expedition, here is who we are.
The Yak has worked in the Himalayas for centuries. It carries heavy loads at altitude, moves steadily through difficult terrain, and performs reliably under pressure. Himalayan communities have depended on it not for speed, but for consistency.
Our founder, Puspa Lall Gurung, deliberately chose this name. It reflects the kind of operation he set out to build: one that holds its standards under pressure, functions at altitude, and brings every group home safely.
Black Yak Expedition was founded around 2011 in Yuksom by Puspa Lall Gurung, who was born in Sardong Village, West Sikkim — close to the trails that now define our trekking routes. Initially, he started with the Goechala and Dzongri treks. In the early years, he led most departures himself and built relationships with local horsemen and porters that the company still relies on today.
The company grew steadily through the mid-2010s. A professional guide team was assembled. We purchased our own expedition-grade trekking and mountaineering equipment, removing our dependence on the rental market entirely. A fixed driver network was built for our Sikkim tours. Mountaineering expeditions on Sikkim peaks, Tenzing Khang, Jophnu, Kabru, were added alongside Ladakh itineraries and multi-region programmes.
Today, Black Yak Expedition holds a 4.9-star rating on Google, based on over 100 verified reviews, and has guided more than 300 trekkers through Sikkim.
A 9 to 10-day route from Yuksom to Goecha La at approximately 4,940 metres, one of the closest ground-level views of Mount Kanchenjunga's south face available to any trekker in India. Campsites include Tshoka, Dzongri, Thansing, and Lamuney. All permits, equipment, trek leaders, horsemen, and camp cooking are managed entirely from our own operation.
Five days and four nights to the Dzongri viewpoint at approximately 4,020 metres, with open sightlines to Kanchenjunga, Pandim, Kabru, and Tenting Peak. A strong choice for first-time high-altitude trekkers, families, and travellers with limited time.
We organise technical climbs on peaks in the Kanchenjunga region — Tenzing Khang, Jophnu, and Kabru — and in Ladakh. Full expedition standard: technical gear, structured acclimatisation, experienced high-altitude guides.
Tours across all of Sikkim, North Sikkim's high passes, East Sikkim's monasteries and Tsomgo Lake, South Sikkim's Ravangla ridge, West Sikkim's Pelling and Khecheopalri Lake. We also build multi-region itineraries combining Sikkim with Darjeeling or Ladakh. Every itinerary is built around the group's interests, pace, and budget. No fixed templates.
Most trekking operators in Sikkim rely on rented gear. That still works, but the quality can vary from trek to trek depending on availability. We use our own inventory of mountaineering-grade tents, high-altitude sleeping bags, and proper insulated sleeping systems. This is the same category of equipment used on technical expeditions, not standard trekking rentals. At higher camps, where temperatures drop sharply, the difference is noticeable. You stay warmer, sleep better, and recover faster for the next day's climb.
They have led the Remote Singalila, Goechala and Dzongri routes repeatedly, not from a briefing, but from years of actual exploration. For mountaineering, our trek leaders carry direct high-altitude climbing experience on the Sikkim peaks we operate.
Trekking in the Kanchenjunga Conservation Area requires multiple permits and careful coordination. Everything is confirmed before your group arrives. Nothing is arranged on the day.
Every driver we use is known to us, experienced on mountain roads, and professional with guests. Vehicles range from 4WD Sumos and Boleros to private luxury options. You are not assigned someone from a shared pool.
Puspa Lall Gurung is a mountaineer first. Not a travel entrepreneur who picked up trekking along the way — an expedition leader who built a travel company around what he already knew.
He has led successful summit expeditions on nearly every major peak in Ladakh. In Sikkim, he has personally guided many of the remotest trekking routes and has an intimate working knowledge of the Kanchenjunga region at altitude, its terrain, weather, and risks.
That experience determines how every Black Yak departure is planned, how the guide team is trained, and how the company responds when conditions on the mountain change.
4.9 stars. Over 100 reviews. The pattern speaks for itself.
So very well organised. The guide, the cooks, and the horsemen were incredible — the food was beyond tasty, and we felt very safe throughout. The gear was of very high quality.
Our guide Biki was fantastic — incredibly kind, attentive, and professional. The food was hands down some of the best I have eaten in India, especially at that altitude.
From planning to execution, everything was handled with great professionalism. I would recommend Black Yak to anyone for the Goechala and Dzongri treks.
Whether it is the Goechala Trek, the Dzongri Trek, a Sikkim package tour, or a mountaineering expedition — we are available to discuss the details and build an itinerary tailored to your requirements.
As a travel agent in Sikkim with our own team, equipment, and on-the-ground vehicles, we give you accurate, practical answers—not brochure estimates.
