The Dzongri Trek - My personal experiences/learnings/thoughts
The trek itself:
However, the views are stupendous and when one reaches the top and sees Kanchendzonga in the morning sun, it makes ALL discomforts worth-while.
It is very important to select your trekking group carefully. Trek with people that you are comfortable with, avoid including folks you feel/know are very fastidious or you think complain a lot! You don't want people you feel may put pressure on you to walk faster/slower than you like to, people who complain about the walk, the facilities, the food, et. al. There is nothing more irritating than trekking with people who are "whiners".
Have fun, pay attention to your surroundings, breathe in the cold, crisp, amazingly clean air and enjoy the brilliant views! Hang out and make conversation with the guide, the porters... The people of Sikkim are amongst the kindest, happiest, and friendliest people I have ever known.
A few words about what to expect and preparations:
The campsites at Bakhim, Tsokha, Dzongri etc. .. are all quite poorly maintained and the toilets are terrible so unless you are very, very adventurous, DO NOT use the toilets that exist in these places. At any rate, the toilets are small huts with a couple of boards precariously perched upon a hole in the ground and with no flowing water, the "hole" is often quite filled up. When you have to "go"... go in the outdoors among the bushes, behind the trees etc! (My big learning - Trekking is NOT for the fastidious or the finicky. I don't know about other "luxury" treks... maybe they are cleaner!)
The food is simple, wholesome and, most importantly, piping HOT and fresh! Typically, breakfast is toast, butter, jam, eggs, poori, subji, porridge etc. Lunch and dinner is soup, roti, dal, rice, subji, some veg curry etc.
VERY, VERY, VERY, VERY IMPORTANT!!!!! Ensure you have a good pair of trekking boots that you have previously walked in and checked out for comfort... before you embark on this trek. When you buy your boots, buy a size or size and a half larger than your normal size because your feet swell while trekking and it can become ridiculously difficult to walk in tight boots.
A good idea while preparing for the trek is to focus on spots on your feet where you feel your boots are causing abrasions (if any), and just before starting the trek, sticking bits of plaster/band aid/duct tape etc. proactively on those spots. You may need to remove these every night and re-stick new bits every morning but it's probably well worth the extra effort! Also, while on the topic of feet & boots & pre-trek preparation, DO try different socks when you are walking as part of the preparation until you find one that is the most comfortable for you. For example, you may find that two thin pairs instead of one thick pair is what works for you...etc.
At the end of each day, remove your hiking boots and air them out and hang your socks out to dry. Wear a pair of thick woolen socks inside your floaters and relax your feet by putting them up for a bit.
Dress warmly at night. Dress in layers. Temperatures can get bone chilling and consider the difficulty your trekking partners will have if they have to carry your frozen and dead body back down the mountain! :-)
It is very useful to familiarize yourself with all your equipment - sleeping bags, backpack, water pack so that you know how to efficiently and effectively repack, adjust, clean all these equipment. For instance, packing your sleeping bag can be frustrating if you do not know how to do it well.
Clean your water pouch everyday evening and refill it with fresh water next morning before you start your walk. Drink LOTS of water during your walk. This is the single most important activity you can do to ensure you do not suffer from AMS!
Please store all litter that you generate (except for wet wipes and used toilet paper!!!! ;-) ) Remember to bury your poop and not poop near a stream...you don't want to contaminate the water! Keep the trail clean!
Be prepared for moments of extreme tiredness during the initial part of the trek. For a novice trekker, it can get quite, quite tiring...make no mistake about that! Feel free to stop for breaks when you want to. This is not a competitive event but a walk through nature...