Situated at an altitude of 5,800 ft, Yuksum (Yuksom) lies on the southern fringes of the Kanchenjunga National Park. Despite heavy footfalls, Yuksum appears quaint and charming, nestled amidst rolling hills and lush green forests. The word 'Yuksum' means meeting point of the three lamas. According to local legend, it was the first capital of the state of Sikkim where three Tibetan monks met and crowned the first king (Chogyal) of Sikkim in 1641. The coronation site is said to be at Norbugang, where tourists and visitors can still see the coronation throne.

Yuksum is also the starting point for the popular Dzongri Goecha La trek along with being a gateway to the Kanchenjunga Biosphere Reserve, making it a year-round stopover for tourists, scientists, photographers, conservationists and naturalists from the world over.