Day Trips from Gangtok: Tsomgo, Nathu La, Rumtek

The short answer

Give Gangtok three full days and you can do the best of its day trips without rushing. One day goes to the high road: Tsomgo Lake at 3,753 m, Baba Mandir and, for Indian nationals, Nathu La at 4,310 m on the China border. One half day goes to Rumtek, the great Karma Kagyu monastery 24 km away, and Lingdum at Ranka. The other half day is for the town's own sights: Enchey, Do-drul Chorten, the Tibetology museum and the viewpoints at Ganesh Tok, Tashi and Hanuman Tok.

Order matters. Do the town and Rumtek first, at 1,500–1,650 m, and the high road second, so your body has a day or two to adjust before you climb above 4,000 m. Keep a spare day: the high road closes after snow and for army reasons, and Nathu La is commonly reported closed to tourists on Mondays and Tuesdays. Check current status before you travel.

Day trips at a glance

Costs are indicative for 2025–26. Reserved cars carry four to six people, so splitting one is often cheaper than individual seats for a family.

Tsomgo Lake, Baba Mandir and Nathu La

The road climbs north-east out of Gangtok through forest and army camps to Tsomgo, also called Changu, a glacial lake at 3,753 m about 40 km away. The lake is sacred to the Sikkimese; it freezes for much of the winter and is ringed by rhododendrons in spring. Yaks wait by the shore for photographs and rides, and stalls sell tea, momos and hired boots. Most visitors spend an hour here.

Further on is Baba Mandir, a shrine to Sepoy Harbhajan Singh of the Punjab Regiment, who died near Nathu La on 4 October 1968; army tradition holds that his spirit still guards the border. Indian nationals can continue to Nathu La, at 4,310 m, the old trade pass into Tibet's Chumbi valley, reopened to limited border trade in 2006. At the top you see the border fence, soldiers of both sides and, on clear days, the snow ranges.

All of this needs permits arranged through a registered operator, usually the afternoon before, with photo ID and two passport photos. A shared seat for Tsomgo and Baba Mandir costs ₹800–1,200; a reserved SUV with Nathu La ₹5,500–7,500. Foreigners can visit Tsomgo on a group permit but not Nathu La. Leave by 7–8 am, dress in warm layers, and come down if anyone feels unwell.

Pack for winter whatever the month: a thermal layer, a fleece, a padded or down jacket, a warm hat, gloves and shoes with grip. Snow and ice lie on the road from about December to April, and wind at Nathu La is bitter even in May. Drink water, walk slowly, and do not climb the steps at Nathu La in a rush; the air at 4,310 m holds far less oxygen than in Gangtok. Children under about five and anyone with heart or lung problems should take medical advice first, or settle for Tsomgo, which is lower.

Rumtek and Lingdum

Rumtek, 24 km away across the Ranipool valley, is the largest monastery in Sikkim. The 16th Karmapa fled Tibet in 1959, chose the ruins of an 18th-century monastery here, and inaugurated the new Dharma Chakra Centre at Losar in 1966. A golden stupa holds his relics. Bring photo ID for the security gate, go in the morning for prayers, and walk down to the old Rumtek monastery through the village.

On the way back, stop at Lingdum, also called Ranka or Pal Zurmang Kagyud Monastery, completed in 1999, a large, bright monastery in forest about 20 km from town. A half-day taxi covering both costs ₹1,500–2,500. If you want to stay longer, Rumtek has quiet guesthouses, and a night here is calmer than Gangtok.

Dress modestly for both monasteries, remove shoes before entering the halls, walk clockwise and ask before taking photographs inside. A small donation is welcome.

Gangtok's own viewpoints and sights

Taxi drivers sell half-day city tours by the number of 'points', and a good one is worth taking once. Start early at Tashi View Point or Ganesh Tok, a small temple on a ridge-top with a view across Gangtok, for Kanchenjunga at dawn on clear days from October to April. Hanuman Tok, a temple run by the army on a higher ridge above town, has one of the widest mountain views in Gangtok and is quiet in the early morning.

Then visit Enchey Monastery, Do-drul Chorten with its 108 prayer wheels, and the Namgyal Institute of Tibetology, usually closed on Sundays. The Himalayan Zoological Park at Bulbuley, opposite Ganesh Tok, keeps red pandas and snow leopards in large forest enclosures, a good way to see animals you will not meet in the wild. The ropeway across the town costs about ₹100–200 and gives a bird's-eye view of the ridge. End the day on MG Marg, the car-free main street, and at Lal Bazaar below it.

A reserved taxi for a half-day tour costs about ₹1,500–2,500. Agree the list of stops and the waiting time before you leave, and drop any 'points' that are just shops or souvenir stalls.

Longer days: Pakyong and Aritar

Pakyong, 31 km south-east, is the headquarters of Pakyong district, created in 2021, and home to Sikkim's first airport, opened in 2018 on a reshaped ridge. There is not a great deal to see, but the drive through farming country is pleasant and the town is calm. It makes sense as a stop on the way to Aritar or Rongli rather than as a trip on its own.

Aritar, about 70–75 km and three hours from Gangtok near Rhenock, is a farming village at 1,400 m around Lampokhari, a long, narrow lake ringed by forest, with the Mankhim viewpoint above it. It can be done as a long day trip by reserved car for ₹4,000–5,500, but we much prefer a night in a homestay, at about ₹1,500–2,200 per person with meals, so the trip is not mostly driving. Aritar combines well with the Silk Route via Rongli.

• Carry photo ID and passport photos for all permit trips.
• Do the high road after a day or two in Gangtok.
• Book shared Tsomgo seats at registered tour desks near MG Marg.
• Keep a spare day for road closures and Nathu La's closed days.

Planning a three-day plan

Day one: Tashi View Point or Hanuman Tok at dawn, Enchey for morning prayers, Do-drul Chorten and the Tibetology museum, then MG Marg in the evening. Hand your documents to a tour desk for the high-road permit. Day two: Rumtek and Lingdum in the morning, Lal Bazaar and a slow afternoon. Day three: Tsomgo, Baba Mandir and, if it is open and you are Indian, Nathu La. Swap days two and three if the weather forecast is better on day two, but keep the high road after at least one night in Gangtok.