Wildlife and birds · Tsomgo Lake
Rhododendrons in the Kyongnosla sanctuary
On the climb to Tsomgo the road passes through the Kyongnosla Alpine Sanctuary, about 31 km² of rhododendron, juniper and silver fir. In April and May the rhododendrons flower in red, pink and cream. Short stops at safe pull-offs are the way to see it.
The Kyongnosla Alpine Sanctuary covers about 31 km² around the road below Tsomgo, near the Kyongnosla checkpost where permits are checked. It protects a band of high forest: rhododendron thickets, tall junipers and taller silver firs, with orchids and primulas in the clearings. It is part of the Sacred Himalayan Landscape, a conservation area that runs across the eastern Himalaya.
From mid April to May the rhododendrons flower, and the slopes beside the road turn red, pink and cream. In a reserved car, ask the driver to stop at a safe pull-off for ten minutes; shared jeeps stop less often. Early mornings bring birdsong, and blood pheasant are sometimes seen on the verges. Red panda live in the sanctuary, but few visitors see one. Do not leave the road to look for them.
There are no trails open to day visitors, and you should not pick flowers or break branches. Bring binoculars if you have them, and a warm layer, since the air is already cold at this height. In winter the same forest is deep in snow and makes a different, quieter picture; in the monsoon it is wet and misty and the road can slip.
Cost: Included in a reserved car
Questions people ask
Good to know
When do rhododendrons bloom on the Tsomgo road?
The rhododendrons in the Kyongnosla Alpine Sanctuary usually flower from mid April into May, varying with the year's weather and the height on the road. Lower slopes flower first. If you are travelling for the flowers, late April is a good bet, but ask a Gangtok operator for that year's reports.
Can we walk in the Kyongnosla sanctuary?
Day visitors generally keep to the road and roadside stops. The sanctuary has no marked trails open on a Tsomgo permit, and the forest department controls access. Do not wander into the forest or pick flowers. Enjoy it from safe pull-offs with your driver.
What wildlife lives near Tsomgo?
The Kyongnosla Alpine Sanctuary around the Tsomgo road holds red panda, blood pheasant and other high-forest birds and mammals, though visitors rarely see the shy ones. Early-morning stops give the best chance for birds. Yaks at the lake are domestic, kept by local herders.
Also in Tsomgo Lake
More things to do
Viewpoints · 45 minutes–1 hour at the lakeAn early walk along Tsomgo's shoreTsomgo Lake · Included in your tour or car
Adventure · Full day from GangtokSnow and ice at Tsomgo in winterTsomgo Lake · ₹800–1,200 shared seat · boots ₹100–200
Food · 1 hourThukpa at the stalls and the ropeway rideTsomgo Lake · ₹100–250 food · ropeway extra