Gurudongmar Lake

A sacred lake about 5 km from the Tibetan border

Altitude5,183m Nights0 BestApr – May · Oct – Nov

Photo: Original: Yoghya Derivative work: UnpetitproleX · CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

In brief

Gurudongmar is a sacred glacial lake about 5 km south of the Tibetan border, at roughly 5,180 m by survey (5,430 m on the state's figure). Buddhists link it to Guru Padmasambhava. You reach it from Lachen, leaving at 3–4 am. Indian citizens only. Check current status before you travel.

The local story

The lake that Guru Rinpoche would not let freeze

The lake takes its name from Guru Padmasambhava, Guru Rinpoche, who brought Buddhism to Tibet in the 8th century and is honoured across Sikkim as its patron saint. Local Buddhist lore says that he came by on his way back from Tibet, when the lake, then frozen most of the year, left the herders without water. He touched a small part of it, and that patch never froze again. Pilgrims still look for the open water in winter and carry lake water home in bottles as a blessing.

Physically, Gurudongmar is a moraine-dammed lake fed by the Gurudongmar glacier, about 118 hectares in area, on a high plateau north of the Khangchengyao range. Its outflow is one of the source streams that join Tso Lhamo and become the Teesta. Many Sikhs also revere the lake, associating it with Guru Nanak. In the late 1990s a gurdwara was built at the lakeshore by soldiers stationed nearby, and its status became a dispute that went to a state committee and the courts. We take no side; treat the whole shore as a place of worship.

Gurudongmar covers about 118 hectares with a shoreline of 5.34 km, and most of it stays frozen from November to mid-May.

The lake feeds one of the source streams that join Tso Lhamo Lake and form the beginning of the Teesta River.

The road from Chungthang via Lachen and Thangu to the lake is part of National Highway 310C, about 100 km long.

About Gurudongmar Lake

You see Gurudongmar after a three-hour drive in the dark from Lachen, past Thangu and onto the bare high plateau. Then the road crests and the lake is below you: deep blue in October, white and frozen in March, ringed by brown hills and snow peaks, with prayer flags snapping on the shore. Most visitors stay 20–40 minutes, and that is wise.

This is one of the highest places in India you can reach by road, and the jump from Lachen is roughly 2,400 m in a morning. Many visitors get headaches or nausea; some get seriously ill. Children under five, pregnant women and people with heart or lung disease should not go. Foreigners are not allowed. Since the 2023 flood the Lachen road has had long closures; check current status before you travel.

What to see and do

First sight of the lake

The road crests a final rise and the lake fills the view: deep blue in autumn, a frozen white sheet in early spring. Arrive by 7–8 am, before wind and cloud build.

The open patch in winter

Lore says Guru Padmasambhava touched one part of the lake and it never froze. In March and April pilgrims look for water amid the ice; watch where they gather on the shore.

Prayer flags and offerings

Lines of prayer flags and white khadas run along the shore, and the small shrine draws Buddhist and other pilgrims. Walk clockwise, keep voices low, and do not throw coins or anything else into the water.

The high plateau drive

Beyond Thangu the road leaves the trees for open, Tibetan-style plateau: brown hills, moraine, frozen streams and wide sky. Look for blue sheep and yaks on the slopes.

Thangu tea stop

On the way up, vehicles stop at Thangu, about 3,900 m, for tea, toilets and a packed breakfast. It is a useful pause to check how everyone is feeling.

How to get there

Shared permit tour via Lachen: The classic 3-day shared tour from Gangtok reaches Lachen on day 1, leaves for Gurudongmar at 3–4 am on day 2, and then drives on to Lachung. About ₹6,000–8,000 per person with permit, rooms and meals.
Reserved vehicle via Lachen: A whole vehicle from a registered Gangtok operator costs ₹18,000–28,000 for the 3-day loop before hotels. Ask for two nights in Lachen so you can acclimatise before the lake.

Where to stay

Nobody stays at the lake; it is a dawn visit from Lachen, about 65 km and three hours below. Book two nights in Lachen if you can, in a family homestay or small hotel at about ₹1,500–2,500 per person with meals, and ask for a heated room. Thangu, closer to the lake, has a few basic lodges, but sleeping at about 3,900 m without acclimatisation is not wise for most visitors.

Local tips

Do not sleep in the vehicle on the way up; stay awake so you notice symptoms.
Stay 20–40 minutes at the lake and walk slowly; no running or climbing.
Turn back immediately if anyone has confusion, loss of balance or a bad headache.
Carry a down jacket, cap and gloves even in May; the wind at the lake is bitter.
Behave as you would in any temple: no loud music, smoking or littering on the shore.

02,7005,400

Altitude5,183 m

Very high: go up and come down the same day, and skip it with heart or lung trouble.

What it costs here

Gurudongmar day in a shared Lachen–Lachung tourIncluded in ₹6,000–8,000 pp

Packed breakfast, tea at Thangu₹100–200 if not included

Down jacket or long coat rental in Lachen₹100–300

Portable oxygen can₹500–900

Toilet at Thangu or the lake stalls₹10–20

Indicative, 2025–26. Check current status before you travel.

Best months: Apr – May · Oct – Nov
Nights we suggest: 0 (dawn trip from Lachen)
From Lachen: ≈ 65 km · 3 h each way
Altitude: ≈ 5,180 m (state figure 5,430 m)
Known for: Sacred lake, Guru Padmasambhava legend, high plateau
Network: None for most users

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

BestGoodAvoid or closed

Things to do

Four things to do in Gurudongmar Lake

Viewpoints · 7–8 hours returnThe dawn run from Lachen to the lakeGurudongmar Lake · Included in Lachen tours

Culture and history · 30 minutesThe Guru Rinpoche legend on the shoreGurudongmar Lake · Free

Wildlife and birds · On the drive, 1–2 hoursBlue sheep and yaks on the high plateauGurudongmar Lake · Free

Adventure · Whole morningHow to visit at 5,000 m without getting illGurudongmar Lake · Oxygen can ₹500–900 (optional)

On the map

Gurudongmar Lake and its neighbours

Drawn by Darjeeling Himalayas from Natural Earth outlines (public domain). Borders as depicted by India. Not for navigation.

Close by

Nearby places

trek stop3,900 m Thangu Yak country and the last tea stop before Gurudongmar

village2,750 m Lachen The big pass: base for Gurudongmar and a Dzumsa village

valley4,000 m Chopta Valley A frozen river in winter and a flower meadow in summer

Routes

Lachen to Gurudongmar Lake

Ways to travel

Snow and high passes Monasteries Photography

Questions people ask

Questions about Gurudongmar Lake

What is the altitude of Gurudongmar Lake?

The Government of Sikkim gives 5,430 m (17,800 ft), the figure on most signboards. Survey and satellite measurements put the lake surface closer to 5,183 m. Either way, it is one of the highest lakes in India reachable by road, and the altitude needs real respect.

Can foreigners visit Gurudongmar Lake?

No. Gurudongmar is about 5 km from the Tibetan border and has been closed to foreign nationals, even those with a Protected Area Permit. Indian citizens can visit with a North Sikkim permit arranged by a registered Gangtok operator. Check current status before you travel.

When is Gurudongmar Lake frozen?

Roughly from November to mid-May the lake is mostly frozen, often completely white by January. From late May to October it is open water, deep blue on clear days. April and May show the thaw; October gives the bluest water and clearest skies.

How do I reach Gurudongmar Lake?

Join a North Sikkim tour from Gangtok that includes Lachen. You sleep in Lachen and leave at 3–4 am for the three-hour drive of about 65 km, via Thangu. There is no public transport, and private visits need the same permit system through a registered operator.

Is Gurudongmar open now after the flood?

Access has been interrupted many times since the October 2023 Teesta flood, which damaged roads around Chungthang, and by later landslides on the Lachen road. Gurudongmar tours resume when the road and permits reopen. Check current status before you travel with your agent and the Mangan district administration.

How long can we stay at Gurudongmar Lake?

Plan 20–40 minutes. Drivers and army guidance discourage long stays because of the altitude and the wind, which picks up through the morning. A short, slow visit is safer and still gives you time for photographs and a quiet moment at the shore.

Is Gurudongmar sacred to Sikhs?

Many Sikhs revere the lake, associating it with Guru Nanak. Buddhists link it to Guru Padmasambhava, after whom it is named. A gurdwara built at the shore in the late 1990s became the subject of a dispute handled by a state committee and the courts. Respect every visitor's faith.

What should I wear to Gurudongmar?

Thermal inners, a fleece, a windproof down jacket, warm trousers, a woollen cap that covers the ears, gloves, warm socks and boots, plus sunglasses and sunscreen. Even in May the wind at the lake is below freezing. Rent a long coat or boots in Lachen if you lack them.

Gurudongmar or Yumthang, if I must choose one?

Choose Yumthang if you have small children, older parents or anyone with health concerns; it is about 1,600 m lower and has flowers in spring. Choose Gurudongmar if everyone is fit, you can spare two nights in Lachen and you want the high, sacred lake. Foreigners can only do Yumthang.