Adventure · Gurudongmar Lake
How to visit at 5,000 m without getting ill
Gurudongmar is roughly 2,400 m higher than Lachen, reached in three hours. Most people get a headache; a few get seriously ill. Sleep two nights in Lachen if you can, stay awake on the drive, keep to 20–40 minutes at the lake, and descend at the first serious symptom.
Altitude sickness is caused by going high fast, and Gurudongmar is the fastest big climb most Indian travellers will ever make. You sleep at about 2,750 m and stand at about 5,180 m a few hours later. Breathlessness and a mild headache are normal. Vomiting, confusion, stumbling, extreme tiredness or a wet cough are not; they mean go down now.
Prepare from Gangtok. Book two nights in Lachen if possible. Drink 3–4 litres of water a day, eat carbohydrates and avoid alcohol and sleeping pills. Ask your own doctor before the trip whether acetazolamide is right for you. Children under five, pregnant women and people with heart or lung disease should skip the lake.
On the day, stay awake in the vehicle, since symptoms are harder to notice in sleep. At the lake walk slowly, do not climb the slopes, and keep it to 20–40 minutes. Oxygen cans give brief relief, not treatment. The single most important rule: anyone who feels seriously unwell goes down at once, and the group goes with them.
Cost: Oxygen can ₹500–900 (optional)
Questions people ask
Good to know
Who should not go to Gurudongmar?
Children under about five, pregnant women, people with heart disease, uncontrolled blood pressure, asthma or other lung conditions, and anyone who has had serious altitude sickness before. People over 60 should speak to a doctor first. Those who skip it can wait in Lachen or go to Chopta Valley if allowed.
What are the symptoms of altitude sickness at Gurudongmar?
Early signs are headache, nausea, dizziness, poor appetite and unusual tiredness. Serious signs are confusion, loss of balance, breathlessness at rest and a wet or bubbly cough. Anyone with serious signs must descend immediately; going down even 500–1,000 m usually helps quickly.
Does oxygen help at Gurudongmar?
Portable oxygen cans, sold for ₹500–900 in Lachen and at stalls, can relieve breathlessness for a few minutes. They do not treat altitude sickness and should not be used as a reason to stay longer. Descent is the treatment. Army medical posts may help in emergencies.
Also in Gurudongmar Lake
More things to do
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