Try "Sandakphu", "toy train", "homestay", "Gangtok in April"
Route · North Sikkim
Lachen to Gurudongmar Lake is about 65 km via Thangu, roughly three hours each way, climbing from about 2,750 m to about 5,180 m. Tours leave at 3–4 am. Indian citizens only, and it is part of the North Sikkim permit tour. Check current status before you travel.
| From | To | How | Time | Fare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LACHEN | GURUDONGMAR | Tour vehicle (shared) | 3 h each way | INCLUDED IN ₹6,0 |
| LACHEN | GURUDONGMAR | Reserved vehicle | 3 h each way | INCLUDED IN A ₹1 |
From our route pages. Fares change with fuel prices, season and demand: check current status before you travel.
The standard way: your shared tour vehicle leaves Lachen at 3–4 am, stops at Thangu for tea, reaches the lake around 7 am and returns to Lachen for breakfast before continuing to Lachung or Gangtok.
With your own vehicle you can add Chopta Valley on the way back and take your time at Thangu. You still leave early, because cloud and wind build on the plateau by late morning.
Local tip: Stay awake on the drive up so you notice symptoms of altitude sickness early.
Questions people ask
About three hours each way for roughly 65 km, with a tea stop at Thangu. Allow seven to eight hours for the round trip including 20–40 minutes at the lake. Snow or convoys can add time.
The morning is the only reliable window. By late morning, wind and cloud usually build over the high plateau, views disappear and conditions get harsh. A 3–4 am start puts you at the lake around 7 am, in the best light and calmest air.
It is a high, often icy road driven daily by experienced local drivers under army watch. The main danger is altitude, not the road. Children under five, pregnant women and people with heart or lung disease should not go. Check current status before you travel.
Not directly. Gurudongmar is reached only via Lachen, in the other valley. On the classic loop you sleep in Lachen, do the lake at dawn, then drive to Lachung via Chungthang in the afternoon, about 2.5–3 hours.
Plan with a local
Where you want to go, how many of you, and roughly what you want to spend a day. A planner who lives in these hills replies within one working day with a route and every rupee written down.