Way to travel

Snow and high passes

Above 3,500 m, with respect for the height

Most high points here are reached by road, which makes them easy to reach and easy to underestimate. Gurudongmar Lake is above 5,000 m and Nathu La above 4,300 m.

Roads close for snow and landslides at short notice, and permit rules differ for Indian and foreign visitors. Check current status before you travel.

In brief

Tsomgo Lake, Nathu La, Zuluk, Yumthang, Zero Point and Gurudongmar. Snow from about December to April, permits always, and altitude to plan for.

By hill

Snow and high passes in Gangtok Snow and high passes in North Sikkim

Trips

Snow and high passes on a ticket

Shoestring Gangtok3 nights · Shared jeeps Gangtok and Tsomgo Lake on a shoestring Gangtok ₹8,000per person
about ₹2,000 a day

Comfort Gangtok5 nights · Reserved car Gangtok and Rumtek for families, in comfort Gangtok · Rumtek ₹26,000per person
about ₹4,350 a day

Comfort Gangtok9 nights · Reserved car The grand East Sikkim loop Gangtok · Rumtek · Pakyong · Zuluk ₹48,000per person
about ₹4,800 a day

Comfort Gangtok4 nights · Reserved car A Gangtok honeymoon with Rumtek and Aritar Gangtok · Rumtek · Aritar ₹26,000per person
about ₹5,200 a day

Comfort Gangtok8 nights · Reserved car Nathu La, Zuluk and the Silk Route in comfort Gangtok · Aritar · Zuluk · Gnathang ₹45,000per person
about ₹5,000 a day

Shoestring Gangtok5 nights · Mixed Zuluk and the Silk Route by shared jeep Gangtok · Rongli · Zuluk · Aritar ₹12,000per person
about ₹2,000 a day

Value Gangtok6 nights · Reserved car The Silk Route by homestay: Zuluk and Gnathang Gangtok · Padamchen · Zuluk · Gnathang ₹24,500per person
about ₹3,500 a day

Value Gangtok3 nights · Reserved car Tsomgo Lake and Nathu La from Gangtok Gangtok ₹12,000per person
about ₹3,000 a day

Value North Sikkim4 nights · Reserved car Lachung with the family, four sharing a car Singhik · Lachung · Mangan ₹15,000per person
about ₹3,000 a day

Comfort North Sikkim4 nights · Reserved car Lachung and Yumthang in comfort, three nights up Singhik · Lachung ₹27,500per person
about ₹5,500 a day

Comfort North Sikkim6 nights · Reserved car Dzongu and Lachung, Lepcha valley to the snow Phodong · Dzongu · Lachung · Mangan ₹37,000per person
about ₹5,300 a day

Comfort North Sikkim5 nights · Reserved car North Sikkim at a safe pace, by private car Singhik · Lachen · Lachung ₹37,500per person
about ₹6,250 a day

Comfort North Sikkim8 nights · Reserved car North Sikkim end to end, slowly, in 8 nights Phodong · Singhik · Lachen · Lachung ₹48,000per person
about ₹5,350 a day

Value North Sikkim3 nights · Mixed Gurudongmar with a gentler climb Singhik · Lachen ₹13,000per person
about ₹3,250 a day

Shoestring North Sikkim2 nights · Shared jeeps Gurudongmar and Yumthang on a shared tour Lachen · Lachung ₹7,000per person
about ₹2,350 a day

Value North Sikkim6 nights · Reserved car Gurudongmar and Yumthang, four friends in a car Singhik · Lachen · Lachung · Mangan ₹21,000per person
about ₹3,000 a day

Value North Sikkim3 nights · Shared jeeps Three slow nights in Lachung Lachung ₹12,000per person
about ₹3,000 a day

Value West & South Sikkim9 nights · On foot Goecha La trek from Yuksom Yuksom ₹34,000per person
about ₹3,400 a day

Places

Where to go for it

viewpoint3,600 m Phalut Where India, Nepal and Sikkim meet under Kanchenjunga

viewpoint3,636 m Sandakphu West Bengal's highest point, with Everest on the skyline

valley3,900 m Gnathang A high yak valley on the Silk Route, scene of the 1888 fighting

village3,980 m Kupup Elephant Lake and an army golf course below the old Jelep La

pass4,310 m Nathu La The 4,310 m border pass on the old Lhasa road, for Indians only

forest village2,000 m Padamchen A forest halt on the Silk Route, one step below Zuluk

market town830 m Rongli The permit town at the foot of the Silk Route

lake3,753 m Tsomgo Lake A sacred glacial lake at 3,753 m, an hour and a half above Gangtok

village2,900 m Zuluk An old mule-train halt on the road to Jelep La, now homestays

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

river town1,790 m Chungthang Where two rivers become the Teesta, and where the 2023 flood struck

lake5,183 m Gurudongmar Lake A sacred lake about 5 km from the Tibetan border

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

village2,700 m Lachung The small pass, run by its own village council since the 1800s

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

viewpoint4,700 m Yumesamdong (Zero Point) Where the civilian road ends, at about 4,700 m

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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.

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Homestays we have slept in

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