Itinerary
North Sikkim tour: Lachung, Lachen, Gurudongmar, Yumthang and Zero Point
North Sikkim is the reason many people come to Sikkim: frozen lakes above 15,000 ft, Yumthang's rhododendron valley and Gurudongmar Lake at 17,800 ft. It is also the hardest part of the state to plan, with one road, two checkpost cutoffs, permits and thin air. This is how the trip actually runs, what it costs and how to choose between two and three nights.
How the region works
North Sikkim hangs off a single Y-shaped highway. From Gangtok the road runs north through Mangan, the district headquarters and the last ATM, to Chungthang, where two rivers meet. There it splits. The left branch climbs to Lachen and on to Thangu, Chopta Valley and Gurudongmar Lake. The right branch climbs to Lachung, base for Yumthang Valley, Zero Point and Katao. You cannot drive between Lachen and Lachung without going back down to Chungthang, which is why itineraries look the way they do.
| Place | Altitude | Why go |
|---|---|---|
| Lachung | 8,800 ft | Overnight village on the Lachung Chu; base for Yumthang, Zero Point and Katao |
| Yumthang Valley | 11,800 ft | Rhododendron meadows (April–May), hot spring, snowfields in winter |
| Zero Point | 15,300 ft | End of the motorable road; snow most of the year; cash supplement per vehicle |
| Katao | 15,000 ft | Snow point near Lachung; army clearance via the driver |
| Lachen | 9,000 ft | Overnight village; mandatory base for Gurudongmar |
| Gurudongmar Lake | 17,800 ft | One of the highest lakes in the world; 4 AM start from Lachen |
| Chopta Valley | 13,200 ft | Alpine meadow on the Gurudongmar road near Thangu |
Option 1: two nights, Lachung side (2N/3D)
Day 1, Gangtok to Lachung (103 km, 5–6 hours). Leave Gangtok by 9:30 AM so you pass the Toong checkpost before its 4 PM cutoff. The road follows the Teesta past the Seven Sisters waterfall and the Singhik viewpoint for Kanchenjunga, with lunch in Mangan or Chungthang. Lachung is a village of wooden houses and apple orchards at 8,800 ft; dinner is early and the evenings are cold.
Day 2, Yumthang Valley and Zero Point. Leave Lachung between 6:30 and 7:30 AM. Yumthang at 11,800 ft is the valley of rhododendrons in April and May and a snowfield in winter, with a hot spring by the river. Zero Point at 15,300 ft, 23 km further, is where the road ends in snow most of the year; it needs a cash supplement of about ₹3,500–₹4,000 per vehicle paid to the driver. Back in Lachung by early afternoon.
Day 3, Lachung to Gangtok. A relaxed descent with stops you skipped on the way up. Some travellers do Yumthang on the morning of day 3 and return the same day, saving a night but making a nine-hour day.
Option 2: three nights with Gurudongmar (3N/4D)
Day 1, Gangtok to Lachen (108 km, 5.5–6.5 hours). The same road to Chungthang, then the Lachen branch. Toong checkpost closes at 4 PM. Sleep early: tomorrow starts before dawn.
Day 2, Gurudongmar Lake and Chopta Valley, then Lachung. Leave Lachen between 3:30 and 4:30 AM with a packed breakfast. Tea at Thangu, past the Giagong army post, and you are at the lake by about 8 AM. Spend 30–45 minutes at 17,800 ft and start descending by 10:30 AM. Visit Chopta Valley on the way down, lunch in Lachen, then drive down to Chungthang and up to Lachung for the night. It is a long day, eight to nine hours on the road.
Day 3, Yumthang and Zero Point, as in option 1, returning to Lachung.
Day 4, Lachung to Gangtok. Our 7-day itinerary and 6-day North Sikkim package use a faster version that returns to Gangtok on day 3 and keeps a Gangtok night as a buffer before your flight.
Which option should you choose?
Choose two nights in Lachung if you are travelling with young children or seniors, if you visit in deep winter when the Lachen road is often snowbound, or if snow at Zero Point is the main goal. Choose three nights with Lachen if Gurudongmar is the reason you are coming, everyone in the group is fit and over five, and you are comfortable with a 3:30 AM alarm. Either way, keep at least one Gangtok night between North Sikkim and your flight home.
Permits and documents
Everything beyond Mangan needs a Protected Area Permit. A registered operator files it with the Tourism Department and the police, 24 hours ahead, or 48 hours in May and October. Each traveller needs an original Voter ID, Passport or Driving Licence and two passport photos; Aadhaar and PAN are refused. Children need a birth certificate or passport. The driver carries the permit and you carry your originals for checks at Toong and Giagong. Foreign nationals need a group of two or more and cannot visit Gurudongmar or Katao; see permits for foreigners.
What it costs
The SUV is the big line. A dedicated, permit-ready SUV costs about ₹24,000–₹37,000 for 2N/3D and ₹42,000–₹64,000 for 3N/4D, plus about ₹300 a night for the driver's halt. Add the North Sikkim vehicle permit (our planner budgets ₹1,800), the Zero Point supplement (₹3,800 per vehicle in our calculator) and Katao if you want it. Homestays in Lachen and Lachung usually include dinner and breakfast. Six travellers sharing one SUV pay a fraction of what a couple pays. Try your own numbers in the budget calculator or read the line-by-line trip cost guide.
Rules and realities on the ground
- Altitude: sleep at least one night in Gangtok before going north. Children under 5 are not permitted at Gurudongmar; seniors and anyone with heart, lung or blood-pressure conditions should stop at Yumthang.
- Vehicles: only Sikkim-registered SUVs with permit-holding drivers; small cars are not allowed beyond Chungthang.
- Cash: the last ATM is in Mangan, and UPI rarely works above it. Carry ₹6,000–₹10,000 per person in small notes.
- Phones: only BSNL works in Lachen and Lachung, and nothing works at the lakes and passes.
- Plastic: single-use water bottles are banned, with fines of up to ₹5,000 in Lachen and Lachung. Carry a flask.
- Weather: July to September landslides close the highway for days, and after heavy rain the road can shut in any season. Never book a morning flight on the day you come down. Ask our desk for the current road status before you book.
See the best time to visit for the month-by-month picture, and the Nathula permit guide if you are adding the East Sikkim border pass to the same trip.
North Sikkim tour: FAQs
How many days do I need for North Sikkim?
Two nights for the Lachung side (Yumthang and Zero Point), three nights to add Lachen and Gurudongmar Lake. Gurudongmar cannot be a day trip from Gangtok: it needs a night in Lachen and a 4 AM start.
How much does a North Sikkim tour cost?
A dedicated permit-ready SUV costs about ₹24,000–₹37,000 for 2N/3D to Lachung and ₹42,000–₹64,000 for 3N/4D with Lachen and Gurudongmar, plus homestay or hotel nights, permits and cash supplements for Zero Point and Katao. Six people sharing one SUV pay a fraction of what a couple pays.
Do I need a permit for North Sikkim?
Yes. Everything beyond Mangan needs a Protected Area Permit filed by a registered operator against an original Voter ID, Passport or Driving Licence with two photos per person. Aadhaar and PAN are not accepted.
Can foreigners go to North Sikkim?
Partly. Foreign and OCI travellers in a group of two or more can visit Chungthang, Lachen, Lachung and Yumthang through a registered agency; Chopta and Zero Point depend on the army post on the day; Gurudongmar Lake and Katao are closed to them.
Can children visit Gurudongmar Lake?
Children under 5 are not permitted at Gurudongmar, and the lake at 17,800 ft is not advised for anyone with heart, lung or blood-pressure conditions. The Lachung side with Yumthang is gentler.
When is the best time for North Sikkim?
March to May for rhododendrons and lingering snow, October to mid-December for clear skies, and January–February for deep snow with occasional road closures. July to September brings landslides that close the highway for days.
Can I take a small car to North Sikkim?
No. Small cars are not permitted beyond Chungthang. North Sikkim runs on a dedicated Sikkim-registered SUV whose driver holds the permit.