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Tsomgo Lake & Nathula Pass

Tsomgo Lake & Nathula Pass

adventure spot · Sikkim

State
Sikkim
Type
Adventure Spot
Best season
Summer
Things to do
3+

Tsomgo Lake, also written Changu Lake, is a high-altitude glacial lake at 3,753 metres in the rugged East Sikkim district, held in a steep oval valley just kilometres from the international border. The water changes colour through the year: deep blue in summer, turquoise later, then solid white once winter locks the surface into thick ice. Carry on up the same high-security mountain road and it climbs to the Nathula Pass checkpoint, at 4,310 metres on the ancient Silk Road route, where heavy military wire marks the line between India and China.

When to go

April to May for pleasant days, October to November for clear, dry mountain tracks.

Why visit

Both need permits arranged in Gangtok at least a day ahead through a registered agent, and Nathu La is open to Indian nationals only, on set days of the week. Tsomgo is at about 3,750 metres, which is a hard climb from Gangtok in one morning.

Cultural notes

The indigenous Lepcha and the Sikkimese Buddhist communities hold this water deeply sacred, and lamas once read the lake's surface for omens about the coming season. Nathula Pass, just beyond, was a strategic point on the ancient Silk Road and carried trade caravans until it closed.

How to reach

Reached only from Gangtok, by a rough 54 km climb on a steep mountain road. The drive is done in private or shared hire vehicles with experienced local mountain drivers.

Tsomgo Lake & Nathula Pass guide & itineraries

Popular attractions

The places in Tsomgo Lake & Nathula Pass most people come for.

Tsomgo (Changu) Lake

Tsomgo (Changu) Lake

Attraction

Nathula Pass Checkpoint

Nathula Pass Checkpoint

Viewpoint

Old Baba Harbhajan Singh Mandir

Old Baba Harbhajan Singh Mandir

Attraction

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Rumtek Monastery

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