Gurudongmar at about 17,000 ft, the Yumthang valley, and enough nights to do both without rushing.
Up to Lachen for Gurudongmar, across to Lachung for two nights and the Yumthang valley, then back to Gangtok for Tsomgo and Nathula. The last full day in Gangtok doubles as a spare day, because North Sikkim roads change week to week.
Drive times are counted from Siliguri, NJP or Bagdogra, which sit within about 45 minutes of each other.
We pick you up wherever you are: a station, the airport, your hotel or your home. About 4 to 5 hours into Sikkim. Evening on MG Marg. We collect your permit documents tonight.
When NH10 is shut, we take the road via Lava, which can add a few hours.About 6 to 7 hours north via Mangan and Chungthang, with waterfall stops on the way. Early dinner and an early night in Lachen, at about 9,000 ft.
Leave around 4 am. About 3 hours up through Thangu to Gurudongmar Lake, at about 17,000 ft. Back to Lachen for lunch, then about 3 hours to Lachung. The longest day of the trip.
Plan on 20 to 30 minutes at the lake. No running, keep sipping water, and come down at once if anyone feels unwell.Gurudongmar is open to Indian nationals only.Yumthang valley at about 11,700 ft, with rhododendrons from April to May. Zero Point, higher up the same road, if it is open. Night in Lachung.
Zero Point needs a separate local vehicle and is often shut by snow in winter.About 5 to 6 hours back to Gangtok. Free evening.
Nathula, Baba Mandir and Tsomgo Lake. Back in Gangtok by mid-afternoon.
Nathula is open Wednesday to Sunday, Indian nationals only. Otherwise, Tsomgo and Baba Mandir.Gangtok's monasteries and viewpoints and Rumtek. If weather or a road closure cost us a day up north, we use this day to make it up.
About 4 to 5 hours. Drop at the point you choose. Keep any flight or train after 3 pm.
Lachen and Lachung stays are simple mountain hotels. Meals there are usually included, since there are few places to eat.
Stays are matched to your budget and confirmed in writing before you pay. If a stay is full, we offer one of a similar standard.
All of North Sikkim needs a Protected Area Permit, which we apply for a day ahead. Each guest needs a passport, voter ID or driving licence, plus four passport photos. Aadhaar is not always accepted.
The Lachen road has seen long closures, and permits can be paused at short notice. We check every evening before the next day. If Lachen is closed, we switch to a Lachung-only plan and tell you before you pay that this can happen.
Gurudongmar is at about 17,000 ft. We don't recommend this trip for infants, for anyone pregnant, or for anyone with heart or breathing problems. Everyone else: talk to your doctor before the trip and go slowly at the lake.
March to May for flowers, October and November for clear skies. December to February is very cold and Gurudongmar and Zero Point are often blocked by snow. We don't run this trip from June to September.
thermals, a heavy jacket, gloves, a cap and sunglasses in every season.
This is a sample plan. Routes, timings and stops can change for weather, road conditions, permit rules or forest department rules. Your final plan is shared on WhatsApp before you pay.
Gangtok, the high lake at Tsomgo, the border pass at Nathula, and Namchi's hilltop statues on the way down.
Three hill villages facing Kanchenjunga, with homestays and slow mornings.
Two national parks, the Jaldhaka up to the Bhutan border, and the tea gardens in between.
