Cho La is a border pass at about 4,593 m on the Sikkim–Tibet watershed, roughly 6 km north-west of Nathu La. Once the royal route from Tumlong to the Chumbi Valley, it saw fighting in October 1967. Since autumn 2025 Indian nationals can visit on escorted, permit-only trips with a night in a Silk Route homestay.
Best months
April–June and October–November
Nights we suggest
2 (Silk Route homestay required)
From Gangtok
≈ 70–80 km · 4–5 h, escorted from Kupup
Altitude
≈ 4,593 m
Known for
Royal Tibet route, 1849 Hooker arrest, 1967 clash
Permit
Indian nationals only; ≈ ₹1,120 per person plus vehicle permit
About Cho La
What to know before you go
Cho La sits on the Chola range, the ridge that divides Sikkim from Tibet's Chumbi Valley, at about 4,593 m. For centuries it was the main route between the Sikkimese capital at Tumlong and Chumbi, where the royal family kept a summer palace, and one of the main trade routes between Sikkim and Tibet. A fair-weather road now climbs to it on the Indian side.
The pass is part of India's Bharat Ranbhoomi Darshan initiative, which opens historic battlefields along the borders to visitors. After years of being closed to civilians, Cho La and Doklam opened to Indian domestic tourists in autumn 2025, with tight controls: a limited number of vehicles a day, escorts from Kupup, and a compulsory night in an approved homestay on the Old Silk Route.
This is a serious high-altitude trip. At about 4,593 m, Cho La is higher than Nathu La, and you reach it after a night at Kupup, Gnathang, Zuluk or Padamchen in Pakyong district. Foreigners are not allowed. Permits are issued through the Sikkim Tourism Department via registered operators. Rules are new and may change; check current status before you travel.
Highlights
What to see and do
A battlefield opened to civilians
Cho La is one of the border sites opened under Bharat Ranbhoomi Darshan, where Indian visitors can see the ground of the October 1967 clash with an escort. The Army briefing and memorials give context. Photography rules are strict and set on the day.
Higher than Nathu La
At about 4,593 m, Cho La is the highest point most visitors to Sikkim will ever reach by vehicle. Views across the Chumbi Valley and the bare ridges of the Chola range are vast. The air is thin; move slowly and keep the visit short.
The royal road to Chumbi
Before the 20th century, Sikkim's rulers crossed Cho La between their capital at Tumlong and their summer palace in Chumbi. Traders followed the same route. Standing at the top, you are on the old political spine of the kingdom.
A night on the Old Silk Route
The permit requires a night in an approved homestay at Kupup, Gnathang, Zuluk or Padamchen, all in Pakyong district. These high villages are cold, simple and friendly, and the night helps you acclimatise before the pass.
Few visitors
With a cap of 25 vehicles and 25 motorbikes a day when it opened, Cho La is never crowded. You share the pass with soldiers, escort staff and a handful of other travellers, in a landscape that has seen very few civilians for decades.
The story of Cho La
Hooker and Campbell, arrested at the pass in 1849
In 1849 the botanist Joseph Dalton Hooker, later director of Kew Gardens, was travelling through Sikkim collecting rhododendrons with Archibald Campbell, the British superintendent of Darjeeling. Sikkim had an agreement that kept foreigners out of Tibetan territory, and when the two men reached Cho La and tried to go on towards Chumbi, they became the first Europeans recorded at the pass, and were arrested. Their detention by the Sikkim court became a diplomatic crisis, and the British responded the next year by annexing territory in the Sikkim foothills. The pass mattered because it was the royal road: the Chogyals travelled over it between Tumlong and their summer palace in Chumbi. More than a century later, on 1 October 1967, Cho La saw a one-day clash between Indian and Chinese troops, weeks after the fighting at Nathu La; Chinese forces withdrew about three kilometres. In 2025, Cho La opened to Indian civilians for the first time in decades.
Source: Wikipedia: Cho La (Sikkim and Tibet); Joseph Dalton Hooker; Nathu La and Cho La clashes
Little known
Things most visitors never hear
Cho La, at about 4,593 m, is higher than Nathu La (4,310 m) and lies roughly 6 km north-west of it on the same ridge.
Source: Wikipedia: Cho La (Sikkim and Tibet)
The daily cap when Cho La opened in 2025 was 25 tourist vehicles and 25 motorcycles, with only bikes of 1,400 cc or more permitted.
Source: ETV Bharat, September 2025
On the Chinese side, a border post stands at about 4,783 m, served by an access road repaved in 2016.
No shared jeeps run to Cho La. Visits are only in tour-operator or government-approved vehicles on a permit, so even budget travellers need to join a small group in a reserved vehicle. We can help pair travellers to split the cost.
Private car
A registered operator's vehicle with a Cho La vehicle permit (about ₹11,000–12,000 for two days when the scheme opened) takes you from Gangtok via the Tsomgo road to an approved homestay, then up to the pass with an escort from Kupup. Private cars are not allowed.
From Bagdogra / NJP
Spend at least one night in Gangtok to arrange permits and acclimatise, then travel up to a Silk Route homestay. From Bagdogra or NJP to Gangtok allow 4–5 hours on NH10, which closes in the monsoon. Check current status before you travel.
Permits in East Sikkim
Indian travellers need no permit for Gangtok, Rumtek, Lingdum, Martam or Sang. Tsomgo Lake and Baba Mandir need a protected-area permit through a registered agent, usually filed the day before with ID and photos. Nathu La is for Indian nationals only, about ₹200 per person, usually Wednesday to Sunday. Cho La opened to domestic tourists in September 2025 on limited, escorted trips. Foreigners need the Sikkim restricted area permit, applied online on the e-FRRO portal, and may visit Tsomgo on a one-day pass in a group of two or more. Sikkim also charges a ₹50 tourist fee at hotels. Check current status before you travel.
The permit requires a night in an approved homestay at Kupup, Gnathang, Zuluk or Padamchen, all in Pakyong district on the Old Silk Route. Expect simple rooms, shared or attached bathrooms, heavy quilts and home-cooked meals for about ₹1,500–2,500 per person a night. Before and after, stay in Gangtok: Hotel Tibet or The Chumbi Residency for comfort, Elgin Nor-Khill for heritage, or Mintokling Guest House on a budget.
From the Gangtok desk
Tips we give friends
Cho La is for Indian nationals only; carry original photo ID and photocopies.
Book early: when the scheme opened, only 25 vehicles and 25 bikes were allowed each day.
Spend at least one night in Gangtok and one at the Silk Route homestay before going up to 4,593 m.
Rules are new; confirm permit fees, open days and escort arrangements shortly before you travel.
Never photograph military installations, troops or vehicles, and never fly a drone.
Month by month
When to visit Cho La
JFMAMJJASOND
BestGoodAvoid or closed
Cho La is at 4,593 m. Spend a night lower down first, climb slowly and drink water. Headache, nausea or breathlessness at rest mean go down. The altitude ladder.
Cho La is on the Sikkim–Tibet border in Gangtok district, about 6 km north-west of Nathu La on the Chola range, at about 4,593 m. Visitors reach it by an escorted fair-weather road from the Tsomgo and Kupup side, after a night at an approved Old Silk Route homestay.
When did Cho La open to tourists?
Cho La and Doklam opened to Indian domestic tourists in autumn 2025 under the Bharat Ranbhoomi Darshan battlefield-tourism scheme. Reports give the opening as late September or 1 October 2025. Rules and open days may change; check current status before you travel.
How much is the Cho La permit?
When the scheme opened, the permit was about ₹1,120 per person, covering wildlife sanctuary entry and a contribution to the Tsomgo lake conservation committee. Vehicle permits cost about ₹11,000–12,000 for two days. Prices may change; check current status before you travel.
Who can visit Cho La?
Only Indian nationals, in tour-operator or government-approved vehicles, with permits issued through the Sikkim Tourism Department. Private vehicles are not allowed, and only motorbikes of 1,400 cc or more were permitted when the scheme opened. Foreigners cannot visit.
Do we need to stay overnight for Cho La?
Yes. The rules require booking one night at an approved homestay at Kupup, Gnathang, Zuluk or Padamchen on the Old Silk Route. This also helps you acclimatise. Plan two nights in Gangtok before the trip to arrange permits and adjust to altitude.
Is Cho La higher than Nathu La?
Yes. Cho La is about 4,593 m, compared with Nathu La at 4,310 m. Some news reports have quoted higher figures. Either way, it is very high: altitude sickness is a real risk, so acclimatise, move slowly and keep the visit short.
Can children visit Cho La?
We do not recommend Cho La for young children. The combination of about 4,593 m, a night above 3,500 m, cold and rough roads is hard on small bodies. Children under five are not permitted in North Sikkim protected areas; similar caution applies here. Consult a doctor for older children.
What is the history of Cho La?
Cho La was the royal road between the Sikkim capital at Tumlong and the Chogyals' summer palace in Chumbi, and a main Sikkim–Tibet trade route. In 1849 Joseph Hooker and Archibald Campbell were arrested there. On 1 October 1967 it saw a clash between Indian and Chinese troops.
What is the best time to visit Cho La?
May and June, and October and November, usually give the most reliable roads and clearer weather. Winter brings deep snow and frequent closures; the monsoon brings cloud and landslides lower down. Rules on open days are new, so confirm shortly before you travel.
Every cost shownRooms, car, permits and our fee, itemised
One person to callFrom Bagdogra or NJP until you are back
No payment to startA deposit only when you book
Get my price
Want Cho La in your plan?
Tell us your dates, who is travelling and roughly what you want to spend. We reply within one working day with a day-by-day route and an itemised price.
No payment to start
Permits handled through registered partners
Every hotel, car and fee listed
Price my Sikkim trip
Tell us dates, people and budget. You get a day-by-day plan and an itemised price within one working day.
