Culture · Nathu La
Sherathang and the reopened trade route
A short roadside stop at Sherathang, the Indian trade mart below Nathu La that opened when border trade resumed in July 2006 after 44 years. It puts the old Silk Route history into a present-day context.
Photo: shankar s. from Poona (pune), India, India · CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
When India and China reopened Nathu La for trade on 6 July 2006, two marts were set up: Sherathang on the Indian side, below the pass, and Renqinggang on the Chinese side. Registered traders from Sikkim, holding special trade passes, carry an agreed list of goods across on trading days, and Tibetan traders come the other way.
For visitors, Sherathang is mostly a glimpse from the road: low buildings, trucks and, on trading days in the warmer months, traders with bundles. Ask your driver whether a short stop is allowed on the day; rules depend on security conditions. Do not photograph officials or installations.
The trade is small compared with the old caravans, limited by weather, the agreed goods list and the season. But it continues a route that carried wool, salt and borax south and cloth and grain north for centuries, and that Younghusband's men marched over in 1903–04. It is worth a few minutes of your attention.
Good for
Questions travellers ask
Before you book
Can tourists buy goods at Sherathang trade mart?
Generally no. Sherathang is a border trade mart for registered traders with special passes, not a tourist market. Visitors can see it from the road and sometimes stop briefly. For Tibetan and Chinese goods, look in Gangtok's Lal Bazaar and the shops around MG Marg instead.
When did Nathu La reopen for trade?
Nathu La reopened for border trade on 6 July 2006, after being closed since the 1962 war, a gap of 44 years. Trade runs through the Sherathang mart on the Indian side and Renqinggang on the Chinese side, on set days during the warmer months.
Is Sherathang on the way to Nathu La?
Yes. Sherathang lies on the road up to the pass, a short distance below Nathu La. Most cars pass it without stopping. If you are interested, ask your driver whether a brief stop is possible on the day; it depends on security rules and traffic.
Also in Nathu La
More hours worth planning
Adventure
Visit the border at Nathu La
Climb the last steps at 4,310 m to the viewing area where India and China face each other across the pass. A …
Adventure
Tsomgo, Baba Mandir and Nathu La in a day
The full high-road day from Gangtok: Tsomgo Lake at 3,753 m, Nathu La at 4,310 m and the Baba Harbhajan Singh shrine, …
Nature
Snow at Nathu La in April and May
For families travelling in the summer holidays, April and May are the best months to find snow at Nathu La while the …
Price your own route
Tell us dates, people and budget. We send a day-by-day plan with every cost shown. StartNot sure where to start?
We match districts to your month, your budget and the people travelling with you. StartAsk the Gangtok desk
An itemised quote within one working day. No payment to start. StartGet my price
Tell us your dates and your budget
Who is travelling, when, and roughly what you want to spend. The Gangtok desk replies within one working day with a day-by-day plan and an itemised price.
- No payment to start
- Permits handled through registered partners
- Every hotel, car and fee listed