Chungthang is a small town about 95 km and 4–4.5 hours north of Gangtok, at the confluence of the Lachen Chu and Lachung Chu, which join to form the Teesta. Every North Sikkim trip passes through, because the road splits here for Lachen and Lachung. It lies beyond the Toong check post, so a protected area permit is needed.
Chungthang sits in a narrow bowl where two mountain rivers meet: the Lachen Chu coming down from Lachen and Thangu, and the Lachung Chu from Lachung and Yumthang. From here the combined river is the Teesta, which runs the length of Sikkim. The town is small, with a bazaar, a few lodges and eating places, government offices, an Indian Army base with a medical centre and a gurdwara. Wikipedia gives its elevation as 1,790 m, though the valley floor near the confluence is closer to 1,600 m.
For travellers, Chungthang is a junction rather than a destination. Tour jeeps stop for tea and a stretch, permits are checked, and the road divides: left up the Lachen gorge over the Taram Chu bridge, right up the Lachung valley through forest and orchards. On the return, drivers often regroup here before the long run down to Mangan and Gangtok.
Chungthang also carries the scars of October 2023, when a glacial lake outburst from South Lhonak Lake sent a flood down the Teesta that destroyed the Teesta Stage III dam here, along with bridges, roads and buildings. Rebuilding has gone on since. Look at the riverbed and you can still see how much changed. Check current status before you travel.
Highlights
What to see and do
The confluence
From the bridges and the road above, you can see the Lachen Chu and Lachung Chu meet in a wide bed of grey boulders. The water is fast and cold and the riverbed was reshaped by the 2023 flood. Look from the road; do not go down to the edge.
The road junction
Here the North Sikkim road splits. The Lachen branch climbs a steep gorge over the Taram Chu bridge to Lachen and Thangu; the Lachung branch follows the Lachung Chu through forest and orchards. Your permit is checked, and drivers often take a short tea break.
Flood memory
The remains of the Teesta Stage III dam and the widened river show the force of the October 2023 glacial lake outburst. Many local families lost homes or land. Ask with care if you want to talk about it, and avoid photographing damaged homes.
A medical lifeline
The army base and its medical centre have helped many travellers with altitude problems coming down from Gurudongmar or Zero Point. If anyone in your group feels unwell higher up, descending to Chungthang often brings quick relief.
Tea and a stretch
Chungthang's small eating places serve tea, momos, noodles and rice meals. On a long drive day it is a good place to stretch, use a toilet and buy water or snacks before the climb. Carry a refillable bottle for Lachung and Lachen.
The story of Chungthang
The night the Teesta came down
In the early hours of 4 October 2023, South Lhonak Lake, a glacial lake high in northwestern Sikkim, burst through its moraine after heavy rain, possibly helped by a slope collapse into the lake. Wikipedia's article on the 2023 Sikkim flash floods records that the lake had grown from about 17 hectares in 1977 to more than 160 hectares by 2023 as its glacier retreated. The water raced down the Lachen valley and reached Chungthang, where it overtopped and destroyed the dam of the 1,200 MW Teesta Stage III hydropower project. The surge then tore down the Teesta through Mangan, Singtam and Rangpo, washing away bridges and long stretches of road, damaging army camps and homes, and causing loss of life as far as the plains of West Bengal. North Sikkim was cut off for months. The road from Chungthang to Lachen needed long sections rebuilt and a new bridge at Taram Chu, and stayed closed to tourists for a long time afterwards. When you stand at the confluence today, the wide grey riverbed is the flood's mark.
Source: Wikipedia, 2023 Sikkim flash floods and Chungthang
Little known
Things most visitors never hear
Chungthang is the point where the Lachen Chu and the Lachung Chu join, and from here downstream the river is called the Teesta.
Source: Wikipedia, Chungthang
The Indian Army maintains a major forward base with a medical centre at Chungthang, which is the nearest substantial medical help for many Lachung and Lachen travellers.
Source: Wikipedia, Chungthang
Chungthang is about 28 km from Mangan and 95 km from Gangtok by the North Sikkim Highway.
Chungthang is on every shared North Sikkim tour to Lachung or Lachen from Gangtok. You cannot normally book a seat to Chungthang alone as a tourist, because permits are tied to a registered package and vehicle.
Private car
A registered private vehicle from Gangtok takes 4–4.5 hours for about 95 km via Mangan and the Toong check post, which tourist vehicles must cross by 4:00 pm. Your agent arranges the protected area permit.
From Bagdogra / NJP
Spend a night in Gangtok first. The drive from NJP or Bagdogra to Gangtok takes 4.5–5 hours on NH10, longer via Kalimpong or Algarah when NH10 is closed by slides, and a same-day push north would miss the Toong cut-off.
Permits in North Sikkim
Indian travellers need a protected area permit for Lachung, Yumthang, Zero Point, Lachen, Thangu and Gurudongmar, issued only through Sikkim Tourism-registered agents and tied to a registered tourist vehicle; operators require a minimum two-night stay. Dzongu needs its own permit, usually obtained in Mangan. Children under five are not permitted in North Sikkim protected areas. Foreign nationals need the online Sikkim restricted area permit and may visit Lachung, Yumthang and Zero Point on a group permit, but not Gurudongmar; for Lachen and Thangu, ask us. Check current status before you travel.
Chungthang has a few small lodges used by drivers, workers and officials, but we do not normally plan tourist nights here. The town sits between Lachung and Lachen, each about an hour or so away, and both have better rooms and homestays. If a road closure forces a stop, your driver will find a simple lodge. For a planned halfway night on the way north, Mangan, below the Toong check post, is a better choice.
From the Gangtok desk
Tips we give friends
Keep your permit copy and ID handy; they are checked on the North Sikkim road around Chungthang.
Use the tea stop to buy water and snacks before Lachen or Lachung.
If anyone feels unwell higher up, descending towards Chungthang is often the quickest relief.
Do not go down to the riverbed; water levels can change quickly.
Avoid photographing army installations, which is not allowed.
Chungthang is in Mangan district (North Sikkim), about 95 km north of Gangtok and 28 km beyond Mangan on the North Sikkim Highway. It sits at the confluence of the Lachen Chu and Lachung Chu, and the road divides here for Lachen and Lachung.
Do I need a permit for Chungthang?
Yes. Chungthang lies beyond the Toong check post, in the area that needs a protected area permit. Indian travellers get it through a Sikkim Tourism-registered agent with a registered vehicle, as part of a Lachung or Lachen trip. Check current status before you travel.
How far is Chungthang from Gangtok?
About 95 km, which takes 4–4.5 hours by road in normal conditions. Tourist vehicles must cross the Toong check post, before Chungthang, by 4:00 pm. Landslides can add hours, especially in the monsoon, so plan to leave Gangtok by 10 am.
Is Chungthang worth a stop?
Yes, as a short stop. The confluence view, a tea break and a look at how the 2023 flood reshaped the valley take 20–30 minutes. It is not worth a night unless a road closure forces one; Lachung and Lachen have better stays.
What happened to the Teesta dam at Chungthang?
The dam of the 1,200 MW Teesta Stage III hydropower project at Chungthang was destroyed in the early hours of 4 October 2023 by a glacial lake outburst flood from South Lhonak Lake. The flood went on to damage bridges and roads down the Teesta valley and cause loss of life.
Is there a hospital in Chungthang?
The Indian Army has a major forward base with a medical centre at Chungthang, and there is a local health centre. It is the nearest substantial medical help for many travellers coming down from Gurudongmar or Zero Point. For serious cases, your driver will also head towards Mangan's district hospital.
What is the altitude of Chungthang?
Chungthang's valley floor is about 1,600 m, while Wikipedia lists the town at 1,790 m. Either way it is well below Lachen and Lachung at around 2,700 m, so altitude is not a concern here. It is a useful point to descend to if anyone feels unwell higher up.
Can foreigners pass through Chungthang?
Foreign nationals on a group permit to Lachung, Yumthang and Zero Point pass through Chungthang. Gurudongmar is not open to foreigners, and access to Lachen and Thangu for foreigners is unclear, so ask us. All foreigners first need the online Sikkim restricted area permit. Check current status before you travel.
Are there places to eat in Chungthang?
Yes, a few small eating places serve tea, momos, noodles, and rice meals with dal and vegetables at about ₹150–250. Most tour vehicles stop for tea or a quick meal. Carry water and snacks as well, and a refillable bottle for Lachung and Lachen.
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