Nature · Chungthang
Watching two rivers become the Teesta
Stop above the confluence at Chungthang and watch the Lachen Chu and Lachung Chu meet to form the Teesta, Sikkim's main river. A short, simple stop that helps you read the geography of the whole north.
Photo: Pinakpani · CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Most of North Sikkim drains through this one point. The Lachen Chu brings water from Gurudongmar, Thangu and the glaciers of the northwest, including South Lhonak; the Lachung Chu brings it from Yumthang and the passes to the east. At Chungthang they meet, and from here the river is the Teesta, which flows south past Mangan, Singtam and Rangpo into West Bengal and Bangladesh.
Ask your driver to stop at a safe spot on the road above the confluence. In autumn and winter the water runs clear blue-green over grey stones; after rain or snowmelt it is brown and loud. The wide, bare riverbed you see today is partly the work of the October 2023 flood.
It is a quick stop, best fitted into the drive up or down. Stay by the road, away from the edge, and do not walk onto the riverbed. Photography of army areas is not allowed.
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Questions travellers ask
Before you book
Which rivers meet at Chungthang?
The Lachen Chu, flowing down from Lachen and Thangu, and the Lachung Chu, flowing down from Lachung and Yumthang, meet at Chungthang. From the confluence downstream the river is called the Teesta, Sikkim's main river, which flows south through the state into West Bengal and Bangladesh.
Can we go down to the river at Chungthang?
We advise against it. The riverbed was reshaped by the 2023 flood, water levels change quickly, and parts of the bank are unstable or near restricted areas. Enjoy the view from a safe place on the road, and follow your driver's advice on where to stop.
How long should we stop at Chungthang?
Twenty to thirty minutes is enough for the view, tea and a toilet break. On the way up, keep the stop short so you reach Lachung or Lachen in daylight. On the way down there is more flexibility, though you still want to reach Gangtok before dark.
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