The Naga Waterfall is a roadside cascade on the North Sikkim Highway between Mangan and the Toong check post, before Chungthang, roughly 80 km from Gangtok. It is a short, free stop on the drive to Lachung and Lachen. It lies below the protected areas, so no permit is needed to stop, though you must cross Toong by 4:00 pm to go on.
Best months
October to May for roads; strongest flow June to September
Nights we suggest
0 (a roadside stop)
From Gangtok
≈ 80 km · 3–3.5 h (approximate)
Altitude
≈ 1,300 m (approximate)
Known for
Roadside waterfall before the Toong check post
Permit
None to stop; protected area permit needed beyond Toong
The Naga Waterfall comes down beside the North Sikkim Highway on the stretch between Mangan and the Toong check post, a little before Chungthang. We put it at roughly 80 km from Gangtok and 3 to 3.5 hours by road, though distances here are approximate, and the road conditions vary. We have not found a published height or flow figure for it and give none.
Most visitors see it as a stop on the run to Lachung or Lachen. The water falls over rock and forest in a narrow gorge, and drivers pull over for a few minutes while passengers take photographs and stretch their legs. Flow is strongest during the June to September monsoon and lower from November to March.
The stop is below the Toong check post, so no protected area permit is needed just to pull over. Tourist vehicles must cross Toong by 4:00 pm to carry on to Chungthang, Lachung and Lachen, so keep the stop short, and let your driver decide where it is safe. Slides are common on this stretch. Check current status before you travel.
Highlights
What to see and do
A roadside cascade
The water falls over rock into the gorge beside the road, and you can see it from the pull-off. Stay behind the barrier or on the verge, and keep away from the wet rock and the spray.
A break on a long drive
The drive from Gangtok to Lachung or Lachen is long, and this is a convenient place to stop and stretch before the final climb. Many drivers stop here for a few minutes on the way up.
Monsoon and winter flow
From June to September the falls are at their loudest, though slides on the highway can interrupt travel. From November to March they are thinner but the roads are more reliable. Check current status before you travel.
Photography after rain
Clean light after rain, when the water is high and the air is clear, gives the best photographs. Take care with your footing and with traffic at the pull-off.
The Toong clock
The waterfall is before the Toong check post, which tourist vehicles must cross by 4:00 pm. Keep the stop short and ask your driver to watch the time.
The story of Naga Waterfall
A waterfall on a road that gets rebuilt
We have not found a documented history or origin for the name Naga Waterfall, and we do not repeat unsourced stories about it. What we can give with a source is the setting. The waterfall lies on the stretch of the North Sikkim Highway above Mangan, the same corridor that carries every vehicle to Chungthang, Lachung and Lachen. Wikipedia's article on the 2023 Sikkim flash floods records that the October 2023 glacial lake outburst flood from South Lhonak Lake swept down the Teesta valley, destroying the Teesta Stage III dam at Chungthang and washing away bridges and roads. North Sikkim was cut off for months. This particular waterfall is not named there, and we make no claim about how the flood affected it. What we can say is that the highway here has been rebuilt and repaired, and that travel can be interrupted, which is why we always say check current status before you travel.
Source: Wikipedia, 2023 Sikkim flash floods
Little known
Things most visitors never hear
The Naga Waterfall lies below the Toong check post, so visitors can stop here without a protected area permit, though crossing Toong to go on needs a permit through a registered agent.
Source: Sikkim Tourism rules as we understand them
Tourist vehicles must cross the Toong check post by 4:00 pm to go on to Chungthang, Lachung and Lachen, which is why stops near the waterfall are kept short.
Source: Sikkim Tourism rules as we understand them
The stretch beyond Mangan is the corridor that was cut off after the October 2023 flood, and parts of the road to Lachen were closed again in April 2026 after a landslide.
Shared North Sikkim tour jeeps to Lachung or Lachen pass the falls, and some drivers stop for a few minutes. You cannot normally book a seat just to the falls. A 2N/3D shared package is about ₹6,500 to 9,000 per person, indicative.
Private car
A registered private vehicle from Gangtok takes about 3 to 3.5 hours to the falls, depending on traffic and road work. Ask the driver to stop. The road beyond Toong needs a permit through your registered agent.
From Bagdogra / NJP
Stay a night in Gangtok first. The drive from Bagdogra or NJP to Gangtok takes 4.5 to 5 hours on NH10, longer via Kalimpong or Algarah when NH10 is closed by slides, so 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.
There are no tourist stays at the falls. Most visitors pass by on the way to Lachung or Lachen, which have better rooms and homestays, or stay a night in Mangan, about 15 to 20 km before it, to split the drive and avoid a rush to the Toong check post. Mangan has simple hotels. For stays in Lachung and Lachen, ask us for current options and prices.
From the Gangtok desk
Tips we give friends
Keep the stop to 10 or 15 minutes, because the Toong check post closes to tourist vehicles at 4:00 pm.
Park well off the road and watch for traffic on blind bends.
Stay away from wet rock and the edge of the gorge.
Carry a rain jacket and a refillable bottle, and take your litter with you.
Ask your driver about slides on the road ahead, and check current status before you travel.
It is beside the North Sikkim Highway between Mangan and the Toong check post, a little before Chungthang, in Mangan district (North Sikkim). We put it roughly 80 km from Gangtok, about 3 to 3.5 hours by road, and give the figure as approximate.
How tall is the Naga Waterfall?
We have not found a published height and do not quote one. It is a roadside cascade seen from a pull-off, and its flow varies strongly with the season, with the heaviest flow in the June to September monsoon.
Do I need a permit to stop at the waterfall?
No protected area permit is needed to stop, as the falls are below the Toong check post. To go on beyond Toong to Chungthang, Lachung and Lachen you need a protected area permit through a Sikkim Tourism-registered agent. Check current status before you travel.
What is the Toong check post cut-off?
Tourist vehicles must cross the Toong check post by 4:00 pm, as we understand the rule. That is why stops at the falls are kept short. Rules can change, so check current status before you travel.
Is there an entry fee?
As far as we know, no. It is a roadside waterfall. Arrangements can change, so check current status before you travel and ask your driver.
What is the best time to visit?
October to May gives the most reliable roads. Flow is strongest from June to September, but slides are frequent then. Autumn gives a good flow after the rains. Check current status before you travel, in any season.
How long should we stop?
Ten to fifteen minutes is enough for a look and photographs. Longer stops add little, and the road edge is narrow. On the way up, watch the Toong cut-off.
Is the Naga Waterfall safe to visit?
As a short roadside stop, yes, with care. Stay back from the wet rock and the edge, keep children close and watch for traffic. Slides are common on this stretch in the monsoon, so follow your driver's advice and check current status before you travel.
Is the waterfall worth the stop?
Yes, as a short break on a long drive. It is free and easy, and gives a feel for the gorge. It is not worth a special trip, and if the clock is tight at Toong, skip it and enjoy it on the way down.
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