Adventure · Naga Waterfall
Planning the day around the Toong cut-off
Tourist vehicles must cross the Toong check post by 4:00 pm. We explain how to time stops at Singhik, the Naga Waterfall and Chungthang so that a long drive day does not become a race.
Photo: walter callens · CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
The Toong check post is the gate between the open highway and the protected areas. As we understand the current rule, tourist vehicles must cross by 4:00 pm. Leaving Gangtok at 9 to 10 am, a car reaches Mangan at lunchtime and Toong by mid-afternoon, so the margin is not large.
Choose your stops. Singhik viewpoint and the Naga Waterfall are each worth 10 to 20 minutes, but not both if you are late. Eat quickly at Mangan, ask your driver to watch the clock and skip a stop rather than risk the cut-off. A night in Mangan the day before removes the pressure entirely.
Landslides and road work can add hours, especially in the monsoon, and the cut-off does not move. If you are behind, the driver may advise turning back. Plan a buffer and an extra night, and check current status before you travel.
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Questions travellers ask
Before you book
What is the Toong check post cut-off?
Tourist vehicles must cross the Toong check post by 4:00 pm, as we understand the current rule, to go on to Chungthang, Lachung and Lachen. Rules can change, so check current status before you travel and confirm with your registered agent.
What happens if we miss the cut-off?
You would normally have to spend the night below Toong, in Mangan or nearby, and continue the next day, which may disturb your permits and hotel bookings. Plan an early start or a night in Mangan the day before to avoid this.
Can we skip the waterfall if we are late?
Yes, and you should. The stop is a pleasant extra, not a priority. Ask your driver to skip it and Singhik if the clock is tight, and enjoy them on the way down instead.
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