Nathang (Gnathang) Valley is a wide high valley at about 3,750 m on the Silk Route in Pakyong district, with a small village, a gumpa, yak pastures and army camps. In May 1888 Tibetan forces attacked the British camp here. Indian nationals only; sleep at Zuluk first and come up acclimatised.
Best months
Oct–Nov for gold grass and clear skies; Apr–May for flowers
Nights we suggest
0–1 (after a night at Zuluk)
From Gangtok
≈ 115 km · 5.5–6 h via Rongli and Zuluk; ≈ 75 km · 3–3.5 h via Tsomgo and Kupup
Altitude
≈ 3,750 m (often quoted as 13,500 ft)
Known for
Yak meadows, 1888 war memorial, winter snow
Permit
Silk Route permit via Rongli; Indian nationals only
Nathang is the open space at the top of the Silk Route. After the forest and loops below Zuluk, the road crosses the Lungthung ridge and drops onto a broad valley floor of grass, streams and grazing yaks, surrounded by bare ridges. Gnathang village itself is tiny: the 2011 census counted 13 households and 60 people. There is a gumpa, Gnathang Gadenchoeling, a Krishna temple and a few homestays, set among army camps.
Survey data place the valley floor at about 3,700–3,800 m; travel sites often quote 13,500 ft. Either way it is high, and nights are bitterly cold. The valley turns gold in October and November, is often snowbound from December to March, and greens up with wild flowers from May. From a ridge nearby, the Doklam plateau is visible on a clear day, about 35 km away.
Most visitors pass through on the Silk Route circuit, stopping at the war memorial and gumpa before continuing to Kupup and Tsomgo or back down to Zuluk. Hardy, acclimatised travellers spend a night. Indian nationals only, with the Silk Route permit arranged via Rongli. Snow and army movements can close the road. Check current status before you travel.
Highlights
What to see and do
The war memorial
A small memorial near Gnathang remembers men who died during the British occupation of the valley after the 1888 campaign. It is a short stop, and a good place to piece together the story of Jeluk, Lingtu and Gnathang.
Yaks on the valley floor
Herding families graze yaks on the open meadows. Stop the car, keep your distance and watch: yaks are calm but large, and the herders' dogs are protective. In winter the herds move lower.
Gnathang Gadenchoeling Gumpa
The village gumpa is a small, working Buddhist temple for the herding families. Walk round clockwise, ask before entering, and leave a small offering if you wish.
Gold in October, white in January
In October and November the valley grass turns gold under deep blue skies. From December to March it is often under snow, beautiful and unpredictable; roads close at short notice.
The road to Kupup
From Nathang the road climbs to Kupup at about 3,940 m, past the Old Baba Mandir shrine, Elephant Lake and the Yak golf course, before dropping towards Tsomgo and Gangtok.
The story of Nathang Valley
22 May 1888: the attack on the Gnathang camp
After taking the Tibetan fort at Lingtu in March 1888, Brigadier-General Thomas Graham's force set up defences at Gnathang, a plateau three or four miles north of the fort. The Tibetans, far from withdrawing, gathered reinforcements beyond the passes. According to Wikipedia's account of the Sikkim expedition, at 7 am on 22 May they attacked the British defences with what British reports claimed were 3,000 men. Fighting lasted until about 10 am. The British lost three killed and eight wounded, and claimed to have killed around a hundred Tibetans. Later that year Graham's men drove the Tibetans back over Tuko La and Jelep La. The British held Gnathang through 1889 and 1890, and Wikipedia notes a war memorial here to the men who lost their lives during that occupation. The settlement the soldiers left behind became the herding village you see today.
Source: Wikipedia: Sikkim expedition; Wikipedia: Nathang Valley
Little known
Things most visitors never hear
The 2011 census recorded Gnathang village as just 13 households and 60 people on 16 hectares, making it one of the smallest permanent settlements on the Silk Route.
Source: Wikipedia: Nathang Valley
Nathang's yaks are reared not only for milk and meat; Wikipedia notes they have been used to carry loads for border road construction, including roads towards Doka La.
Source: Wikipedia: Nathang Valley
On 22 May 1888 Tibetan forces attacked the British camp at Gnathang from 7 am to about 10 am; the British reported three killed and eight wounded.
No shared jeeps serve Nathang for tourists. Shared SUV seats on Silk Route group tours from Gangtok or Siliguri are the budget option; otherwise hire a permit-registered vehicle from Rongli or Gangtok.
Private car
From Zuluk, about 25 km and 1–1.5 hours via Thambi and Lungthung. From Gangtok via Rongli and Zuluk, about 115 km and 5.5–6 hours; the shorter road via Tsomgo and Kupup is usually used for the return to Gangtok. Sikkim-registered vehicles only.
From Bagdogra / NJP
Not in one day. Drive to Aritar, Padamchen or Zuluk first (5–7 hours via Rangpo, or via Kalimpong and Rhenock when NH10 is shut after monsoon slides), then come up to Nathang next day. Check current status before you travel.
The upper Silk Route beyond Rongli, including Lingtam, Padamchen, Zuluk, Thambi View Point, Nathang and Kupup, is a protected area open to Indian nationals only. The permit is processed at Rongli for named people, dates and a vehicle, usually through a registered agent, driver or homestay; carry original photo ID, copies and two passport photos. Foreign nationals, including OCI holders, are not allowed beyond Rongli, but Aritar, Mankhim, Rhenock, Rorathang, Rangpo and Pakyong town need only the general Sikkim entry permit. For Rolep, ask us. Check current status before you travel.
Gnathang has a few family homestays with basic rooms, kitchen stoves and simple meals included; expect frost, shared or indoor toilets and water that may freeze overnight. We use them only for travellers who have already slept at Zuluk or Padamchen. Most of our guests visit Nathang by day and sleep at Zuluk, 1–1.5 hours below, or at Lungthung if acclimatised. For comfort after the high road, Gangtok is about 3–3.5 hours away via Kupup and Tsomgo.
Never come to Nathang straight from Gangtok or the plains to sleep; spend a night at Zuluk first.
Keep walks short and slow; even 100 m uphill feels hard at this height.
Pack a down jacket, thermals, gloves and a warm cap in every season.
Keep your distance from yaks and herd dogs, and ask herders before photographing them.
Carry cash and snacks; there is no ATM and very little to buy.
Month by month
When to visit Nathang Valley
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BestGoodAvoid or closed
Nathang Valley is at 3,750 m. Spend a night lower down first, climb slowly and drink water. Headache, nausea or breathlessness at rest mean go down. The altitude ladder.
Survey elevation data put Gnathang village at about 3,700–3,800 m; travel sites often quote 13,500 ft (about 4,100 m). Either way, it is the highest overnight stop on the Silk Route for most travellers, so acclimatise at Zuluk or Padamchen first and keep exertion low.
Is it safe to stay overnight at Nathang?
For healthy, acclimatised adults, generally yes. Sleep at Zuluk or Padamchen the night before, drink water, avoid alcohol and walk slowly. Headache, nausea, dizziness or breathlessness at rest mean you should go down. Infants, and people with heart or lung conditions, should not sleep at Nathang.
Can foreigners visit Nathang Valley?
No. Nathang is on the restricted upper Silk Route, open to Indian nationals only with a permit arranged via Rongli. Foreign travellers are not allowed beyond the lower villages. Rules change from time to time, so check current status before you travel.
Nathang or Zuluk: where should we stay?
Zuluk for most people: it is about 1,000 m lower, warmer and has more homestays. Choose Nathang only if you are acclimatised, want a night in a high valley and accept basic, very cold rooms. Many of our guests sleep at Zuluk and visit Nathang by day on the way to Kupup.
How do we get from Nathang to Gangtok?
The shortest road is via Kupup, Baba Mandir and Tsomgo Lake, about 75 km and 3–3.5 hours, when it is open. The alternative is back via Zuluk and Rongli, about 115 km and 5.5–6 hours. Your permit and driver decide which is possible that day; check current status before you travel.
What is there to see at Nathang?
The war memorial to men who died during the 1888–1890 British occupation, Gnathang Gadenchoeling Gumpa, yak pastures, and the open valley itself. The drive on to Kupup passes the Old Baba Mandir shrine and Elephant Lake. Expect a quiet, open landscape rather than built sights.
When is the best time to visit Nathang Valley?
October and November for clear skies and gold grass; April and May for milder days and the first green; late December to February for snow, with closure risk. Avoid June to September, when monsoon slides cut the Silk Route road and clouds hide the views.
Is there electricity and mobile signal at Nathang?
Homestays have electricity, though cuts are common, and some keep a backup. Mobile signal is weak and operator-dependent; many guests have no data at all. Carry a power bank, keep devices warm, download offline maps and tell family you may be out of touch.
What should we pack for Nathang?
Down or padded jacket, thermals, fleece, warm cap, gloves, two pairs of thick socks, sturdy shoes or boots, sunglasses, sunscreen, lip balm, a refillable bottle, a torch, basic medicines and photo ID with photocopies for permit checks. Bring snacks; shops are few.
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