Pakyong and the Silk Route · Road guide
Gangtok to Aritar
Gangtok to Aritar is about 67 to 70 km via Ranipool, Pakyong and Rorathang, taking around 3 hours. Aritar is outside the Silk Route protected area, so no permit is needed. It makes a gentle first night before Rongli and Zuluk.
Photo: Amitabha Gupta · CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Your options
How to make the trip
Shared jeep via Rhenock
3.5–4.5 h · ≈ ₹250–400 to Rhenock, plus ≈ ₹150–300 local to Aritar
Shared jeeps and SNT buses run from Gangtok to Rhenock via Pakyong and Rorathang; from Rhenock a local vehicle covers the last 10 km or so. Services are fewer after midday and change often, so check current status before you travel.
Private car
3 h · ≈ ₹3,500–5,000 one way (small car)
A reserved small car takes you straight to Aritar, with stops at Pakyong for tea. This is the easiest option for families, and lets you reach Lampokhari by late afternoon. Fares rise in October and May.
From Bagdogra / NJP
4–4.5 h · ≈ ₹4,500–6,000 by private car
About 110–115 km via Sevoke, Rangpo and Rorathang. NH10 closes after monsoon landslides; the alternative is via Kalimpong and Algarah or Lava, so check current status before you travel. Pakyong Airport has no scheduled flights, so plan on Bagdogra (IXB) or NJP.
Fares are indicative. Landslides, snow and check-post timings change journeys: check current status before you travel.
On the way
Stops worth the time
- Ranipool
- Pakyong bazaar
- Rorathang
- Rhenock
Leave Gangtok by 9 am so you reach Aritar with time for the lake before dusk.
Questions travellers ask
Gangtok to Aritar: questions
Do I need a permit for Aritar?
No. Aritar is outside the Silk Route protected area. The permit starts at Rongli and is for Indian nationals only. Check current status before you travel.
How far is Aritar from Gangtok?
About 67 to 70 km, taking roughly 3 hours by road via Pakyong. Wikipedia gives 67 km. Slides in the monsoon can add time.
Is there a direct shared jeep from Gangtok to Aritar?
Not a regular one that we can promise. Most people take a shared jeep to Rhenock and then a local vehicle, or hire a car. Check current status before you travel.
Can I go from Aritar to Zuluk the next day?
Yes. Aritar to Rongli is about 20 km, then about 30 km up to Zuluk with a permit from Rongli, for Indian nationals only. Leave early so you reach Rongli before the office gets busy.
Either end
The places this road joins
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