East Sikkim · Road guide
Gangtok to Tsomgo Lake
Gangtok to Tsomgo Lake is about 40 km on NH310, the Nathu La road, climbing from 1,650 m to 3,753 m in about 2 hours. It is a permit day trip in a Sikkim-registered tourist vehicle, usually combined with Baba Mandir, leaving by 7–8 am and back by late afternoon.
Photo: Laluttam · CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Your options
How to make the trip
Shared tour seat
≈ 2 h each way · ≈ ₹800–1,200 a person for Tsomgo and Baba Mandir
The cheapest way: an agent in Gangtok sells you a seat in a shared tourist vehicle on a fixed Tsomgo and Baba Mandir circuit and files your permit with ID and two photos the day before. Departures are around 7–8 am from central Gangtok. Seats fill fast in May, October and holiday weeks, so book a day or two ahead.
Reserved car
≈ 2 h each way · ≈ ₹4,500–6,500 a car; ≈ ₹6,500–9,000 with Nathu La
A reserved Sikkim-registered tourist vehicle, usually an SUV, lets you stop at Kyongnosla and photo points at your own pace. The agent arranges the permit; foreigners in a group of two or more get a one-day pass and normally need a reserved car. Permits require you to start back by early afternoon. Check current status before you travel.
Fares are indicative. Landslides, snow and check-post timings change journeys: check current status before you travel.
On the way
Stops worth the time
- Kyongnosla Alpine Sanctuary and the forest check post
- Roadside waterfalls below Kyongnosla
- Tsomgo check post (permit check)
- Lakeshore tea stalls and yak handlers
Spend at least one night in Gangtok before going up, carry your ID and two photos for the permit, and pack warm layers even in May, since the lake sits at 3,753 m.
Questions travellers ask
Gangtok to Tsomgo Lake: questions
How long does it take from Gangtok to Tsomgo Lake?
About 2 hours for roughly 40 km, with a stop at the check post. The road climbs more than 2,000 m, with hairpins and army traffic. After snow or rain, delays are common. Most trips leave Gangtok by 7–8 am and return by mid to late afternoon after adding Baba Mandir.
Do we need a permit for Tsomgo Lake?
Yes. Indian and foreign visitors need a protected-area permit arranged through a Sikkim Tourism-registered agent, usually the day before, with ID and two photos. Foreigners must be in a group of two or more and get a one-day pass. Fees and rules change, so check current status before you travel.
Can we drive our own car to Tsomgo Lake?
No. Only Sikkim-registered tourist vehicles with a permit can go beyond the check post. Private cars from outside Sikkim must stay in Gangtok, and you hire a local vehicle through an agent. A shared seat costs about ₹800–1,200, a reserved car about ₹4,500–6,500, indicatively.
Is the Tsomgo road open in winter?
Usually, but heavy snow can close it for a day or more between December and March, and permits may be suspended. Vehicles sometimes stop short of the lake after fresh snow. Keep a buffer day in your plan, and check current status before you travel; we confirm the evening before.
Get my price
Tell us your dates and your budget
Who is travelling, when, and roughly what you want to spend. The Gangtok desk replies within one working day with a day-by-day plan and an itemised price.
- No payment to start
- Permits handled through registered partners
- Every hotel, car and fee listed