Nathu La Pass tour is a popular day tour for travellers visiting Gangtok. This day tour includes a visit to Nathu La, Tsogmo Lake and Baba Harbhajan Singh Mandir. If seeing the International border excites you, then Nathu La is not to be missed.
Nathu La
Nathu La is located about 53 kilometres from Gangtok, at an altitude of 14,140 feet. Nathu La Pass used to be the famous silk trade route between India and Tibet. It was sealed post 1962 Indo-China war. The pass was reopened in 2006 after an improvement in ties.
The main attraction in Nathu La Pass is the Indo-China border. A long staircase from the road leads to the Indo-China border. The tourists can go close to the fence and be just metres away from Chinese land. Photography is prohibited at the border due to security reasons. Phones can be snatched by Army personnel if seen clicking photos.
Nathu La is covered in snow for the most part of the year. Wear an additional layer of clothes as it is very cold even without snow. If there is snow, it is recommended to take snow boots. They can be rented for 100 – 150 INR from various shops en route to Nathu La. Heavy winter wears are also available for rent.
During our visit to Nathu La, it had snowed the day before. We played with snow for a few minutes before climbing the stairs. It is not easy to walk in snow boots, let alone climb the stairs. A few of the steps were broken and we had to climb very carefully. I can’t imagine the extent of injury one can get if slipped from stairs in freezing weather.
Climb slowly otherwise you may be gasping for breath due to the presence of low oxygen level at high altitude. If you experience breathing difficulty, stop climbing further. Turn back and return to a lower altitude if the condition doesn’t improve. Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) is no joke and can be fatal if ignored. We didn’t feel nauseated or have any headache but we were breathing through our mouths due to a combination of cold and low oxygen level.
If feeling tired, you can take a break from the climbing and drink hot tea to fight the cold from the army cafeteria. Hot snacks like momos, samosas, and Maggi noodles are also available. When we went there, we were too cold and craving hot tea but to our dismay, tea and all the snacks were finished.
Once we reached the top, we went as close as a few inches away from the wired fence that demarcates the boundary between India and China. The Indian flag was waving on our side and the Chinese flag on the other side. We could see the Chinese building with inscriptions in Mandarin. There was no Chinese army personnel or a tourist on the other side. Seems like, it is not promoted as a tourist spot by China. There is also a war memorial to honour the fallen Indian soldiers in a major confrontation that took place there between the two countries in 1967.
It was amazing to be up that close to the border. We were filled with pride to see the Indian army protecting the border in such a harsh climate.
Baba Harbhajan Singh Mandir
This is a unique temple as it is dedicated to an Indian soldier, Harbhajan Singh, who fell and drowned near Nathu La in 1968 while leading the mules carrying supplies. The legend has it that Harbhajan Singh’s spirit comes every night to guard the border. It is also said that the Chinese soldiers have also seen a turbaned soldier doing his rounds at night.
The temple has Baba Harbhajan’s large photo which is worshipped. The soldiers also distribute prasad to devotees and tourists. There is a Baba’s samadhi, a souvenir shop and a cafe outside the temple.
The temple is surrounded by mountains from all sides and the views from there are magnificent.
Tsomgo Lake
Tsomgo Lake, also known as Changu Lake, is a glacial lake located at an altitude of 12,310 feet. It is a 1-kilometre long oval-shaped lake. The lake remains frozen during the winter season. The lake is surrounded by mountains on one side amplifying the beauty of the lake. Spend some time just looking at the lake soaking in the tranquil surroundings.
There is also a Shiva temple at the lakeside. Yak rides are available for INR 50. The ride is just for a few seconds and not worth taking. Better Yak ride is available at Yumthang Valley, North Sikkim. It cost INR 100 and is approximately two minutes long.
Permit Requirement
A permit is needed to visit all three places. It will be arranged by your tour operator. You will need to submit a couple of passport-size photos and a photocopy of an Identity card. Do note that Adhaar Card is not accepted as an Identity card in Sikkim.
Foreign tourists are given a permit for Tsomgo Lake only. They are not allowed to visit Baba Harbhajan Singh Mandir and Nathu La due to their proximity to the Indo-China border.
Transportation Options
As is the case with the rest of the Sikkim, there is no public transport to visit Nathu La Pass. As permit is required even for domestic tourists, it is wise to book the tour through a travel operator.
You have the option to take a shared tour, a fully private tour or a semi-private tour.
The shared tour accommodates 11 people including a driver in an SUV car. Most of the tour operators use Tata Sumo Car and put 3 people (including the driver) in front and 4 people each in the middle and back. The shared tour costs about INR 800 – 1000 per person. The shared tour can be booked through many tour operators in Gangtok.
It is the most economical way to do the Nathu La tour. But you will be sacrificing the comfort level as there will hardly be any space to move your legs and arms. There are also chances of co-passengers getting sick due to motion sickness as there will be quick elevation from 5000 feet to 12000 feet in just 15 kilometres, which can ruin your whole tour.
Fully Private Tour
The fully private tour costs about INR 9000 – 10000 per vehicle. Only SUV vehicles can be booked for a private tour as smaller cars are not allowed to ply on Nathu La Pass. It will be economical if you are travelling with a small group. With a private tour, you have the luxury of stopping the vehicle at your will to take photographs.
Semi-Private Tour
If travelling in a group of 2 and do not have a budget for a full private tour, there is also an option to book a semi-private tour.
A small private car is booked for Tsomgo Lake and Baba Harbhajan Mandir. For Nathu La, your driver will arrange an SUV vehicle that is shared with other passengers. The one-way journey to Nathu Lla in a shared car is hardly 10 minutes long and is also not crammed like a fully shared tour.
We had booked the semi-private tour which cost us INR 3500 for a small car and INR 3000 for a shared vehicle that we shared with 2 other couples. We had booked the full Sikkim tour through Santosh (+91 9800404204) who runs a small travel company in Sikkim. It will cost more if booked through an established travel company.
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