North Sikkim is the most scenic place in Sikkim. With snow-capped mountains and picturesque landscapes, North Sikkim is a destination not to be missed.
North Sikkim is not frequently visited due to its remote location and high altitude. But things are changing now with more tourists now looking to experience the phenomenal beauty of North Sikkim.
North Sikkim was the main reason we had planned a trip to Sikkim and boy, it exceeded all our expectations.
Top Places to Visit in North Sikkim
Gurudongmar Lake
Gurudongmar Lake is the most beautiful place in Sikkim. It is the largest lake in Sikkim, located at an altitude of 17,800 feet. The lake stays frozen in winter. It is considered sacred by Buddhists, Hindus and Sikhs. The snow-clad mountain peaks in the backdrop of the Gurudongmar Lake enhance its beauty manifold.
We spent a few minutes doing nothing but just admiring this heavenly beauty. Apart from the lake, the whole area is rugged terrain and has a contrasting natural beauty to Gurudongmar Lake. We got our best photographs of the Sikkim trip at Gurudongmar Lake.
Due to the high altitude, the oxygen level remains low at Gurudongmar Lake. Avoid hectic activity as it may cause breathing problems and headaches. The moment you start experiencing these symptoms, stop what you were doing and give yourself some time to your body to acclimatize to low oxygen levels. If the condition worsens or doesn’t improve, return to your vehicle and reach a lower altitude as soon as possible. Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) is no joke and can be fatal if ignored.
Do not risk visiting Gurudongmar Lake if you have a kid smaller than 12 years. There is an army hospital at the nearest army check-post but it is not for children. We spent close to 30 minutes at Gurudongmar Lake and left as soon as we started experiencing a mild headache.
Yumthang Valley
Yumthang Valley is about 25 kilometres from Lachung village, located at an altitude of 11,800 feet. It is also known as the ‘Valley of Flowers’ because different species of rhododendron flowers bloom during spring (April to June) adding colours to the beauty of the valley. The valley is in complete contrast in the winter season when it is covered with white snow.
A tributary of the river Teesta flows through the Yumthang Valley. There are many pebbles and rocks on the bank of the river. We sat on one of the rocks to enjoy the calmness of the river. We felt immense inner tranquillity and wished the clock to move slower to let us spend more time amidst the surreal surroundings.
Sight of the valley with the Teesta river in the backdrop of the mountain peaks is a treat to the eyes. It is a great feeling to roam around the valley soaking in these incredible views.
You can also ride a Yak at Yumthang Valley. It costs INR 100 for about a two-minute ride. If you are only interested in a photograph with Yak and not riding it, sitting on Yak costs INR 50 and standing beside it costs INR 20.
Note: An additional INR 300 per vehicle is charged as a garbage fee to enter the Yumthang Valley region. Discuss this with your tour operator beforehand. We didn’t pay this amount as our booking price included all parking and other miscellaneous car charges.
Kala Patthar
Kala Patthar is located between Lachen and Gurudongmar Lake. It is covered in snow throughout the year. The mountains there are black, hence the name.
Snow lovers would love this place. It offers great views of black mountains covered in white snow. There are a few vendors selling momos, hot tea, and alcohol.
It is recommended to wear an additional layer of clothing and snow boots. Snow boots help maintain the grip while walking on snow. If you didn’t bring warm clothes and snow boots on the trip, no need to worry. All these things are available on rent (snow boots for INR 100) at many shops in Thangu valley, en route to Kala Patthar from Lachen village.
Zero Point
Zero Point (or Yumesamdong) is about 23 kilometres further up from Yumthang Valley. This is the place where the motorable road ends, hence the name.
Zero Point is covered with snow for most of the year. It offers scenic views of snow-clad mountains. There are a few eatery shops near the car parking area selling momos, Maggi, tea, and alcohol.
Like Kala Patthar, wearing additional warm clothes and snow boots is recommended and can be rented from the market before Yumthang Valley.
Zero Point is located at a very high altitude (15,300 feet) and can cause Altitude Motion Sickness (AMS). Be vigilant, pay attention to your body and move to a lower altitude if start experiencing breathing problems.
Both Kala Patthar and Zero Point are similar places and one can be skipped if the other one is visited.
Katao
Katao is just 28 kilometres from Lachung. It is also called the Switzerland of India.
Katao offers magnificent views of the snow-clad peaks of Mount Katao. The journey from Lachung to Katao is very scenic with plenty of trees covered with snow. It is also a place for winter activities like skiing, snowboarding, and snow tubing.
Chopta Valley View Point
Chopta Valley is located near Kala Patthar, about 40 kilometres from Lachen village. It is a barren landscape that feels exotic. The valley gets covered with colourful rhododendrons and other flowers in spring.
The tourists often stop at the unnamed road to soak incredible views of Chopta Valley.
Waterfalls on the Way
It won’t be wrong to say that North Sikkim is a place to some of the most beautiful waterfalls in Sikkim. On the way from Gangtok to Lachen or Lachung, you will encounter numerous small and big waterfalls but these are the most impressive ones.
Seven Sisters Waterfall
This is the first big waterfall that will come en route to Lachen or Lachung from Gangtok. This is a very big waterfall wherein water from very high mountains falls through various rocks forming seven tiers before finally reaching the ground. Hence the name, Seven Sisters Waterfall.
There is a pathway that leads up to the viewing area. The viewing area is small and often remains crowded. Only three tiers are visible from the viewing area. Other tiers are not visible and are hidden high above the mountains.
Meyong Waterfall
Meyong Waterfall was the next waterfall for which we stopped after Seven Sisters Waterfall. It was the best waterfall we saw in Sikkim.
It is not a big waterfall but the water comes down with such a force that can wet your clothes even from a distance. We stood close to the waterfall and got wet in no time. We enjoyed it so much that even with constant shivering we were still not ready to leave.
This was the only waterfall on our list that did not have any small eatery shop nearby.
Naga Waterfall
Naga Falls is a big waterfall located a few kilometres from Meyong Waterfall. Unlike other waterfalls in which water spreads vertically from height, water spreads horizontally during its descent in Naga Waterfall.
Amitabh Bachchan Waterfall
Officially called Bhim Nala Waterfall, Amitabh Bachchan Waterfall is located close to Lachung. Named by locals, Amitabh Bachchan Waterfall got its name from being a very tall waterfall. Amitabh Bachchan is a very popular, one of the tallest Indian actors.
It is a three-step cascading waterfall and its roar can be heard from afar.
North Sikkim Tour Itinerary
The standard North Sikkim tour packages offered by all the travel operators are of 2 days or 3 days. All the tours start and end in Gangtok.
1N/2D Tour Itinerary
This two-day tour requires an overnight stay in Lachen or Lachung. This tour follows one of the below two itineraries.
- Gangtok – Lachen (overnight stay) – Gurudongmar Lake – Chopta Valley – Gangtok
- Gangtok – Lachung (overnight stay) – Yumthang Valley – Gangtok
2N/3D Tour Itinerary
This tour includes an overnight stay in Lachen and Lachung. The itinerary followed in this tour:
Gangtok – Lachen (overnight stay) – Gurudongmar Lake – Chopta Valley – Lachung (overnight stay) – Yumthang Valley – Gangtok
You can also follow this itinerary in reverse and go to Lachung first.
Customized Itinerary
Kala Patthar, Zero Point, and Katao are not included in the standard package tour but the itinerary can be customized accordingly. Kala Patthar and either Zero Point or Katao can be added without extending the tour duration. But visiting all the places would require an additional night’s stay in Lachung.
Example itinerary:
Gangtok – Lachen (overnight stay) – Gurudongmar Lake – Chopta Valley – Kala Patthar – Lachung (overnight stay) – Yumthang Valley – Zero Point – Lachung (overnight stay) – Katao – Gangtok
Our Itinerary
We went to Sikkim in early April which is the beginning of the Spring season. We visited Kala Patthar in addition to all the places included in the standard package. We skipped Katao as the snow had melted there and Zero Point because it is similar to Kala Patthar.
Gangtok – Lachen (overnight stay) – Kala Patthar – Chopta Valley – Gurudongmar Lake – Lachung (overnight stay) – Yumthang Valley – Gangtok
North Sikkim Tour Cost
Travelling North Sikkim on your own is difficult if not impossible due to the need for procurement of various permits which I will talk about later in the article. It is wise to book your tour through a travel or cab company. All the travel in North Sikkim tour is done in an SUV car as smaller cars are not allowed to ply there due to bad road conditions. Both shared and private tours are available for North Sikkim.
The shared tour is suitable for solo travellers as it costs a fraction of the private tour. But the cheap price comes at the expense of comfort level. The tour operators squeeze 10 tourists and a driver in a 3+4+4 seating arrangement in an SUV vehicle. There will hardly be any room to move your arms and legs during travelling. This can get very uncomfortable and hectic when 80% of your day includes travelling in a car. You can book two seats for extra comfort.
A 2N/3D shared tour costs INR 4000 per seat that includes hotel accommodation (incl. of all meals). A visit to Kala Patthar or Zero Point or Katao costs INR 3000 each which is distributed equally amongst all the passengers.
Private Tour
The private tour may cost more but it is also far more comfortable. Also, a private tour gives the flexibility to stop the car at your will to enjoy the weather or for mini photo sessions. Another advantage is that you can customize the private tour which is not possible in a shared tour unless all the travellers agree.
A 2N/3D private tour costs a minimum of INR 18,000. This is only the vehicle cost and does not include hotel accommodation. The hotel rooms (incl. of all meals) are easily available in the range of INR 2500 to 3500 per night for 2 persons. All the hotels in Lachen and Lachung are basic and do not include many amenities. A visit to Kala Patthar/Zero Point/Katao costs INR 3000 each and is to be paid directly to the driver.
Permit Requirement
All the places in North Sikkim fall under the restricted area. So, both Indians and foreigners require a permit to visit each of these places. The tour operator can arrange all the permits for you and the cost is included in the package. Foreign travellers are allowed to visit all the places except Gurudongmar Lake.
Useful North Sikkim Travel Tips
- All the places in North Sikkim are cold. Do not forget to carry woollen clothes.
- Senior citizens and individuals with back pain should avoid travelling to North Sikkim as most of the time is spent travelling in a car on rugged terrains.
- All the places in North Sikkim are at high altitudes especially Gurudongmar Lake and Zero Point. Move to the lower altitude immediately if experiencing Acute Mountain Sickness symptoms.
- I am repeating it but do not take kids at Gurudongmar Lake.
- There are not many ATMs in North Sikkim. Take out the required cash in Gangtok itself.
- North Sikkim is a plastic-free zone. Dispose off all the plastic bottles or packets made of thin plastic before the Police Check Post in North Sikkim. If caught, you may need to shell out INR 5000 as a fine.
Have you ever visited North Sikkim? Feel free to share your experiences in the comments below.
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