Duration: 2 Days
Grade: Challenging
Distance: 58 km
Best Time: May to October
State: Sikkim
Route: Gangtok – Changu Lake – Nathu La road – Nathulapass
Gangtok to Nathu La pass in Sikkim is truly awesome!! Sikkim is a mystical land with splendid natural landscape. Perfectly surrounded by snowcapped Himalayas, it is also home for more than 200 Buddhist Monasteries. Most of the tourists like to go for bike or cycling tour around Sikkim for getting amazed of its magnificent landscape. Gangtok is the capital and largest city of Sikkim. Nowadays, it stays as a base for explorers arranging licenses and transport for traveling across Sikkim’s Himalayan Mountain ranges. Nathu La pass situated at a height of 4,310 m is just 53km from Gangtok. Gangtok – Nathu La pass route is breathtaking, and it is very close to the Indo-Chinese border. Nathu La pass in eastern Sikkim is the place where the ancient silk route was operated. This route is used for the silk route between India and Tibet.
Most of the tourists make a cycling tour to Nathula pass to get the majestic view of Indo-China International border. After reaching Nathula pass a steep long stairway takes you to the border. You can be able to see both Indian and Chinese armed forces guarding the borders. Climbing at a high altitude is extremely challenging, where oxygen level is low, and you can feel difficulty in breathing. At that site you can also be able to spot a carved stone called “Nehru Stone”, which is placed in remembrance of Jawaharlal Nehru (Former Prime Minister of India) who visited the site in 1958.
Before reaching Nathula, you can see an ATM of UTI Bank in the place called Thegu and is referred as the India’s high-altitude ATM. There are two major attractions on the route from Gangtok to Nathula pass. First is the Tsomgo Lake, which is the popular high-altitude lake, located about 37 km from Gangtok and 16 km from Nthula.
Baba Harbhajan Singh Temple is another attraction on the route commonly known by Baba Mandir. Hangu Lake is a new attraction on the way located between Sherathang check Post and Baba Mandir. Hangu lake lies at an altitude of 13,900 ft are nearly 1 km long.
Kupup is a quaint place located before Baba Mandir and it is mostly covered of snow. Kupup is having the world’s second highest Gulf course, and a famous Monastery called Gnathang Monastery which was built in remembrance of British soldiers who died in a war in 1800’s. You can also make a visit to Old or original Baba Mandir which is about 10 km from Baba Mandir.
Only Indian Nationals are allowed for Nathula Pass with proper permit. As Nathula is a protected international border, Hotels or any other stays are not available. Nathula is opened for visitors from Wednesday to Sunday. Best time to visit the pass is from May to October where the temperature ranges between 10°C to 15°C during daytime.