Things to do in Gangtok — monasteries, the royal chapel, Rumtek and the high road
Things to do in Gangtok: the Enchey and Rumtek monasteries, the Tsuklakhang, the Do-drul Chorten, Banjhakri Falls, and permit trips to Tsomgo Lake and Nathu La.
ArticleVerified 2026-10-23
North Sikkim — Lachung, the Yumthang valley and Gurudongmar Lake, with the permit rules
North Sikkim from Gangtok: Lachung at 2,900 m, the Yumthang valley's rhododendrons, Gurudongmar Lake at 5,430 m, and the Protected Area Permit you need first.
North Sikkim is the high country beyond Gangtok: the flower valley of Yumthang above the village of Lachung, and on the other branch of the road, the sacred lake of Gurudongmar. It is a protected area, so plan the permit before anything else; our Sikkim permit guide has the full rules.
Photos: Yoghya (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Indrajit Das (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Pradeep Kumbhashi (CC BY 2.0) — via Wikimedia Commons, resized.
The permit
Sikkim Tourism lists the Lachen, Lachung, Yumthang and Thangu valleys and Gurudongmar among the protected areas that need a Protected Area Permit. Most are applied for through a travel agency registered with Sikkim Tourism. The North Sikkim valleys are given for at least 3 days and 2 nights and at most 5 days and 4 nights, with a registered guide. Indian visitors carry a Voter ID or driving licence and 2 photographs; Aadhaar is not accepted. Foreigners may visit Lachen and Yumthang in groups of two or more, but not Gurudongmar.
Lachung
Lachung sits at about 2,900 m where the Lachen and Lachung rivers meet, about 125 km from Gangtok. Its people are mostly of Lepcha and Tibetan descent, and the botanist Joseph Dalton Hooker called it the most picturesque village of Sikkim in 1855. Wikipedia says visitors come from October to May, and that the village usually lies under snow in winter. It is the night stop for Yumthang.
The Yumthang valley
About two hours above Lachung, at about 3,564 m, Yumthang is a meadow valley of river, hot spring and grazing yaks, about 150 km from Gangtok. It holds the Shingba Rhododendron Sanctuary, with more than 24 species of the state flower. From late February to mid June the valley blooms with rhododendrons, primulas, poppies and iris. Wikipedia says it is usually closed by heavy snow from December to March. Leave Lachung early; fog comes in and dark falls soon after 5:30 pm.
Gurudongmar Lake
On the Lachen branch of the road, about 190 km from Gangtok, Gurudongmar Lake lies at about 5,430 m by the Government of Sikkim's figure. It is sacred to Buddhists and named after Guru Padmasambhava, who blessed it on his way back from Tibet so that part of it would never freeze and the herders would always have water. Wikipedia says the lake is otherwise frozen from November to mid May. The height is extreme: stay only a short while and come down if you feel unwell.
Plan it
Start from Gangtok; the North Sikkim road day covers the first stretch of the road. Read how to reach Gangtok and things to do in Gangtok.
Places around Gangtok
The Gangtok guide →
Tsuklakhang Monastery, Gangtok — the royal chapel of the Chogyals
Namgyal Institute of Tibetology, Gangtok — the Tibet museum and library
Enchey Monastery, Gangtok — the "solitary monastery" on the ridge
Do-drul Chorten, Gangtok — the white stupa with 108 prayer wheels
Hanuman Tok, Gangtok — the army-kept temple on the ridge
Banjhakri Falls and Energy Park, Gangtok — a waterfall and the forest healer
Kabi Lungchok — the stones of the Lepcha–Bhutia blood brotherhood
Rumtek Monastery — the Dharma Chakra Centre near Gangtok
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Questions people ask
Do I need a permit for Lachung and Yumthang?
Yes. Sikkim Tourism lists the Lachen, Lachung, Yumthang and Thangu valleys as protected areas needing a Protected Area Permit, mostly applied for through a travel agency registered with Sikkim Tourism. North Sikkim permits run from 3 days and 2 nights to 5 days and 4 nights, with a registered guide.
When is the best time to visit Yumthang?
Late February to mid June for the flowers, by Wikipedia's account, when the Shingba sanctuary's rhododendrons, more than 24 species of them, bloom with primulas, poppies and iris. Wikipedia says the valley is usually snowbound from December to March, and visitors reach Lachung from October to May.
Can foreigners visit Gurudongmar Lake?
No. Sikkim Tourism says foreign nationals are not allowed to Gurudongmar, though they may visit Lachen and Yumthang with a Protected Area Permit, in a group of two or more through a registered agency. Indian visitors need a Voter ID or driving licence and photographs; Aadhaar is not accepted.