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Turquoise Tsomgo Lake lying in a valley of brown, snow-streaked mountains with a road along its far shore
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Photo: Indrajit Das · CC BY 3.0
4 nights · 5 daysFirst visitMulti-hubbalanced

Sikkim in five days — Gangtok, Tsomgo Lake, Namchi and Pelling

A five-day Sikkim plan: Gangtok, Tsomgo Lake with its permit, Temi Tea Garden, the statue at Namchi, then Pelling, Pemayangtse and Khecheopalri Lake.

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In short: Five days across Sikkim from east to west: Gangtok and Tsomgo Lake, the tea garden at Temi and the statue at Namchi, then Pelling for the old capital, Pemayangtse and Khecheopalri Lake. March to May and October to November are the clearest months.

Tsomgo needs a permit, and foreigners need more, so read the Sikkim permit guide first. North Sikkim is left out because it needs more days; see the North Sikkim guide. Road times are measured on OpenStreetMap, and hill roads usually take longer.

Photos: Indrajit Das (CC BY 3.0) · Subhrajyoti07 (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Anjan Kumar Kundu (CC BY 4.0) — via Wikimedia Commons, resized.

Who this is for

First-time visitors who want Sikkim's monasteries, a high lake and the view of Kanchenjunga from the west, in one short trip.

Day by day

Day 1

Gangtok, the monastery and the institute

4 stops · 13 min on the road

The old heart of Gangtok, and the pedestrian street in the evening.

  1. 10:00
    Namgyal Institute of Tibetology
    museum · 13 min from Gangtok · about 45 min there
    The museum and library of Tibetan learning. Check its closing day before you go.
  2. ↓ a short walk
    11:30
    Do-drul Chorten
    temple · 14 min from Gangtok · about 30 min there
    The great white stupa a short walk from the institute.
  3. ↓ 7 min by road · 3 km
    14:30
    Tsuklakhang Monastery
    temple · 8 min from Gangtok · about 30 min there
    The royal chapel of Sikkim. Ask locally about access on the day.
  4. ↓ 5 min by road · 2 km
    17:00
    Mahatma Gandhi Marg
    area · 10 min from Gangtok · about 1 h there
    The pedestrian street at the centre of town, for the evening.
Day 2

Tsomgo Lake

1 stop

The high road to Tsomgo. You need a permit, and it is arranged through a registered operator, so sort it out the day before.

  1. 10:30
    Tsomgo Lake
    lake · 1 h 15 min from Gangtok · about 1 h there
    The glacial lake on the Nathu La road. Read the permit guide first, and turn back if the road is shut for snow. Altitude is real here, so go slowly.
Day 3

South to Temi and Namchi

3 stops · 56 min on the road

The tea garden on the way, then the great statue on Samdruptse and Siddhesvara Dham.

  1. 11:00
    Temi Tea Garden
    monument · about 1 h 30 min there
    Sikkim's tea estate on its green slope, a walk among the bushes on the road south.
  2. ↓ 32 min by road · 18 km
    14:00
    Samdruptse Padmasambhava Statue
    monument · about 1 h there
    The huge statue of Guru Padmasambhava on the hill above Namchi.
  3. ↓ 24 min by road · 12 km
    16:00
    Siddhesvara Dham
    monument · about 1 h 30 min there
    The hilltop pilgrimage complex at Solophok, near Namchi.
Day 4

West to Pelling

2 stops · 1 min on the road

A long road west, then the old capital and the monastery above it.

  1. 14:00
    Rabdentse Ruins
    ruins · about 1 h there
    The ruins of Sikkim's second capital, a short walk through forest from the road.
  2. ↓ a short walk
    16:00
    Pemayangtse Monastery
    temple · about 1 h there
    One of the oldest monasteries in Sikkim, on the ridge above the ruins. Ask at the gate about access.
Day 5

The sacred lake and the road out

1 stop

Khecheopalri in the morning, then the long drive down towards Bagdogra.

  1. 09:30
    Khecheopalri Lake
    lake · about 45 min there
    The sacred lake in the forest. Keep your voice low and stay on the path, because this is a place of worship.

Getting there

Come through Bagdogra or New Jalpaiguri and take the road up. See how to reach Gangtok. The trip ends in the west, with a long road back down to the plains.

Where to stay

Two nights in Gangtok, one at Namchi and one at Pelling. We have no verified lodging or prices, so compare on the day.

Know before you go

  • Arrange the Tsomgo permit a day ahead through a registered operator.
  • Go slowly at Tsomgo Lake, and turn back if you feel unwell.
  • Kanchenjunga shows best in clear weather and early in the morning; October and November are the surest.
  • Road conditions change after rain and snow, so ask each morning.

If plans change

With Darjeeling: Darjeeling and Gangtok in five days.

Where to see the mountain: where to see Kanchenjunga.

Going to Gangtok?

Run a café, a stay or a trek company near Gangtok? List it on HimLocal →

Places on this route

Tsuklakhang Monastery, Gangtok — the royal chapel of the Chogyals
Tsuklakhang Monastery, Gangtok — the royal chapel of the Chogyals
temple · 8 min from Gangtok
Namgyal Institute of Tibetology, Gangtok — the Tibet museum and library
Namgyal Institute of Tibetology, Gangtok — the Tibet museum and library
museum · 13 min from Gangtok
Do-drul Chorten, Gangtok — the white stupa with 108 prayer wheels
Do-drul Chorten, Gangtok — the white stupa with 108 prayer wheels
temple · 14 min from Gangtok
Tsomgo Lake (Changu) — the high glacial lake on the Nathu La road
Tsomgo Lake (Changu) — the high glacial lake on the Nathu La road
lake · 1 h 15 min from Gangtok

Going together

No one has started a group going on this plan yet. Start one and other travellers can ask to come along.

Start a groupHow groups work

Other ways to do it

All Gangtok itineraries →
Darjeeling and Gangtok in five days — the tea town, the toy-train ridge, then Sikkim
Darjeeling and Gangtok in five days — the tea town, the toy-train ridge, then Sikkim
4 nights · 5 days · First visit · Multi-hub · starts in Gangtok
A five-day Darjeeling and Gangtok plan: the old town and a tea estate, Tiger Hill and the Batasia Loop, then Gangtok's chorten, Rumtek and Tsomgo Lake. Copy it.
Best Mar–May · Oct–Nov
See the plan →
Tsomgo Lake and Nathu La from Gangtok — a permit day on the high road
Tsomgo Lake and Nathu La from Gangtok — a permit day on the high road
Day plan · First visit · Road trip
A day on the Nathu La road from Gangtok: Tsomgo Lake at 3,753 m and the border pass, with the permit rule for Indian visitors, road times and the season to go.
Best Apr–May · Oct–Nov
See the plan →

More places nearby

All of Gangtok →
Enchey Monastery, Gangtok — the "solitary monastery" on the ridge
Enchey Monastery, Gangtok — the "solitary monastery" on the ridge
temple · 2.0 km away
Banjhakri Falls and Energy Park, Gangtok — a waterfall and the forest healer
Banjhakri Falls and Energy Park, Gangtok — a waterfall and the forest healer
waterfall · 2.6 km away
Hanuman Tok, Gangtok — the army-kept temple on the ridge
Hanuman Tok, Gangtok — the army-kept temple on the ridge
temple · 2.7 km away
Rumtek Monastery — the Dharma Chakra Centre near Gangtok
Rumtek Monastery — the Dharma Chakra Centre near Gangtok
temple · 5.1 km away
Nathu La — the border pass east of Gangtok, and who may visit
Nathu La — the border pass east of Gangtok, and who may visit
pass · 7.0 km away
Kabi Lungchok — the stones of the Lepcha–Bhutia blood brotherhood
Kabi Lungchok — the stones of the Lepcha–Bhutia blood brotherhood
monument · 7.8 km away
Phodong Monastery and Labrang — two old monasteries on the North Sikkim road
Phodong Monastery and Labrang — two old monasteries on the North Sikkim road
temple · 9.8 km away
Teesta Bazaar — the Teesta and Rangeet confluence below Kalimpong
Teesta Bazaar — the Teesta and Rangeet confluence below Kalimpong
town · 14 km away

Nearby destinations

All destinations →
The seated golden and dark-blue Buddha statue on a stepped, richly painted base against a forested hillside and a cloudy sky
Ravangla
26 km away · 1 itineraries · 3 places
The huge copper-coloured seated statue of Guru Padmasambhava on its painted base on Samdruptse hill under a grey sky
Namchi
31 km away · 3 itineraries · 3 places
The three-tiered white and red front of Zang Dhok Palri Phodang monastery with gold roof edges under a blue sky with clouds
Kalimpong
33 km away · 2 itineraries · 4 places
A long snow-covered Kanchenjunga ridge in blue morning light above dark forested hills with a few wisps of cloud
Pelling
38 km away · 4 itineraries · 8 places
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Questions people ask

Is five days enough for Sikkim?

It is enough for Gangtok, Tsomgo Lake, Namchi and Pelling at a steady pace. It leaves out North Sikkim, which needs extra days and its own permit. If North Sikkim is your main reason to go, add at least three days and read our North Sikkim guide before you plan.

Do I need a permit for this Sikkim plan?

For Tsomgo Lake, yes. Protected-area permits are arranged through registered operators, and foreign visitors need more paperwork to enter Sikkim at all. Rules and open days change, so read our Sikkim permit guide and confirm with your operator before you travel. Gangtok, Namchi and Pelling themselves are on open roads.

What is the best time for this Sikkim itinerary?

March to May for flowers and October to November for the clearest views of Kanchenjunga. The monsoon brings slides and hides the mountains, so we leave it out. In winter the plan works in the lower towns, but snow can shut the road to Tsomgo Lake, so ask before you go.