Itinerary
7-day Sikkim itinerary: Gangtok, Nathula, Gurudongmar, Yumthang and Pelling
This is the route most first-time visitors should take, written the way our drivers actually run it: real drive times at 20–28 km/h, the checkpost cutoffs that decide your start times, where you sleep and why, and the swaps for Mondays, monsoon, kids and foreign passports. It works from October to May; a monsoon version is at the end. Checked 2026-10-29.
The route at a glance
| Day | Plan | Driving | Sleep |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bagdogra or NJP to Gangtok | 124 km · 4.5–5.5 h | Gangtok (5,500 ft) |
| 2 | Tsomgo Lake, Baba Mandir and Nathula Pass | 125 km round trip · 8 h | Gangtok |
| 3 | Gangtok to Lachen | 108 km · 5.5–6.5 h | Lachen (9,000 ft) |
| 4 | Gurudongmar Lake, then Lachen to Lachung | 70 km up + 50 km across · 9 h | Lachung (8,800 ft) |
| 5 | Yumthang Valley and Zero Point, then back to Gangtok | 50 km up + 103 km down · 10 h | Gangtok |
| 6 | Gangtok to Pelling via Temi, Ravangla and Namchi | 130 km · 6 h with stops | Pelling (7,200 ft) |
| 7 | Pelling sunrise, then Pelling to Bagdogra | 135 km · 5–5.5 h | Flight home |
Three nights in Gangtok, one each in Lachen and Lachung, one in Pelling. Total driving about 1,000 km, which sounds like a lot until you remember that 100 km here is a four-hour morning. Altitude climbs gradually: 5,500 ft for two nights before the first pass, then 9,000 ft before the 17,800 ft lake.
Day by day
Day 1: Bagdogra or NJP to Gangtok
124 km · 4.5–5.5 h · Gangtok (5,500 ft)
Land by early afternoon if you can; the Teesta valley road is slow and unlit after dark. Prepaid taxis at the STDC counter cost ₹4,500–₹7,500 for an SUV. Stop at the Rangpo checkpost (foreign passports get their RAP/ILP here), hand over your original Voter ID, Passport or Driving Licence to our desk on arrival so the Nathula permit is filed tonight, then walk MG Marg for momos and an early night.
Day 2: Tsomgo Lake, Baba Mandir and Nathula Pass
125 km round trip · 8 h · Gangtok
Leave at 7 AM to clear the 3rd Mile checkpost before its 10 AM cutoff. Tsomgo (12,400 ft) first while the light is soft, then Baba Mandir and the switchbacks to Nathula (14,140 ft) on the Tibet border. Nathula is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, so if your day 2 lands on either, swap it with day 3 or 7. Back in Gangtok by 4 PM; oxygen is 40% thinner at the top, so keep the evening quiet.
Day 3: Gangtok to Lachen
108 km · 5.5–6.5 h · Lachen (9,000 ft)
North Sikkim runs on a dedicated permit-ready SUV, not your airport cab. Depart by 9 AM to pass the Toong checkpost before 4 PM, with photo stops at the Seven Sisters waterfall and Singhik viewpoint. Lachen is a homestay and small-hotel village; dinner is early and the generator may go off at 10 PM. Carry cash: the last ATM was in Mangan.
Day 4: Gurudongmar Lake, then Lachen to Lachung
70 km up + 50 km across · 9 h · Lachung (8,800 ft)
A 4 AM start, because the Giagong army post lets vehicles up only in the morning window and you must be descending by about 10:30 AM. Gurudongmar (17,800 ft) is sacred, silent and brutal on the lungs: 45 minutes at the top is plenty. Children under 5 are not permitted; seniors should carry a fitness certificate. Back in Lachen for a late breakfast, then the three-hour drive via Chungthang to Lachung.
Day 5: Yumthang Valley and Zero Point, then back to Gangtok
50 km up + 103 km down · 10 h · Gangtok
Yumthang (11,800 ft) is the valley of flowers in April–May and a snowfield in winter; Zero Point (15,300 ft), 23 km further, costs an extra ₹3,500–₹4,000 per vehicle in cash and is worth it for snow in any month but monsoon. Down to Lachung by noon and on to Gangtok by evening. The Gangtok night here is deliberate: it is the buffer that protects your flight if the North road closes.
Day 6: Gangtok to Pelling via Temi, Ravangla and Namchi
130 km · 6 h with stops · Pelling (7,200 ft)
A sightseeing transfer rather than a drive: tea at Temi, the 130 ft Buddha at Ravangla, the Char Dham complex above Namchi, then the ridge road into Pelling. If you are short on energy after the North, skip Namchi and arrive by 3 PM. Pelling faces Kanchenjunga; ask for a mountain-view room.
Day 7: Pelling sunrise, then Pelling to Bagdogra
135 km · 5–5.5 h · Flight home
Kanchenjunga is clearest between 6 and 9 AM; the Skywalk and Pemayangtse monastery are both under 20 minutes away. Leave Pelling by 10 AM for a 5 PM flight; the road via Jorethang and Melli is faster than going back through Gangtok. If your flight is in the morning, swap day 6 for a second Gangtok night instead.
Permits and paperwork for this route
Three permit zones are on the route: Tsomgo and Nathula (one Protected Area Permit, filed 24 hours ahead, Nathula needs the vehicle permit too), and North Sikkim (a second PAP covering Lachen, Gurudongmar, Lachung, Yumthang and Zero Point). Each needs an original Voter ID, Passport or Driving Licence and two passport photos per person; Aadhaar and PAN are refused at the counters. Children need a birth certificate or passport. Send us clear photos of the documents the day before you land and the first permit is ready when you arrive. Foreign nationals and OCI holders cannot enter Nathula or Gurudongmar; the foreigner and OCI route covers what is allowed. The permit guide has the full table and the 10-second checker tells you what to carry.
What it costs
Cabs are priced per vehicle, so the per-person figure depends mostly on how many of you share the SUV. Using the October 2026 rate card: a Sikkim-registered SUV is about ₹6,800 a day on the Gangtok and Pelling legs, the dedicated 3N/4D North Sikkim SUV ₹42,000–₹64,000, Nathula ₹3,000 per vehicle plus the ₹2,500 permit, Zero Point ₹3,500–₹4,000 in cash, other permits about ₹650 a head. Stays run from ₹748 a night in a Gangtok budget hotel to ₹11,199 at the Temi bungalow. That lands at roughly ₹20,000–₹26,000 per person for six friends in budget stays and ₹23,000–₹31,000 for a family of four in mid-range hotels. The 6-day package page shows a live itemised table for every group size, and the trip cost guide explains every line.
Swaps and alternatives
| If | Then |
|---|---|
| Day 2 falls on a Monday or Tuesday | Nathula is closed; do Tsomgo and Baba Mandir only, or move the Nathula loop to day 7 and fly from Bagdogra via Gangtok. |
| Travelling with children under 5 or anyone over 60 with a heart or lung condition | Drop Gurudongmar: sleep Lachung on day 3, do Yumthang and Zero Point on day 4, and spend day 5 on the Silk Route or in Gangtok. See the senior and kid-safe package. |
| Foreign passport or OCI | Nathula, Gurudongmar, Zuluk and Katao are closed to you. Replace days 2 and 4 with Rumtek and Tsomgo (group permit), and Lachen with a second Lachung night. |
| July to September | North Sikkim and Nathula close with landslides. Run Gangtok, Rumtek, Temi, Ravangla, Namchi, Pelling, Khecheopalri and Yuksom instead; prices are 25% lower. |
| Only 6 days | Cut Pelling: day 6 becomes Gangtok sightseeing and day 7 the airport. This is our 6-day North Sikkim package. |
| 8 to 10 days | Start on the Silk Route (Aritar, Zuluk, Nathang, Kupup) before Gangtok. This is the 10-day complete Sikkim package. |
Monsoon version: July to September
Day 1 Gangtok as above. Day 2 Rumtek monastery, Ranka and the ridge viewpoints. Day 3 drive to Pelling via Temi and Ravangla. Day 4 Pelling sights, Pemayangtse, the Skywalk and Rabdentse ruins. Day 5 Khecheopalri Lake and Yuksom, back to Pelling. Day 6 Namchi, Char Dham and Samdruptse, sleep Namchi. Day 7 Namchi to Bagdogra via Melli, 100 km and about 4 hours. No permits, no passes, 25% lower tariffs and waterfalls everywhere; see when to visit for what each month gives you.
Build your own version
The 6-step planner generates this exact route when you pick seven days, October and the eight headline places, and it re-sequences automatically for Nathula closure days, foreign passports, safe mode for children and seniors, and your arrival weekday. Change the places, the days or the comfort tier and the price updates line by line.
7-day Sikkim itinerary: FAQs
Is 7 days enough for Sikkim?
Seven days covers the two headline circuits, Gangtok with Nathula and North Sikkim with Gurudongmar and Yumthang, plus one night in Pelling. It is the shortest trip that includes both high lakes without an exhausting back-to-back schedule.
How much does this 7-day itinerary cost per person?
Roughly ₹20,000–₹26,000 per person for a group of six in budget stays, ₹23,000–₹31,000 per person for a family of four in mid-range hotels, and ₹40,000+ per person for a couple in luxury stays, because the North Sikkim SUV is priced per vehicle. The package page shows the itemised table.
Which permits do I need for this route?
Indian citizens need Protected Area Permits for Tsomgo, Nathula and North Sikkim, filed through a registered operator against original Voter ID, Passport or Driving Licence with two photos each. Aadhaar and PAN are not accepted. Foreign nationals need the free RAP/ILP plus group permits, and cannot visit Nathula or Gurudongmar.
Can I do Gurudongmar and Yumthang on the same day?
No. Gurudongmar needs a 4 AM start from Lachen and a morning-only window at the Giagong post; Yumthang is reached from Lachung, a three-hour drive away. The route needs a Lachen night and a Lachung night.
Why is there a Gangtok night before the flight?
The North Sikkim highway closes without notice for landslides, snow or convoy restrictions. Sleeping in Gangtok on day 5 means a closure costs you Pelling, not your flight.
Can I drive my own car on this route?
Out-of-state and self-drive cars cannot enter the permit zones (Tsomgo, Nathula, North Sikkim). A Sikkim-registered SUV with a permit-holding driver is mandatory; we arrange it from the airport onward.
What if Nathula or the North road is closed on my day?
We reshuffle on the ground: the planner engine behind this itinerary already handles Monday and Tuesday closures and weather days, and our desk swaps legs at no planning charge. Keep the buffer night and travel insurance.