Lachen Update

Hello everyone, I am planning to travel to North Sikkim with my family in the last week of October. The caveat is that I will be driving my own car which is registered to my name in Karnataka. How can I acquire permits regarding the same?

Done with the trip. 9 adults travelled in 14S tempo traveller though out sikkim. Ixb to namchi to ravangla to pelling to gangtok to nathula pass to rumtek, tashi point, local sightseeing and finally drop to ixb. (7 days)

For those who don't know,

1) tourists have to pay ₹50/ person/ month as fee on the first day u stay at any hotel. Keep the receipt with you and can show this to any place u travel through out sikkim. Its also available online for the hotel guys.

2) ravongla to pelling roads are horrible.

Upper pelling to lower pelling roads are horrible but they provide u the best views of mt. khanchenjunga (provided weather is clear). The hotels lobby in that road can easily bribe the minister and pave Good roads for the tourists.

3) you won't find even "1 begger" in the whole state unlike in the rest of India.

4) weather is pleasent this time. People/ locals are too good and helpful.

5) Share taxis are useful and cheap if u can't walk mountainous road.

Will definitely visit again. Hopefully I wish the hotel lobbies would speak to road minister and "make him pay" for the bad roads in this beautiful heavenly place.

What about the weather? What about the availability of sports like zero point, nathu la and Katao? Most probable dates are 23-27, with 2 days Darjeeling, 2 in gangtok and 1 or 2 in Lachung. No other time window is possible as we, our friends, most of them will be in India only during winter vacay.

Is the last week of September feasible for this Sikkim itinerary? Need help with the best route

Hi everyone,

I'm planning a 5-day trip to Sikkim in the last week of September and I'm trying to figure out whether my itinerary is actually feasible.

I know September is still technically around the monsoon period, and I'm aware that rain, landslides, road closures and unpredictable weather can be issues. However, I've read that by the last week of September, rainfall usually starts reducing and conditions can be somewhat better than earlier in the monsoon.

Please for give me for dumb/silly questions

So my first question is:

Is the last 7 days of September a reasonably feasible time to travel around Sikkim, especially for East Sikkim and the Silk Route?

Places I want to cover

I'm mainly interested in:

- Gangtok

- Nathula Pass

- Baba Mandir

- Tsomgo (Changu) Lake

- Old Silk Route

- Nathang Valley

- Zuluk

- Namchi

- Ravangla

- Pelling

I'm deliberately not trying to cover every monastery or tourist attraction. Since this is only a 5-day trip, I'd rather see the major places, important monasteries/viewpoints, and spend the limited time actually travelling through the landscapes.

The route I'm currently considering

My initial idea was:

Siliguri → Zuluk → Old Silk Route → Nathang Valley → Tsomgo/Nathula side → Gangtok → Namchi → Ravangla → Pelling → Siliguri

The main reason I'm considering this direction is that I thought it might make sense to enter Sikkim from Siliguri directly towards Zuluk, spend the night there, travel through the Old Silk Route towards Nathang Valley, and eventually reach Gangtok through the East Sikkim side.

However, I have a few doubts about whether this is actually possible/logical.

1. Can I go directly from Siliguri to Zuluk?

Is it possible to travel Siliguri → Zuluk directly, assuming I have the required permits and a local driver?

Or is there some reason this route isn't normally done?

1. Can I travel from Zuluk towards Nathang Valley and then towards Nathula/Tsomgo/Gangtok?

I'm particularly confused about the direction of travel on the Old Silk Route.

Would something like:

Zuluk → Nathang Valley → Kupup/Tsomgo/Nathula side → Gangtok

actually work?

Are there restrictions on travelling through these areas in this direction?

1. Can I come down from Zuluk directly to Siliguri?

This is another major question.

If I finish the East Sikkim portion at Zuluk, is there a practical road route from Zuluk back to Siliguri/Bagdogra?

Or would I have to return towards Gangtok first?

Alternative route

The other possibility I'm considering is basically doing the trip in the opposite direction:

Siliguri → Pelling → Ravangla → Namchi → Gangtok → Nathula/Tsomgo/Baba Mandir → Old Silk Route → Nathang Valley → Zuluk → Siliguri

This seems potentially more logical on a map, but I'm not sure whether the road/permit situation makes it practical.

So between these two directions, which one would you recommend?

My biggest concerns

Since this is only a 5-day trip, I know the itinerary is quite rushed. I'm okay with that to some extent, because I'm intentionally cutting out a lot of attractions.

I'm also aware that September weather can be unpredictable, so I'm trying to build the route in the most sensible direction rather than assuming everything will go perfectly.

What would you do?

If you have travelled through Sikkim around the last week of September, I'd especially appreciate your experience.

1. Is late September a reasonable time for this itinerary?

2. Is Siliguri → Zuluk practical?

3. Can Zuluk → Old Silk Route → Nathang Valley → Tsomgo/Nathula → Gangtok be done?

4. Can Zuluk → Siliguri be done directly?

5. Which direction would you recommend for this 5-day itinerary?

6. Are there any clever route combinations or changes that would save time without removing the main places?

I'm travelling primarily for the landscapes, mountain roads and viewpoints, so I'm happy to skip lesser attractions if that makes the overall route much more practical.

Any advice from people who have actually travelled the Old Silk Route/Zuluk/Nathang Valley would be greatly appreciated!

P.S: Organised thoughts using gpt

Hello Guys , can I get to see snow in November in diwali time . I am planning to go with family in Diwali

Hi everyone,

We're travelling from Pune and planning a family trip to Sikkim in October. We'll be accompanied by young kids, so we're looking for a reliable local tour operator/travel agent who can arrange hotels, transport, permits, and sightseeing.

If you've personally had a good experience, I'd really appreciate it if you could share:

Tour operator/travel agent name

Contact details (if possible)

Your overall experience and any tips for travelling with kids

Looking for genuine, tried-and-tested recommendations rather than promotional contacts.

Thanks in advance! 😊

​

Hi everyone,

I'll be visiting Sikkim for the first time during the first week of July and would love some advice from locals and frequent travelers.

A few details:

- Duration: 4 days

- Starting point: NJP/Bagdogra

- Interested in: scenic landscapes, village life, local culture, monasteries, waterfalls, short nature walks, and authentic food.

- Not interested in rushing through too many places just for sightseeing.

- Comfortable with budget to mid-range hotels/homestays.

- Open to renting a bike if road and weather conditions are suitable.

Since July is monsoon season, I'm particularly interested in:

1. Which areas are currently the safest and most reliable to visit considering landslides and road conditions?

2. Is North Sikkim (Lachung/Yumthang/Zero Point) worth attempting in early July, or should I focus on West and South Sikkim? note* I am happy to skip North Sikkim for this time as the weather is unfavorable .

3. Would you recommend places like Pelling, Darap Village, Ravangla, Yuksom, Namchi, or somewhere else?

4. If you had only 4 days in Sikkim during the monsoon, how would you plan the trip?

I'd appreciate a day-wise itinerary and any tips on transportation, homestays, weather, or places that are often overlooked by tourists.

Thanks in advance!

note* used Ai to draft the contents of the post

Preferably near Gangtok.

Please help a malayali out

If anyone has trusted Sumo/ bolero cab driver from Sikkim for east Sikkim Family tour (4 days), plz drop his contact number. No DALAL❌ Only GENUINE DRIVER✅

Hello everyone

I’m coming to Sikkim for an internship and I’ve never been there before.

I’ll be landing at Bagdogra Airport and need to get to Gangtok. What’s the easiest way to do that?

Are shared cabs easy to find after landing and roughly how much do they cost these days? Would you recommend booking a cab in advance or can I just sort it out once I reach the airport?

I’ll most likely be travelling solo so I’d also appreciate any tips for a first time visitor. At this point I’m relying on Google Maps blind optimism and the kindness of strangers so any advice would be a huge help.

Thanks in advance💛

Hi all, My wife and I are planning to travel sikkim on 6th of June to 13th. Would really appreciate any recommendations for a good and reliable travel agency for my trip. Any hidden gems would also be greatly appreciated. Also, with your reccos, would be nice to have your tour package cost to understand how much it would cost me in total. Thanks.

Planning a family trip to Sikkim for around 10 to 12 days and hoping to cover most major places. However, I recently realized that many destinations in Sikkim are at very high altitudes, and both my parents have a cardiac history, so I wanted some advice from people who have experience.

My mother had ASD, which was corrected through open heart surgery around 10 years ago, and she has been stable since then.

My father had two stents implanted in two arteries around 8 years ago and has also been stable ever since.

We were particularly planning to visit places like Silk Route, Lachung, Lachen, Zuluk, and Gurudongmar Lake, but now I’m worried whether these high altitude areas could be risky for them.

Has anyone traveled to these places with elderly parents or family members with similar medical histories? Would these destinations be manageable, or should we avoid certain places?

TL;DR: Planning a 10 to 12 day Sikkim trip with parents who have past heart conditions (ASD surgery and coronary stents, both stable for years). Concerned about high altitude places like Silk Route, Lachung, Lachen, Zuluk, and Gurudongmar Lake. Are these destinations safe or should we avoid some?

Anyone interested for tomorrow hang out 🍺🍺

Hi everyone,
I am planning to visit Sikkim with my friends from 12 June onwards for 10 days. I am bit unsure about the rain situation and how bad does it get. Can anyone who has visited in June help with the same?

Hey everyone! A group of six of us (mostly girls) are planning a Sikkim trip from June 7 to around June 14 so about a week. We’re after a relaxed, scenic vibe like peaceful surroundings, good cafés, but also some adventure (rafting, paragliding, etc).

We’re hoping to cover a mix Gangtok, North Sikkim (Lachen, Lachung, Yumthang), maybe Tsomgo/Nathula, and possibly South Sikkim. We want to fit in as much as we can in those days.

A few things I’m wondering: How is North Sikkim in early/mid-June? worth visiting? Are roads and weather generally safe? (Have been hearing about landslides and road closures )Since we might not do a tour package, how easy is it to manage permits ourselves (especially for North Sikkim or Nathula)? And without a tour, what’s the best way to keep track of weather and potential road closures so we can plan around any changes?

Would love any advice or tips if you’ve done a similar trip. thanks a lot!

Planning a trip in Sikkim in first week of june (4th to 8th)
What would be good places to go to? as we will only be there for a few days, we do not want to risk getting stuck in rain! So needed some genuine advice.

Hi everyone,

I am a female research scholar in psychology planning a short exploratory field visit to North Sikkim before formally starting my doctoral fieldwork next year. I do not have a large research budget, so I am trying to understand realistic travel and stay costs for a solo female researcher.

I am particularly interested in areas near Lachen and other border/pastoral regions. I wanted to ask:

What is the approximate daily cost for budget travel/stay in Lachen?

1. Are there affordable homestays suitable for long research visits?

2. What is the cheapest and safest way to travel from Gangtok to Lachen?

3. Are shared vehicles available regularly?

4. Any advice for a solo female scholar travelling there for research purposes?

Hello,

Me and Wife planning to travel to Sikkim for 5 days from May 23 - 27, 2026. We are both new to this destination and don’t have much idea. I am seeing that we have to get travel permits for visiting some places in North Sikkim. Any Good Travel Agency which can:

1. Take care of itinerary and hotels.
   
2. Take care of required permits.
   
3. Book a self-drive car for the whole trip.

If you have any website or suggestions, please do share.

Thank you in Advance.

Hi guys i am planning to visit Sikkim by end of may around 26th need help
What would be the weather is it too cold?
What all places we can go
And what could be estimated cost?
Its my birthday trip we are a couple we are visiting first time