North Sikkim (Lachen-Lachung)
Yumthang valley and Gurudongmar Lake near the Tibet border
Best time to visit North Sikkim (Lachen-Lachung)
- Jan, best avoided
- Feb, best avoided
- Mar, shoulder season
- Apr, peak season
- May, peak season
- Jun, shoulder season
- Jul, best avoided
- Aug, best avoided
- Sep, best avoided
- Oct, peak season
- Nov, peak season
- Dec, shoulder season
peak shoulder off-season avoid
- Go: April to May and October to November
- Shoulder: March, June and December, quieter, and the weather is less of a sure thing
- Skip: January to February and July to September
North Sikkim (Lachen-Lachung) season by season
Winter December to February Shoulder
Roads to Gurudongmar and Zero Point are often snowed shut. Beautiful if open, a gamble if not.
Summer March to May Prime time
Apr-May is the sweet spot: Yumthang's 'valley of flowers' blooming, roads freshly reopened.
Monsoon June to September Shoulder
Landslide season on single-lane mountain roads. This is when the region gets cut off for days.
Autumn October to November Prime time
Clear, cold and reliably open: the most dependable window for actually reaching Gurudongmar.
What North Sikkim (Lachen-Lachung) is actually like
No independent travel - permits put you in an agent's shared jeep with strangers.
Getting to North Sikkim (Lachen-Lachung)
From Gangtok, agent-booked permit and shared jeep required.
Practical ways in: road
Trip facts
- How long to stay
- 5 days
- Budget
- Splurge
- How busy
- Steady at its peak
- Solo travel
- Doable solo with some planning
- Altitude
- 2700 m
- State
- Sikkim
- Coordinates
- 27.6167, 88.6500
Common questions
When is the best time to visit North Sikkim (Lachen-Lachung)?
April to May and October to November is peak season in North Sikkim (Lachen-Lachung). March, June and December is shoulder season: thinner crowds, a bit more risk in the weather. Avoid January to February and July to September. Apr-May is the sweet spot: Yumthang's 'valley of flowers' blooming, roads freshly reopened.
How many days do you need in North Sikkim (Lachen-Lachung)?
5 days is the usual stay. No independent travel - permits put you in an agent's shared jeep with strangers.
How do you get to North Sikkim (Lachen-Lachung)?
From Gangtok, agent-booked permit and shared jeep required. Practical ways in: road.
Is North Sikkim (Lachen-Lachung) expensive, and does it get crowded?
Splurge by Indian travel standards, and it runs steady at the busiest time of year. Doable solo with some planning.
Nearby, and where to go next
-
Dzongu (Lepcha Reserve)
Sikkim
Lepcha-only reserve of cardamom, hot springs and gorges
20 km from North Sikkim (Lachen-Lachung), roughly under an hour by road
-
Gangtok
Sikkim
Sikkim's capital and gateway: monasteries, MG Marg cafés
50 km from North Sikkim (Lachen-Lachung), roughly about 1 h by road
-
Zuluk
Sikkim
Zigzag Old Silk Route road through homestay-only villages
60 km from North Sikkim (Lachen-Lachung), roughly about 2 h by road
-
Ravangla
Sikkim
Laid-back South Sikkim town under a 130ft Buddha statue
70 km from North Sikkim (Lachen-Lachung), roughly about 2 h by road
-
Yuksom
Sikkim
Sikkim's first capital, trailhead for the Goecha La trek
80 km from North Sikkim (Lachen-Lachung), roughly about 2 h by road
-
Pelling
Sikkim
Closest hotel-window views of Kanchenjunga in Sikkim
80 km from North Sikkim (Lachen-Lachung), roughly about 2 h by road
-
Namchi
Sikkim
South Sikkim pilgrim town with a 108-ft Shiva and Char Dham
90 km from North Sikkim (Lachen-Lachung), roughly about 2 h by road
-
Lava & Rishop (Neora Valley)
West Bengal
Pine-and-cardamom ridge above Neora Valley's cloud forest
90 km from North Sikkim (Lachen-Lachung), roughly about 2 h by road
More places to visit in Sikkim
- Barsey Rhododendron Sanctuary (Hilley) Sikkim
- Dzongu (Lepcha Reserve) Sikkim
- Gangtok Sikkim
- Namchi Sikkim
- Pelling Sikkim
- Ravangla Sikkim
- Yuksom Sikkim
- Zuluk Sikkim