Lachung or Lachen: which North Sikkim trip to choose

North Sikkim has two tourist valleys, and they split at Chungthang, a small town where the Lachen and Lachung rivers meet, about 95 km north of Gangtok. To the right, the Lachung valley climbs north-east to Lachung village, Yumthang valley and Zero Point. To the left, the Lachen valley climbs north-west to Lachen village, Thangu and Gurudongmar Lake.

Each village sits about 25 km beyond Chungthang, so the drive from Gangtok is similar either way: about 120–125 km and 6–8 hours on a road that still has repaired and temporary sections after the October 2023 flood. The villages themselves are alike too. Both are Bhutia communities at about 2,700–2,750 m, both governed by their own Dzumsa councils, both with a monastery above the houses.

What differs is what lies beyond, how hard the main day is, and who is allowed to go. With two nights you must pick one valley. With three, in a normal year, you can do a circuit through both.

The table sums up the main differences. Prices are indicative and rise in April, May and October. Altitudes are approximate, as sources differ by a few dozen metres.

Lachung is the easier and more varied trip. The main outing, to Yumthang, starts at a reasonable 6 am, takes 1–1.5 hours, and ends on a valley floor at 3,564 m where most healthy people feel fine. You can walk on the meadows, see yaks grazing, and in spring see the rhododendrons of the Shingba sanctuary flower from mid-April through May.

If you want snow, Zero Point is the place, about 23 km beyond Yumthang at around 4,700 m. It usually has snow from November to April. Indian travellers can add it on the day for about ₹3,000–4,500 per vehicle and decide on the spot whether everyone feels well enough to go higher.

Lachung also has the wider range of rooms, from village homestays across the river to resorts with heaters and valley views. That matters in winter, when nights fall well below freezing. And it is the natural choice for foreign travellers, who can go as far as Yumthang with a Protected Area Permit.

• Pick Lachung if you travel with young children or older parents.
• Pick Lachung in rhododendron season, mid-April to May.
• Pick Lachung if snow is the priority between November and March.
• Pick Lachung if anyone in the group is a foreign national.

For most visitors Lachen is about one thing: Gurudongmar Lake. At about 5,430 m, close to the Tibetan border, it is one of the highest lakes in the world that you can reach by road. The drive past Thangu and across the high plateau is unlike anything else in Sikkim. The lake is sacred and linked to Guru Padmasambhava, and Buddhist and Sikh pilgrims visit it.

The cost is a hard morning. Vehicles leave Lachen around 4 am, the drive takes 3–3.5 hours each way, and you climb from about 2,750 m to 5,430 m in one push. Most healthy adults manage a short visit, but some feel unwell, and babies, young children and people with heart or lung conditions are generally advised not to go. A second night in Lachen before the lake lowers the risk and leaves time to visit the village monastery.

Lachen village is quieter than Lachung, with fewer hotels, simpler rooms and more frequent power cuts. Foreign nationals may stay in Lachen but cannot go on to Gurudongmar, so the valley makes less sense for them.

• Pick Lachen if you are a healthy Indian adult and want the highest, wildest landscape.
• Pick Lachen if Gurudongmar has spiritual meaning for you.
• Pick Lachen in October and November for the clearest views of the lake.
• Avoid Lachen in deep winter, when snow often closes the Gurudongmar road.

The standard three-night circuit goes Gangtok to Lachen on the first day, Gurudongmar at dawn on the second and then across to Lachung via Chungthang, Yumthang and optional Zero Point on the third, and back to Gangtok on the fourth. It is the most complete way to see North Sikkim, but it is tiring: four long driving days in a row and two climbs above 4,500 m on consecutive days if you add Zero Point.

The circuit depends on the road link between the two valleys at Chungthang. After the October 2023 flood, operators could not run the combined route for long periods and sold each valley as a separate trip from Gangtok. Ask your operator which version is possible for your dates. Check current status before you travel.

With five nights or more, start with two nights in Dzongu, the Lepcha reserve near Mangan. It sits low, shortens the drive to Lachen and gives a calm start before the high valleys. Our seven-night journey follows that plan.

North Sikkim trips are sold as packages from Gangtok that cover the permit, the registered vehicle, rooms and usually all meals. Shared group tours are the cheapest: you buy a seat in a jeep with other travellers and stay in simple rooms. A reserved car costs more but gives you your own timing and better hotels.

Compare at least two registered operators and ask exactly which hotel, which meals, whether heaters cost extra and what happens if the road closes. Hand over original ID and photographs the day before departure. Book two to four weeks ahead for April, May, October and Christmas week; in March and November a few days is often enough. Carry cash from Gangtok, as card payments and ATMs are scarce above Mangan.

Both valleys take you high quickly. Gangtok sits at about 1,650 m, the villages at about 2,700 m, Yumthang at 3,564 m, Zero Point at about 4,700 m and Gurudongmar at about 5,430 m. Headache, nausea and breathlessness are common above 3,500 m, especially on the first trip.

Spend at least one night in Gangtok before heading north, drink plenty of water, avoid alcohol on the first night up, and keep visits to Zero Point and Gurudongmar short. If anyone feels badly unwell, turn around; going lower is the best treatment. People with heart or lung conditions should consult a doctor before booking.

• Pack thermal layers, a warm jacket, gloves and a hat in every season; Yumthang and Thangu are cold even in May.
• Carry sunglasses and sunscreen for snow glare at Zero Point and Gurudongmar.
• Keep snacks, water and any personal medicines in the vehicle, not in the roof luggage.
• Portable oxygen cans are sold in Lachen for about ₹300–700, but they are no substitute for going lower.