VMPL
New Delhi [India], September 11: Sikkim tourism runs on three things: permits,roads and weather. Get those right and a week covers Gangtok, the lakes near the Tibet border and the high valleys of North Sikkim. Sikkim is a Himalayan state in northeast India with Gangtok as its capital. It borders Nepal to the west,Tibet (China) to the north and east,and Bhutan to the southeast.
Discover the beauty of the Himalayas with Sikkim Tourism and explore the best Sikkim Tour Package for an unforgettable holiday. From the breathtaking landscapes of Gangtok, Pelling, Lachung, and Yumthang Valley to peaceful monasteries, mountain views, scenic lakes, and vibrant local culture, Sikkim offers something for every traveller. Choose a Sikkim tour package that fits your travel plans and experience the natural beauty, adventure, culture, and charm of this Himalayan paradise.
What is Sikkim known for?
Sikkim is best known for its breathtaking Himalayan landscapes and views of Kanchenjunga , the world’s third-highest mountain. The state is home to famous attractions such as Gangtok, Tsomgo Lake, Nathula Pass, Pelling, Lachung, and Yumthang Valley. Sikkim is also known for its peaceful monasteries, diverse wildlife, adventure activities, and the unique cultural traditions of the Lepcha, Bhutia, and Nepali communities.
How do you reach Sikkim?
Almost every trip to Sikkim starts in Siliguri, West Bengal, because Sikkim has no working railway and no scheduled flights.Travellers fly into Bagdogra (IXB) or take a train to New Jalpaiguri (NJP), then drive about 4 to 5 hours to Gangtok along NH10, which follows the Teesta river.
The Sivok–Rangpo line will be Sikkim's first rail link. It runs 44.96 km, most of it through tunnels, and ends at Rangpo on the state border. Until it opens, NH10 remains the only direct road, and a second route through Lava and Rhenock in Kalimpong district serves as the diversion when NH10 closes.
Travellers coming from specific cities can see routings and pickups on the Kolkata, Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai pages.
Do you need a permit to visit Sikkim?
Indian citizens do not need a permit to enter Sikkim or to visit Gangtok, Pelling, Namchi or Ravangla. They do need a Protected Area Permit (PAP) for Tsomgo Lake, Nathu La and North Sikkim. A registered Sikkim tour operator applied for it using a photo ID and two passport-size photographs.
Foreign nationals need a Restricted Area Permit (RAP) to enter any part of Sikkim, including Gangtok. The permit is free and needs a passport, a valid Indian visa and photographs. The Rangpo and Melli check posts issue it, as do Sikkim tourism offices in Siliguri, Kolkata and New Delhi.
Separately, every tourist aged five and above pays a ₹50 fee, collected by the hotel or homestay at check-in. The Sikkim Registration of Tourist Trade Rules brought it in from March 2025, and one payment covers a continuous stay of up to 30 days. The money goes to a Tourism Sustainability Development Fund meant for Sikkim tourism infrastructure, roads and cleanliness.
Sikkim discussed moving these permits to a digital, operator-routed system at a stakeholder meeting on 18 August 2026. No launch date had been announced at the time of writing, so the paper process still applies.
Is North Sikkim open for tourists in 2026?
Yes. Lachung, Yumthang Valley, Lachen and Gurudongmar Lake are all open to tourists in 2026, but permits can be suspended at a day's notice when rain triggers landslides.
North Sikkim was largely shut after the South Lhonak glacial lake burst in October 2023 and washed out roads and bridges along the Teesta. Lachung reopened in stages through 2024 and 2025. The Lachen side took longer. The Border Roads Organisation restored 28 km of the Chungthang–Lachen road and built a new 400-foot bridge over the Taram Chu, and permits for Lachen and Gurudongmar resumed on 9 March 2026. The bridge takes one light vehicle at a time, so expect queues at peak hours.
The risk has not gone away. In April and May 2025, landslides on the Lachen and Lachung roads left more than a thousand tourists stranded at Chungthang, and the district cancelled every permit already issued. Build one spare day into any North Sikkim plan, and avoid booking a flight out of Bagdogra on the same day you return from Lachung.
When is the best time to visit Sikkim?
March to May and October to December are the best months to visit Sikkim, and they are also when Sikkim tourism peaks. Spring brings the rhododendrons in Yumthang, and the post-monsoon months give the clearest views of Kangchenjunga. June to September is the weakest period, because monsoon rain closes NH10 and North Sikkim roads more often than in any other season. 
What are the best places to visit in Sikkim?
The best places to visit in Sikkim fall into four circuits: Gangtok and the East, North Sikkim, West Sikkim around Pelling, and South Sikkim around Namchi and Ravangla. Most first trips cover East and North; West and South need two extra nights.
Gangtok and East Sikkim
Gangtok is the base for most Sikkim itineraries, and MG Marg, its pedestrian high street, is where most visitors spend their evenings. The two big day trips from Gangtok are Tsomgo Lake and Nathu La, done together in one early start. Vehicles queue at the checkpost before 10 am. Nathu La opens to tourists only on certain days of the week, and published schedules differ between sources, so confirm the days with your operator before fixing dates. Rumtek Monastery, the main seat of the Karma Kagyu school outside Tibet, is a half-day trip from town.
North Sikkim: Lachung, Yumthang and Zero Point
Lachung is a village on the Lachung Chu at about 8,800 ft and the overnight stop for Yumthang Valley. Yumthang holds the Shingba Rhododendron Sanctuary and a roadside hot spring, and flowers peak in April and May. Zero Point, also called Yumesamdong, is where the civilian road ends near the Chinese border; it costs extra on most packages and is snowbound for much of the year.
North Sikkim: Lachen and Gurudongmar Lake
Lachen is the base for Gurudongmar Lake, one of India's highest lakes at roughly 17,800 ft, about 5 km short of the China border. Tours leave Lachen before dawn because wind and cloud build by midday. The drive from Gangtok to Lachen takes 6 to 7 hours despite being only about 121 km, since the road climbs through Mangan and Chungthang.
West and South Sikkim
Pelling, in Gyalshing district, faces Kangchenjunga directly and is the base for Pemayangtse Monastery and Yuksom. Yuksom is the trailhead for Khangchendzonga National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2016. South Sikkim has Namchi and Ravangla, both quieter than Gangtok and both open to Indian visitors without a permit.
How many days do you need for a Sikkim trip?
Six to seven days is the usual length for a first Sikkim trip covering Gangtok, Tsomgo Lake and North Sikkim. Five days works if you skip Lachen, and nine or ten lets you add Pelling in the west.
The maths is driven by road time. Bagdogra to Gangtok takes most of a day. North Sikkim needs at least one night in Lachung, and two nights if Gurudongmar is included, because the lake is only reachable in a pre-dawn trip from Lachen. Add one buffer day for weather in the north.
What does a 7-day Sikkim itinerary look like?
1. Day 1: Drive from Bagdogra or NJP to Gangtok, about 4 to 5 hours. Evening on MG Marg.
2. Day 2: Tsomgo Lake, with Nathu La if it is open that day. Back in Gangtok by late afternoon.
3. Day 3: Gangtok to Lachen through Mangan and Chungthang, 6 to 7 hours.
4. Day 4: Pre-dawn drive to Gurudongmar Lake, back to Lachen, then on to Lachung.
5. Day 5: Yumthang Valley, with Zero Point as an optional add-on, then return to Gangtok.
6. Day 6: Buffer day for weather in the north; otherwise Rumtek Monastery and Gangtok sightseeing.
7. Day 7: Drive back to Bagdogra or NJP for departure.
Best Sikkim Tour Operator EasoTrip
EasoTrip is the travel partner behind sikkimtourism.in and plans Sikkim trips around the three things that decide how they go: permits, roads and weather. Its packages cover the circuits described above, from a short Gangtok stay with Tsomgo Lake to a full North Sikkim trip taking in Lachen, Gurudongmar and Lachung.
EasoTrip handles the Protected Area Permits for Tsomgo Lake, Nathu La and North Sikkim, so travellers don't have to deal with the permit process themselves. Pickups are available from Bagdogra and NJP.
Before you book, EasoTrip states in writing what is included: permit charges, whether Zero Point and Nathu La are priced in, and what happens if the district suspends North Sikkim permits because of weather. Current itineraries and prices are on the Sikkim tour package page.
EasoTrip for Sikkim
* Who they are: EasoTrip is the travel partner behind sikkimtourism.in.
* What they cover: Packages run from a short Gangtok stay with Tsomgo Lake to a full North Sikkim trip covering Lachen, Gurudongmar and Lachung.
* Pickups: Bagdogra Airport and NJP railway station.
* Permits: EasoTrip arranges the Protected Area Permits for Tsomgo Lake, Nathu La and North Sikkim as part of the package, so travellers only need to send a photo ID and two passport-size photographs.
* Before you pay: EasoTrip confirms in writing what's included, including permit charges, Zero Point and Nathu La, and what happens if weather cancels North Sikkim permits.
* Prices:Current itineraries and rates are on the Sikkim tour packages page.
EasoTrip contact Details
Name: EasoTrip
Address: Haren Mukherjee Rd, beside Bhutia Market, opposite Siliguri Mahakuma Parishad, College Para, Hakim Para, Siliguri, West Bengal 734001
phone: 070017 24300
What do Sikkim tour packages usually include?
Most Sikkim tour packages bundle what a traveller cannot easily arrange alone. That means Protected Area Permits for Tsomgo, Nathu La and North Sikkim, a vehicle with a driver who knows the mountain roads, and hotels booked around permit dates. North Sikkim permits are routed through registered Sikkim operators, which is why nearly all Lachung and Lachen trips are sold as packages.
When comparing packages, get three answers in writing. Are permit fees and the operator's handling charge included? Are Zero Point and Nathu La priced in, or charged extra on the day? And what happens to your money if the district suspends North Sikkim permits? Current itineraries and prices are on our Sikkim tour packages page.
What should you watch out for in Sikkim?
* NH10 closures. A landslide at 20th Mile shut part of NH10 from 7 July 2026, and traffic was only allowed back in intervals from 10 August 2026. During closures, traffic diverts through Lava in Kalimpong district, which adds hours.
* Permit cancellations. The Mangan district administration cancels North Sikkim permits outright after heavy rain. A package without a clear refund rule leaves you carrying that loss.
* Altitude. Gurudongmar sits near 17,800 ft and Nathu La above 14,000 ft. Sleep at Lachen or Gangtok the night before rather than driving up from Siliguri, and keep your time at the top short. Skip Gurudongmar with very young children or anyone who has trouble breathing at height.
* Foreign nationals' restrictions. Foreigners cannot visit Nathu La and face tighter limits in North Sikkim. Confirm every stop against your nationality before payi
* Single-lane bridges. The Taram Chu bridge on the Lachen road carries one light vehicle at a time, which slows traffic in peak season.
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