Sikkim Tour Package

7 Nights 8 Days Sikkim Tour

The 7 Nights 8 Days Sikkim Tour is the first itinerary that reaches north Sikkim properly. Two nights at Lachung, a morning in Yumthang, then across to Pelling.

Duration

7 nights / 8 days

Destinations

Gangtok, Tsomgo Lake, Lachung, Yumthang, Pelling

Highest point

Yumthang, about 3,564 m (Zero Point optional)

Pace

Demanding

The trip

7 Nights 8 Days Sikkim Tour Overview

The 7 Nights 8 Days Sikkim Tour is where north Sikkim stops being a day trip somebody has squeezed in and becomes a real part of the plan. Two nights at Lachung give the Yumthang valley a proper morning, and there are three nights in Gangtok beforehand to acclimatise rather than arrive and climb.

It is a demanding route. Day four is six hours on a mountain road, day five is spent above three and a half thousand metres, and day six brings you all the way back. Anyone with a heart or lung condition should take medical advice before booking it.

The route

Tour Highlights

Two nights at Lachung rather than one rushed overnight
The Yumthang valley at roughly 3,564 m, best from late March to May
Zero Point at about 4,700 m as an optional extension, weather allowing
Tsomgo Lake and Baba Mandir on a separate permit day from Gangtok
Pemayangtse and Rabdentse in west Sikkim to finish
Three acclimatisation nights before the first high overnight

At a glance

Quoted for your party

Start & end

Bagdogra Airport or NJP station

Tour style

Private, high altitude

Permits

Included for Tsomgo and north Sikkim

Day by day

Itinerary at a Glance

Day 1 Bagdogra or NJP to Gangtok
Day 2 Gangtok sightseeing
Day 3 Tsomgo Lake and Baba Mandir
Day 4 Gangtok north to Lachung
Day 5 Yumthang valley, optional Zero Point, back to Lachung
Day 6 Lachung back down to Gangtok
Day 7 Gangtok to Pelling, evening sightseeing
Day 8 Pelling down to Bagdogra or NJP

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival and Transfer to Gangtok

Met at Bagdogra or NJP, then four to five hours up the Teesta valley. The evening is free.

Day 2: Gangtok Sightseeing

Rumtek in the morning, then the Do-Drul Chorten, the Institute of Tibetology and a viewpoint. A deliberately light day.

Day 3: Tsomgo Lake and Baba Mandir

East to Tsomgo at roughly 3,753 m, and Baba Mandir if the permit allows. This doubles as useful acclimatisation before the north.

Day 4: Gangtok to Lachung

North up the Teesta through Chungthang — around six hours, and one of the more spectacular drives in the state. Arrive late afternoon and do nothing else.

Day 5: Yumthang Valley and Optional Zero Point

An early start up to the Yumthang valley at roughly 3,564 m, through the rhododendron sanctuary. Zero Point at about 4,700 m is an optional extension, entirely dependent on snow and on how the party is coping.

Day 6: Lachung to Gangtok

The long return south, six to seven hours back down the valley. A travel day rather than a sightseeing one.

Day 7: Gangtok to Pelling

Four to five hours west across the grain of the country, arriving in time for Pemayangtse or the Rabdentse walk if the light holds.

Day 8: Pelling to Bagdogra or NJP

Down to the plains in roughly four to five hours, with a four-hour cushion before departure.

On the road

Along this route

Tour Inclusions

Private vehicle and driver throughout, including all transfers
Accommodation on the stated basis, twin or double
Pick-up and drop at Bagdogra Airport or NJP station
Driver allowance, fuel, tolls and parking
A named contact, reachable throughout your trip
Protected Area Permits and vehicle permits for Tsomgo Lake and north Sikkim
Accommodation at Lachung, where choice is limited and basic by design

Tour Exclusions

Flights and train fares to and from Bagdogra or NJP
Meals not stated in the day-by-day itinerary
Entry fees and camera charges at monuments and viewpoints
Travel insurance, which we strongly recommend
Anything personal — laundry, tips, drinks, calls
Costs arising from road closures or weather

Exact inclusions are confirmed in your written quotation. If something matters to you and is not listed, ask before you book.

Important

Permits & Important Travel Notes

North Sikkim permits are issued only through registered agencies, and foreign nationals must travel in a group of two or more on this corridor.
Zero Point is never guaranteed. The road is regularly closed by snow between roughly December and March and can shut at any time in fresh snow.
Lachung accommodation is simple. Power and hot water can both be intermittent, particularly in winter, and heating is basic.
The Yumthang road is usually closed by snow from about December to March, which makes this itinerary a spring, summer or autumn proposition.
Journey times are typical rather than guaranteed, and hill itineraries depend on road and weather conditions. If a day has to change we rearrange it and tell you why.

Permit rules can change Access rules for protected areas change, and nothing here guarantees entry. Full detail is on our Sikkim travel information page; we confirm the position when we file your permits.

Best Time for This Sikkim Tour

Late March to May is the strongest window. The Yumthang road reopens, the rhododendrons flower through the sanctuary above Lachung, and the valley is at its best.

October and November give the clearest air and the best views, though it is colder at Lachung and Zero Point becomes less reliable. December to March is not recommended for this route — the north is largely closed.

Who Is This Tour Best For?

Travellers who came specifically for north Sikkim and the Yumthang valley
Anyone comfortable with two long mountain driving days in one week
Photographers chasing the rhododendron season in April and May
Parties happy with simple accommodation for two nights at altitude
Not suitable for anyone with a heart or lung condition without medical advice
Not recommended in deep winter, when the Yumthang road is usually closed

Make it yours

Customize This Sikkim Trip

The commonest request is to swap the Pelling leg for a second north Sikkim night, though we would usually argue against it — the contrast at the end of the trip is worth keeping. Adding Lachen and Gurudongmar turns this into the eight night itinerary and is the better answer if the north is the whole point.

Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Zero Point included in this tour?

It is offered as an optional extension on day five, not promised. The road above Yumthang sits at about 4,700 m, closes for long stretches of winter, and can be shut at any time by fresh snow. We will attempt it if conditions and your party both allow, and there is no charge if it is not possible.

Can foreign nationals do this itinerary?

Yes, for Lachung and Yumthang, with an Inner Line Permit to enter Sikkim plus a Protected Area Permit for the north Sikkim corridor, applied for through a registered agency in a group of two or more. Gurudongmar is not open to foreign passport holders, but it is not part of this route.

What is the accommodation like at Lachung?

Simple. Lachung is a mountain village, not a hill station: rooms are basic, heating is limited, and power and hot water can both be intermittent. We book the better properties available, and we would rather set that expectation now than have you discover it on arrival.

Is eight days enough to include Gurudongmar as well?

Not comfortably. Gurudongmar needs an overnight at Lachen and its own very early start, which is why it appears on the 8 Nights 9 Days itinerary instead. Adding it here would mean cutting Pelling and driving on consecutive long days.

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