Sikkim Tour Package

8 Nights 9 Days Sikkim Tour

The 8 Nights 9 Days Sikkim Tour is the full circuit. Gangtok and the Tsomgo permit day, Lachen for Gurudongmar, Lachung for Yumthang, and west Sikkim to finish.

Duration

8 nights / 9 days

Destinations

Gangtok, Tsomgo Lake, Lachen, Lachung, Yumthang, Pelling

Highest point

Gurudongmar Lake, about 5,430 m

Pace

Demanding

The trip

8 Nights 9 Days Sikkim Tour Overview

The 8 Nights 9 Days Sikkim Tour is the longest of our standard itineraries and the only one that reaches both northern valleys. Lachen is added ahead of Lachung, which is what makes Gurudongmar possible without an impossible day.

This route asks a great deal of a traveller. It crosses from roughly 120 m at Bagdogra to about 5,430 m at Gurudongmar inside four days, with several long mountain drives. We pace it as carefully as the roads allow, but nobody should book it without thinking honestly about altitude.

The route

Bagdogra / NJP
Gangtok
Tsomgo Lake
Lachen
Lachung
Yumthang
Pelling
Bagdogra / NJP

Tour Highlights

Both northern valleys — Lachen for Gurudongmar, Lachung for Yumthang
Gurudongmar Lake at roughly 5,430 m, for Indian nationals
The Yumthang valley and, conditions allowing, Zero Point
Tsomgo Lake as a graded acclimatisation day before the north
Pemayangtse and Rabdentse in west Sikkim at the end
All permits for the protected areas filed by us in advance

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 Lachen
Day 5 Gurudongmar Lake, then transfer to Lachung
Day 6 Yumthang valley and optional Zero Point
Day 7 Lachung back down to Gangtok
Day 8 Gangtok to Pelling via Ravangla and Namchi
Day 9 Pemayangtse and Rabdentse, then down to Bagdogra or NJP

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival and Transfer to Gangtok

Met at Bagdogra or NJP and driven up the Teesta valley, four to five hours. Nothing else scheduled.

Day 2: Gangtok Sightseeing

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

Day 3: Tsomgo Lake and Baba Mandir

East to roughly 3,753 m and back. On this itinerary the day earns its place twice over as acclimatisation.

Day 4: Gangtok to Lachen

North through Chungthang, around six hours. Lachen sits at about 2,750 m; arrive, eat early and sleep, because tomorrow starts before dawn.

Day 5: Gurudongmar Lake, then Lachung

A very early start for Gurudongmar at roughly 5,430 m, staying only briefly at the lake, then back down and across to Lachung. A long, demanding day at real altitude.

Day 6: Yumthang Valley and Optional Zero Point

Up to the Yumthang valley at roughly 3,564 m through the rhododendron sanctuary, with Zero Point at about 4,700 m as an optional extension if the snow allows.

Day 7: Lachung to Gangtok

The long return south, six to seven hours. A travel day.

Day 8: Gangtok to Pelling via Ravangla and Namchi

West and south, stopping at the Buddha park at Ravangla and the hilltop sites around Namchi before continuing to Pelling.

Day 9: Pelling to Bagdogra or NJP

Pemayangtse and the Rabdentse walk in the morning, then four to five hours down to the plains. This day needs an evening flight or train.

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 Lachen and Lachung, where choice is limited and basic

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

Gurudongmar is open to Indian nationals only. Foreign passport holders are permitted as far as Thangu, and we adjust day five accordingly.
Gurudongmar sits at roughly 5,430 m and is reached by road from 2,750 m in a single morning. It is the most demanding thing on any of our itineraries.
Snow closes the Gurudongmar and Yumthang roads for much of the winter. This route is a spring-to-autumn proposition.
Day nine combines morning sightseeing with a long descent, so it needs an evening flight or train rather than an early one.
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 April to early June, and again from late September to early November. Both northern roads are usually open, the Yumthang rhododendrons flower in the spring window, and the autumn window gives the clearest air.

We do not run this itinerary between December and March, when Gurudongmar and Yumthang are normally closed by snow, and we would steer you towards the shorter routes instead.

Who Is This Tour Best For?

Travellers whose whole reason for coming is north Sikkim
Parties comfortable with pre-dawn starts and several long driving days
Indian nationals — Gurudongmar is not open to foreign passport holders
Anyone who has previously travelled above four thousand metres without trouble
Not suitable with young children, or without medical advice for anyone with a heart or lung condition
Not suitable in winter, when both northern valleys are usually closed

Make it yours

Customize This Sikkim Trip

For foreign nationals we replace Gurudongmar with Thangu and the upper Lachen valley, which is permitted and still spectacular. Parties who find nine days too much often drop the Pelling leg and finish in Gangtok, which removes the longest final day on any of our itineraries.

Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Can foreign nationals visit Gurudongmar on this tour?

No. Gurudongmar is open to Indian nationals only; foreign passport holders are permitted as far as Thangu. If your party is mixed we plan day five around that, and everything else on the itinerary is open to everyone.

How hard is the Gurudongmar day really?

It is the hardest day we operate. A pre-dawn start from about 2,750 m, a climb by road to roughly 5,430 m, a short stay at the lake and then a long drive on to Lachung. Breathlessness and headaches are common. We keep the stop brief and descend at once if anyone is unwell.

Why is Lachen included when the shorter tour goes straight to Lachung?

Because Gurudongmar is not reachable from Lachung. Lachen is the base for it, and adding that night is the only way to include the lake without a day that would be genuinely unsafe. If Gurudongmar does not matter to you, the seven night itinerary covers Yumthang perfectly well.

What happens if the northern roads are closed?

We are told before you set out, and we reroute. Depending on where the closure is, that usually means more time in west and south Sikkim. We do not drive towards a closed pass in the hope it opens, and permit fees for days we cannot run are not charged.

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