Nathula Pass: A Breathtaking Himalayan Gateway between India and China

Are you looking for an adventurous and memorable trip to the Himalayas? Do you want to witness the stunning beauty of nature and the fascinating history of two ancient civilisations? If yes, then you should definitely visit Nathula Pass, a mountain pass that connects Sikkim in India and Tibet in China.

More About Nathula Pass

Nathula Pass is one of the highest and most scenic passes in the world, offering a panoramic view of the snow-capped peaks, lush valleys, and sparkling lakes. It is also a place of great significance, as it was once a part of the Old Silk Route, a trade route that linked Asia with Europe and Africa. Nathula Pass is not only a border post, but also a pilgrimage site and a tourist attraction, attracting thousands of visitors every year.

In this article, we will guide you through everything you need to know about Nathula Pass, from how to obtain a permit, how to reach there, when to visit, what to see and do, and what tips and advice to follow.

How to Obtain a Permit to Visit Nathula Pass

Photo of Nathula Pass 1/1 by — (c) Holidify.com

Nathula Pass is a protected area and requires a permit to visit. Only Indian nationals are eligible to apply for a permit, and they need to provide an identity proof (such as Aadhaar card, voter ID card, passport, etc.) and two passport-sized photographs. The permit can be obtained through a registered travel agency in Gangtok, the capital of Sikkim.

The travel agency will charge a nominal fee for the permit and arrange the transport to Nathula Pass. The permit is valid for one day only and allows entry to Nathula Pass between 8 am and 3 pm.

The permit is issued on a first-come-first-serve basis and is subject to availability and weather conditions. Therefore, it is advisable to apply for the permit at least one week in advance and avoid any last-minute hassles.

How to Reach Nathula Pass from Gangtok

Nathula Pass is located about 56 km from Gangtok and can be reached by road in about 2 hours. The road to Nathula Pass is steep, narrow, and winding, passing through some of the most beautiful landscapes in Sikkim. The road also crosses several checkpoints, where the permit and identity proof are verified.

The best way to reach Nathula Pass from Gangtok is by hiring a taxi, bus, or shared jeep from the taxi stand near MG Road or Lal Bazaar. The cost of hiring a vehicle varies depending on the season, demand, and bargaining skills. The average cost of hiring a taxi is around Rs. 4000-5000 for a round trip, while the cost of hiring a bus or shared jeep is around Rs. 800-1000 per person for a round trip.

Best Time to Visit Nathula Pass

Nathula Pass experiences extreme weather conditions throughout the year. The temperature ranges from -25°C in winter to 15°C in summer. The pass receives heavy snowfall from November to March, making it inaccessible for tourists. The pass also remains closed on Mondays and Tuesdays for maintenance purposes.

Therefore, the best time to visit Nathula Pass is from April to June and from September to October, when the weather is pleasant and clear. During these months, tourists can enjoy the spectacular views of the Himalayas and witness the changing colors of Tsomgo Lake. However, tourists should be prepared for sudden changes in weather and temperature at any time of the year.

What to See and Do in Nathula Pass

Nathula Pass offers a variety of attractions and activities for tourists to see and do. Some of the highlights are:

Baba Harbhajan Singh Temple: A temple dedicated to Baba Harbhajan Singh, a soldier who died near Nathula Pass in 1968 and is believed to protect the area from any harm. The temple is revered by both Indian and Chinese soldiers, who offer prayers and offerings to Baba Harbhajan Singh. The temple also has a museum that displays his belongings and photographs.

Border Trade Market: A market where Indian and Chinese traders exchange goods such as woolen clothes, electronic items, dry fruits, etc. The market is open from Wednesday to Sunday from 10 am to 4 pm. Tourists can also buy souvenirs from the market.

Indo-China Border Gates: The gates that mark the border between India and China and allow tourists to see the soldiers of both countries standing guard. Tourists can also take photographs with the soldiers and shake hands with them.

Tsomgo Lake: A glacial lake near Nathula Pass that is considered sacred by the locals. The lake changes its color according to the seasons, from blue in summer to frozen white in winter. The lake also hosts migratory birds such as Brahminy ducks and red pandas. Tourists can enjoy a yak ride or a cable car ride around the lake.

Kyongnosla Alpine Sanctuary: A wildlife sanctuary near Nathula Pass that is home to many rare and endangered species of flora and fauna. The sanctuary has a rich biodiversity, featuring rhododendrons, primulas, orchids, blue sheep, snow leopards, red pandas, etc. Tourists can also trek to the Kyongnosla Waterfall, which is a scenic spot.

Also read: Nathula Pass - The legendary trade route between India and China

Tips and Advice for Visiting Nathula Pass

Visiting Nathula Pass can be an exhilarating and rewarding experience, but it also requires some precautions and preparations. Here are some tips and advice for tourists who want to visit Nathula Pass:

Clothing: Nathula Pass is very cold and windy, so tourists should carry warm clothes such as jackets, sweaters, gloves, caps, socks, etc.

Medicines: Nathula Pass is at a high altitude of 14,140 feet above sea level, so tourists may experience altitude sickness, headache, nausea, dizziness, etc. They should carry medicines such as Diamox, Disprin, Avomine, etc. and drink plenty of water to stay hydrated.

Water bottles: Tourists should carry their own water bottles and avoid buying plastic bottles from the shops.

Photography: Tourists can take photographs in Nathula Pass, but they should follow some rules and restrictions. They should not take photographs of the military installations, the border gates, or the Chinese side.

Nathula Pass is a unique and amazing destination that offers a blend of adventure, nature, and culture. It is a place where tourists can witness the beauty of the Himalayas, the history of the Old Silk Route, and the harmony of India and China.

Nathula Pass is a place that will leave a lasting impression on anyone who visits it. If you are looking for a trip that will challenge you, inspire you, and enrich you, then you should definitely visit Nathula Pass.

Also read: Nathula Pass: A truly enigmatic experience

So what are you waiting for? Plan your trip to Nathula Pass with Tripoto now and get ready for an unforgettable experience.

Nathula Pass Reviews

Suraj Pisharody

91 Followers

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The next morning, we were awoken by the ringing of our room telephone, and we were informed that our ride Nathu La Pass has arrived. The only way to reach here is to drive from Gangtok. Nathula pass is one of the Himalayan passes in the country and it connects Sikkim with China. It was the connecting point of India and Tibet, and currently hosts the Indo-China Border. Because of security reasons, only the tourists of Indian nationality are allowed visit. Also, you can see the Indian Army Camps, all along the alpine ranges. Nathu La pass is 52 km from Gangtok and all the tourists and also the vehicles require permits for visiting, we were required to book our rides a day prior to our intended visit. The road leading to the pass are steep and slippery but well maintained. The drivers here are extremely cautious of the treacherous route. The tough terrain and innumerable sharp cliffs took us to Tsomgo Lake, approximately 25 kms from the city, which is located at an altitude of more than 12000 feet. Here we too k yak rides along the lake side and also went on to a nearby mountain slope, to drown ourselves in the captivating view of the lake and the alpines. After steering a few more kilometres upward, we stopped at a house which served as a small restaurant for tourists. Here we had some tea and wai-wai before making our way to the checkpoint where army personnel verify the identity documents before allowing to head towards the pass. Our hotel- driver dropped 5 of us (4 friends and our original driver from Siliguri). We walked along the steep unpaved roads towards a staircase which takes you to the Indo-China border. After climbing a few more steep steps, we were there! At 14,140 feet, enjoying the stunning view of the border and snow clad Himalayan ranges. We were shivering from head to toe. As we moved towards the higher altitude, we could feel the air pressure drop. We were breathing heavily as the air became thin. As we shivered in the cold, we witnessed the Chinese army personnel doing their regular rounds across the border. The border was so close, we could literally touch the Chinese army building across the border. With a patriotic essence in our minds, we started our descent and went back to the place we waited for a cigarette and tea, on our way up. The owners of the hotel, a couple, were very friendly and served us with rice, dal and Roasted Chicken which was one of the many delicious lunches we had. Then, we came back to our hotel. Later that evening we once again roamed around MG road and ended up at a place called ‘Café Live and Loud”. We fell in love with the place instantly because of the ambience as well as the price. The band that performed rocked our evenings. I suggest every tourist to visit this place if they are in or around Gangtok. We came to our hotel at around 12.30 am, with music in our hearts and alcohol in our bellies.

VAGABOND

369 Followers

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We were asked to reach the taxi stand at 8 AM,The journey to Nathula passwas to be started early morning cause there were more view points to see. But the driver was the only person who came late, we almost waited for an hour and then the journey began a 16 seater vehicle with two newly wedded couple,a family with 7 members,me and my friend,the driver,his helper and a solo backpacker ( the most interesting guy i met on this trip) this guy is professionally a teacher and a Pilgrim by passion,we shared our travelling experiences,he is the only guy i found with the same frequency of travelling as mine,he told me his dream is to visit all the 51 Shaktipeeths and his name is Genie,yes Genie- as i told you we both share same frequencies and may be as a matter of fact we don't like to travel with our original names so we didn't share our original names instead we call each other by the name we prefer he likes to call himself Genie and i love the name Vagabond,its been almost 5 months to this trip and still we are in touch,i must say i met a great guy. (couldn't get his picture cause we were busy enjoying) And our journey began,after driving for an hour we entered the scenic beauty of Sikkim something which is not possible to describe in words. We started driving towards the hill top where the Nathula pass is situated surrounded with the army base camps,we stopped at two places before reaching the pass,one where the driver took the permission from the army camps and the other where we had to eat our breakfast,do keep in mind to fill yourself with a little of food before reaching Nathula pass and ensure to carry a warm jacket with you as it is to too cold up there,the temperature at that time was 5 degree C,and i guess your driver will guide you few things. The view from Nathula was amazing we went up the hill and met two Chinese soldiers one of them was very friendly but the other one was not even ready to shake hands,reason nobody knows. We spent around half an hour there, then on our way back we got our certificate which shows that we have visited Nathula pass situated at 14000 ft from sea level which is half of the height of Mt. Everest.

VAGABOND

351 Followers

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We were asked to reach the taxi stand at 8 AM,The journey to Nathula passwas to be started early morning cause there were more view points to see. But the driver was the only person who came late, we almost waited for an hour and then the journey began a 16 seater vehicle with two newly wedded couple,a family with 7 members,me and my friend,the driver,his helper and a solo backpacker ( the most interesting guy i met on this trip) this guy is professionally a teacher and a Pilgrim by passion,we shared our travelling experiences,he is the only guy i found with the same frequency of travelling as mine,he told me his dream is to visit all the 51 Shaktipeethsand his name is Genie,yes Genie- as i told you we both share same frequencies and may be as a matter of fact we don't like to travel with our original names so we didn't share our original names instead we call each other by the name we prefer he likes to call himself Genie and i love the name Vagabond,its been almost 5 months to this trip and still we are in touch, i must say i met a great guy. And our journey began,after driving for an hour we entered the scenic beauty of Sikkim something which is not possible to describe in words. We started driving towards the hill top where the Nathula pass is situated surrounded with the army base camps,we stopped at two places before reaching the pass,one where the driver took the permission from the army camps and the other where we had to eat our breakfast,do keep in mind to fill yourself with a little of food before reaching Nathula pass and ensure to carry a warm jacket with you as it is to too cold up there,the temperature at that time was 5 degree C,and i guess your driver will guide you few things. The view from Nathula was amazing we went up the hill and met two Chinese soldiers one of them was very friendly but the other one was not even ready to shake hands,reason nobody knows. We spent around half an hour there, then on our way back we got our certificate which shows that we have visited Nathula pass situated at 14000 ft from sea level which is half of the height of Mt. Everest.

Niharika Baruah

993 Followers

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In this trip, we mainly targeted East Sikkim as we had less time in hand. So next morning we had some yummy Aloo parathas and headed on our day-long journey to Nathula Pass, Baba Mandir and the Tsomgo Lake. We started at around 8 am from the hotel and halted at a point where we needed to collect passes to visit Nathula pass (Indo-Chinese border). Please make sure to do this process quickly as it’s important to reach there early otherwise, the weather conditions change every now and then and you might miss the chance to visit Nathula if the road gets blocked due to fog or rains. Luckily for us, we reached Nathula Pass(the end point of our trip route) and climbed up the stairs to have a look at the very famous Indo-Chinese border. It was dead cold up there and we were shivering like hell. But thanks to the military people who offered tea at a stall there. I too got a certificate of accomplishment for visiting Nathula . Going there can only make you feel how our soldiers bear that shivering cold weather and protect the country and let us sleep peacefully at night. A big salute to the soldiers. Spending around 45minutes up there, we headed towards Baba Mandir, which is also quite a famous place. The shrine is dedicated to Major Harbhajan Singh, who lost his life at an early near that spot but it is believed that he still protects the border now also. The regiment maintains the whole place and thousands of tourists flock each year to take Baba’s blessings. The army has felt his presence at that place on many occasions. It feels so good to visit such a place where faith and belief keep people strong and going. You can read the whole story here, I found it very interesting. After offering prayers, we came further down to Tsomgo lake. But since the weather was deteriorating, we had to rush back to Gangtok soon after clicking some quick pictures.

Disha Kapkoti

16.4k Followers

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Feeling the wind in my hair on a 60-km downhill ride to Gangtok Nathula Pass - Gangtok (12, 500 ft - 5400ft). Distance: 59.5 km With sore posteriors and soaring spirits, the last day of cycling was something we were really excited about. After an almost 100-km uphill ride in the last few days, today was all about a comfortable 60-km downhill ride from Nathula to Gangtok. Traversing through the winding roads, waving to the army men on the way who were almost surprised to see the squad on wheels at this altitude. It was also the day I met a friend of mine, who was posted at one of the army camps near Tsomgo Lake. We were greeted with warm apple juice and pakodas by the men in uniforms. Needless to say, the army always lives up to the culture of hospitality they are known for. We also had to manoeuvre our bikes through the long traffic jam due to a landslide and move past all the vehicles stuck below Tsomgo Lake. We had descended quite a bit and the Bengali tourists at Tsomgo Lake stopped us multiple times for quick selfies and at times borrowed our cycles to get themselves clicked. Did we mind? Of course. All this while, we were racing with the dark clouds above us and the sole aim was to reach Gangtok before it would rain. Luckily, we skipped any sort of havoc on the final day and when we reached the city, it was bright and sunny. The kids coming back from school, the sound of whizzing vehicles and the fluttering prayer flags in the outskirts of the city, it all felt like coming back to the life we took a break from.