The high road from Kupup to Nathang and Zuluk

Leaving Kupup towards Zuluk, the road crosses bare high ground at around 4,000 m. On the way you pass the old Baba Mandir at the site of Harbhajan Singh's bunker, and the open bowl of Nathang Valley, where yak herders graze their animals around a small village. The views are long, the air thin, and Army convoys share the road. Pull over when the driver signals; the trucks have right of way on the narrow bends.

Below Nathang the road reaches the Thambi viewpoint and then begins its famous descent to Zuluk, often counted as more than 30 hairpin bends in a short distance. On a clear morning, Kangchenjunga shows on the western skyline from this stretch. By early afternoon cloud usually rises from the valleys. That is why we cross the top in the morning and reach Zuluk by lunch, with the afternoon free to rest and adjust.

This is a Silk Route drive, for Indian nationals only, on a permit arranged through a Gangtok agent or at Rongli. Use an experienced local driver in a locally registered car. Carry water, snacks and warm layers, and do not plan to stop overnight above Zuluk. In winter, snow can close the road between Kupup and Nathang for days, and drivers will not take risks with it. Check current status before you travel.