Photo: shankar s. · CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

Nathu LaHeight above mean sea level 4,310 m

pass · Gangtok and East Sikkim

The India–China border pass at 4,310 m, open to Indians Wed–Sun

Best Apr – May · Oct – Nov0 (day trip) nights

Nathu La is a 4,310 m pass on the India–China border, about 56 km and 3 hours from Gangtok via Tsomgo Lake. Only Indian nationals may visit, on a Protected Area Permit through a registered agent, usually Wednesday to Sunday. It was the old Gangtok–Lhasa trade route and saw clashes in 1967. Check current status before you travel.

Nathu La is where the old mule road from Gangtok crossed into Tibet, and where Indian and Chinese soldiers now stand closer to each other than almost anywhere else on the border. The pass sits at 4,310 m on the Dongkya Range, about 18 km by road beyond Tsomgo Lake. On a clear morning you look down into the Chumbi Valley of Tibet. On most afternoons you look into cloud and feel the wind, which rarely stops up here.

A visit is short and controlled. Cars park below the pass, and the Army guides visitors up a flight of steps to a viewing area by the fence. You will be told where you can and cannot take photographs, and how long you may stay. Most groups spend 20 to 40 minutes at the top. That is the right length, because at this height the steps alone leave many people short of breath and a little dizzy.

Nathu La is for Indian nationals only. Foreign nationals, including OCI card holders, are not issued permits. The pass is generally open to tourists Wednesday to Sunday and shut on Monday and Tuesday, and it closes at short notice after heavy snow. We pair it with Tsomgo Lake and Baba Mandir on one long day from Gangtok, and we always keep a spare day in the plan in case the pass is shut on the morning you go. Check current status before you travel.

Don't miss

Highlights of Nathu La

The border viewing area at 4,310 m

Army staff lead visitors up steps to a viewing area beside the fence, where the road into Tibet's Chumbi Valley drops away. Chinese posts are in plain view. Follow every instruction, keep the visit short, and photograph only where you are told you may.

The old road over the Dongkya Range

The road from Tsomgo climbs another 550 m in about 18 km, past Army camps and bare slopes where yaks graze. In clear weather you see ridge after ridge of the Dongkya Range. In winter the snow banks along the road can be taller than the car.

Sherathang trade mart

Just below the pass is Sherathang, the Indian trade mart agreed with China in 2003 and opened in 2006. Its sheds and customs post mark the revived trade route. Trade has been halted since 2020, so treat it as a sight from the road. Check current status before you travel.

The 1967 war memorial

The war memorial at Sherathang honours Indian soldiers killed in the Nathu La and Cho La clashes of September and October 1967. It is a quiet, well-kept place. If your driver stops, take two minutes to read the names and the account of the fighting.

Tsomgo and Baba Mandir on the same day

The usual day plan is Gangtok to Tsomgo Lake, up to Nathu La, then Baba Mandir on the way down. It takes 8 to 9 hours, back by late afternoon. A reserved car for all three costs ₹6,500–9,000, indicative 2026.

Told in the hills

A trade road, a war line and a reopening

In 1873 J. W. Edgar, the Deputy Commissioner of Darjeeling, surveyed the passes into Tibet and found Tibetan traders using Nathu La. Francis Younghusband's expedition crossed it in 1903–04. In the 1950s it carried much of the trade between India and Tibet: before 1962, mule trains of about 200 animals, each loaded with about 80 kg, took 20 to 25 days from Gangtok to Lhasa. Cloth, grain, soap and even dismantled cars went north. Wool, silk, musk and medicinal herbs came south.

The 1962 war closed the pass. In September 1967 Indian and Chinese troops fought at Nathu La, and again at nearby Cho La that October, with deaths on both sides. The pass stayed shut for more than four decades. On 6 July 2006 it reopened for border trade, with a trade mart at Sherathang on the Indian side, and in 2015 it opened as a route for the Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage. Trade was halted again in 2020, and in August 2025 India and China agreed to reopen it; check current status before you travel.

Pinned to the board

Did you know

The Gangtok–Nathu La road was made motorable between 1954 and 1958 and formally opened by Jawaharlal Nehru on 17 September 1958; at the time it ended at Sherathang.

The 14th Dalai Lama travelled to India over Nathu La in the autumn of 1956 for the 2,500th birth anniversary of the Buddha.

Nathu La is one of the official Border Personnel Meeting points where Indian and Chinese Army officers meet on set occasions.

Things to do

Four ways to spend a day in Nathu La

30–45 minutes at the pass A short visit to the border at 4,310 m Nathu La · Included in the Nathu La car; permit ≈ …

15–30 minutes Sherathang war memorial and the 1967 clashes Nathu La · Free

10–20 minutes Sherathang trade mart and the wool road Nathu La · Free

8–9 hours The Tsomgo, Nathu La and Baba Mandir day Nathu La · ₹6,500–9,000 per car, indicative 2026

Getting there

How to reach Nathu La

Shared jeepSome Gangtok agents sell shared seats on the Tsomgo–Baba Mandir–Nathu La day, usually ₹1,000–1,800 a person including permit handling, indicative 2026. Seats fill fastest Friday to Sunday. Submit photos and ID a day or two ahead. Check current status before you travel.

Reserved carA Gangtok-registered Bolero, Scorpio or Xylo for Tsomgo, Nathu La and Baba Mandir costs ₹6,500–9,000 per vehicle for up to five people, indicative 2026. The agent files the permit with your documents. Cars from outside Sikkim are not allowed. Check current status before you travel.

Rail / AirFly to Bagdogra (IXB) or take a train to New Jalpaiguri (NJP), then drive about 125 km to Gangtok. Pakyong Airport has no scheduled flights as of 2026. Sleep at least one night in Gangtok before going to Nathu La to give your body time to adjust.

Gangtok to Nathu La

Costs in Nathu Laindicative, 2026

Reserved car, Tsomgo + Nathu La + Baba Mandir₹6,500–9,000 per vehicle
Shared seat, Nathu La day tour₹1,000–1,800 a person
Protected Area Permit via agent≈ ₹200 a person
Coat, gloves and boots hire₹100–300
Tea and snacks on the way₹50–150

Fares and fees change with fuel prices, season and local union rates. Check current rates before you travel.

Money-saving tip

Book the Nathu La car for a Wednesday or Thursday rather than a weekend: permits are easier to get, shared seats are more often available, and the queue at the steps is shorter.

Where to stay

Sleeping in Nathu La

There is nowhere for tourists to stay at Nathu La; it is a day visit, and you sleep in Gangtok, 56 km below. We suggest two nights in Gangtok before the trip, so you are not climbing to 4,310 m straight off the plains. On a budget, Hotel Sonam Delek and Hotel Tibet are close to MG Marg for the early pick-up. Netuk House on Tibet Road is a comfortable mid-range heritage stay. Elgin Nor-Khill and Taj Guras Kutir suit a higher budget. Ask your hotel to file the permit; most work with registered agents every day.

On the map

Drawn by Darjeeling Tour Plan from Natural Earth outlines (public domain). Borders as depicted by India. Not for navigation.

Next stations

Near Nathu La

All of Gangtok

Tsomgo Lake3,753 m

A sacred glacial lake at 3,753 m, 40 km above Gangtok

Lake · best Apr – May · Oct – Nov · 0 (day trip) nights

Baba Harbhajan Singh Mandir4,000 m

The Army shrine to a soldier who died near Nathu La in 1968

Viewpoint · best Apr – May · Oct – Nov · 0 (day trip) nights

Kupup3,980 m

Elephant Lake, the Yak Golf Course and the old road to Jelep La

Valley · best Apr – May · Oct – Nov · 0 (stop on the Silk Route) nights

Gangtok1,650 m

Sikkim's hilltop capital, walkable, clean and good value

City · best Mar – May · Oct – Nov · 3–4 nights

Questions people ask

Nathu La: questions answered

Can foreigners visit Nathu La

No. Nathu La is open only to Indian nationals. Foreign nationals, including OCI card holders, are not issued permits for the pass, and they are generally not allowed beyond Tsomgo Lake on this road. Foreigners can still visit Tsomgo on a day permit arranged by a registered agent, usually in a group of two or more. Check current status before you travel.

Which days is Nathu La open for tourists

Nathu La is generally open to tourists from Wednesday to Sunday and closed on Monday and Tuesday. It also shuts at short notice after heavy snow, during Army activity or on special occasions. Permits are filed a day or more in advance, so plan your Gangtok days with that in mind. Check current status before you travel.

How do I get a Nathu La permit

Through a registered Gangtok travel agent, or your hotel, which works with one. Give them two passport-size photos and a copy of an Indian photo ID per person, a day or two ahead. The Protected Area Permit costs about ₹200 a person through an agent and is issued with the vehicle permit. Carry the original ID. Check current status before you travel.

Are children allowed at Nathu La

Operators usually will not take children under 5 to Nathu La, and many hotels and agents will say so when you book. Even for older children, 4,310 m is a big height to reach in three hours. Keep them warm, watch for headache, vomiting or drowsiness, and go down at once if they appear. Tsomgo alone is a gentler day for young families.

How high is Nathu La and will I get altitude sickness

Nathu La is at 4,310 m, more than 2,600 m above Gangtok. Headache, breathlessness and tiredness are common, and a few people get proper acute mountain sickness. Spend a night or two in Gangtok first, climb the steps slowly, stay 30–40 minutes and descend if you feel worse. People with heart or lung conditions, or who are pregnant, should consult a doctor.

How much does a Nathu La trip cost from Gangtok

A reserved car for Tsomgo, Nathu La and Baba Mandir costs about ₹6,500–9,000 per vehicle for up to five people. Shared seats run about ₹1,000–1,800 a person. Add the permit at about ₹200 a person, and ₹100–300 for coat and boot hire in winter. All figures are indicative, 2026.

What is the best time to visit Nathu La

April–May and October–November are the most reliable. Spring brings melting snow and flowers lower down, and autumn has the clearest skies. December to March means deep snow and frequent closures, though it is spectacular when open. June to September is wet and cloudy, with landslide risk on the roads to Gangtok. Check current status before you travel.

Is Nathu La closed in winter

Not for the whole winter, but often. Between December and March the road beyond Tsomgo is frequently closed for a day or more after heavy snow, until it is cleared. Many winter visitors reach only Tsomgo or Baba Mandir. If seeing the pass matters, plan two or three spare days in Gangtok. Check current status before you travel.

Can I see the Kailash Mansarovar route at Nathu La

The pass you stand at is the route. Since 2015 one of the official Kailash Mansarovar Yatra routes has crossed Nathu La into Tibet, for pilgrims selected through the Government of India's process. Tourists cannot cross; they stay on the Indian side. The yatra has been suspended in some years, so check current status before you travel.