nature · Tsomgo Lake, Gangtok
Early walk around the lake shore
Most visitors stay within 100 m of the car park. That leaves the rest of the shore to anyone willing to walk. A rough path runs along the northern side of the lake, where the Nathu La road skirts the water, and you can follow parts of the bank on foot. The lake is roughly 836 m long, so even a partial loop is short in distance. At this height, short is the right length.
From late May the grass by the water fills with flowers: primulas, irises, and blue and yellow poppies, with rhododendron higher on the slopes. Look on the water for ruddy shelduck, the orange ducks that locals call Brahminy ducks. In October and November the air is often clear and the surface still, which is when the lake looks most like its photographs. In winter the path may be under snow; stay on the road edge.
Walk at half your normal pace and stop when you feel your heart racing. Do not run, climb the slopes for a photo, or carry small children for long. Keep to the path, take your rubbish back to the car, and do not step onto the ice in winter however solid it looks. The lake is up to 15 m deep, and no one patrols it. Back at the car, a hot tea helps more than you would expect.
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Questions people ask
Good to know
Can you walk all the way around Tsomgo Lake
Not easily. There is no maintained loop path, and parts of the far shore are steep or marshy. Most people walk 300–600 m along the road side and back, which takes 30–45 minutes at an easy pace. That is plenty at 3,753 m. In winter, stay on cleared ground and never step onto the ice, even when it looks thick and others are doing it.
When do the flowers bloom at Tsomgo
The flowers start once the snow melts, usually from mid-May. Late May and June bring primulas, irises and blue and yellow poppies near the water, with rhododendron on the slopes and along the road through Kyongnosla. By July the monsoon cloud often hides the hills, so the last week of May and the first half of June are the safest bet.
Is the shore walk safe for older travellers
Yes, if they go slowly. The path is short and mostly level, but the thin air makes even gentle walking tiring. Let seniors rest in the car first, walk for 15–20 minutes, then sit for tea. Anyone with heart or lung conditions should ask their doctor before going to 3,753 m, and turn back at the first sign of dizziness or chest pain.
