Photo: Tarunsamanta · CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

Thangu and Chopta ValleyHeight above mean sea level 3,900 m

valley · North Sikkim

The tea-and-permit halt on the road to Gurudongmar

Best May · Oct – Nov0–1 nights

Thangu is a small settlement and army post at about 3,900 m, roughly 30 km north of Lachen, where Gurudongmar traffic stops for tea and permit checks. Nearby Chopta Valley is a high meadow of streams and alpine flowers. It is also as far as foreign nationals can usually go. Check current status before you travel.

Thangu sits in a broad valley at about 3,900 m, where the forest gives way to scrub, meadows and moraines. Official figures vary from about 3,800 m to 4,200 m depending on where you measure; plan for roughly 3,900 m. There is a cluster of lodges, tea houses and shops, an army establishment and, in summer, herders' camps. Wikipedia puts the population at around a thousand, many of them seasonal.

Most people see Thangu at about 6 am, half-asleep in a car from Lachen. It is the compulsory halt on the way to Gurudongmar: the army checks permits and, often, asks how everyone is feeling. Tea stalls sell hot drinks, noodles, momos and eggs. It is the last place with food and toilets before the lake, so use it well, and use the 20–30 minutes to walk slowly and see who in your group is struggling.

Thangu also matters in its own right. The Chopta Valley, close by, is a high meadow of streams and alpine flowers in summer and a white plain in winter. For foreign nationals, who are not allowed to Gurudongmar, the Lachen valley up to Thangu is usually the end of the permitted road, which makes it a destination rather than a stop.

Don't miss

Highlights of Thangu and Chopta Valley

Dawn tea stop

At around 6 am the tea stalls in Thangu are full of travellers in down jackets warming their hands. Have tea, a light snack and water, use the toilet and walk slowly around the parking area to judge how you feel.

Chopta Valley

A short drive from Thangu, Chopta is a high meadow with streams and, in summer, alpine flowers. In winter it is often frozen and white. Whether you can visit depends on your permit and the army; ask your operator.

Alpine flowers in summer

From late May to August the meadows around Thangu flower with primulas and other high-altitude plants. June is the most reliable month, but monsoon landslides below Lachen often block access.

The end of the road for foreigners

Foreign visitors cannot go to Gurudongmar, so Thangu and the Chopta valley are their high point. The views of the surrounding ridges are worth the drive in their own right.

Medical check

Army medical staff at Thangu sometimes check tourists for altitude sickness. Be honest about symptoms. If they advise you not to continue, accept it.

Told in the hills

The high pastures above the tree line

Above Lachen the land belongs as much to herds as to people. Each summer, Lachenpa and Dokpa families move yak and sheep up to grazing grounds around Thangu and the plateau beyond, and bring them down as snow returns. The Lachen Dzumsa, the village council, organises these seasonal movements as part of its traditional duties.

Wikipedia notes that even in June and July daytime temperatures around Thangu range only from about 4 to 12 °C. The short summer brings a burst of alpine flowers to the meadows, primulas, poppies and other high-altitude plants, which botanists have studied since Joseph Hooker passed through the upper Lachen valley in 1849 on his way to the Kongra Lama pass.

Because the border with Tibet is so close, the area is also a military zone, which is why Thangu has an army presence, medical post and checkpost. The two worlds, herding and soldiering, sit side by side. Respect both: give herds right of way on the road, and never photograph army installations.

Pinned to the board

Did you know

Thangu lies roughly 30 km north of Lachen and is the last stop with food before Gurudongmar Lake.

The Mangan district administration describes Thangu as the base for treks to Gurudongmar and to Cho Lhamu, the source of the Teesta.

Foreign nationals with a Restricted Area Permit can usually travel up the Lachen valley as far as Thangu, but not beyond.

Things to do

Four ways to spend a day in Thangu and Chopta Valley

30 minutes Dawn tea and a health check at Thangu Thangu and Chopta Valley · ₹80–250 per person, indicative, 2026

1–2 hours Chopta Valley's high meadows Thangu and Chopta Valley · Included if covered by permit; ask oper…

1 hour Alpine flowers around Thangu Thangu and Chopta Valley · Free

Half day from Lachen Thangu as a high point for foreign visitors Thangu and Chopta Valley · Included in RAP packages; ask operator

Getting there

How to reach Thangu and Chopta Valley

Group packageThangu is part of every Lachen–Lachung group package, as the stop on the Gurudongmar morning. Packages cost about ₹6,000–9,000 per person for 2N/3D from Gangtok, indicative, 2026, including permit, seat, hotel and meals.

Reserved carA private car from Gangtok for the Lachen–Lachung loop costs about ₹16,000–22,000 per car, indicative, 2026. With a private car you can spend longer at Thangu and Chopta if your permit allows, or stop there if someone feels unwell.

Rail / AirFly to Bagdogra (IXB) or take a train to NJP, go to Gangtok, then to Lachen the next day. Thangu is about 1–1.5 hours above Lachen. There is no public transport for tourists beyond Lachen.

Lachen to Thangu and Chopta Valley

Costs in Thangu and Chopta Valleyindicative, 2026

Tea at Thangu stalls₹30–60 a cup, indicative, 2026
Noodles, momos or eggs₹80–200 per plate, indicative, 2026
Group package Lachen + Lachung, 2N/3D₹6,000–9,000 per person, indicative, 2026
Gloves or woollen cap at a stall₹150–400, indicative, 2026

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

Money-saving tip

Buy gloves, caps and woollen socks in Gangtok's Lal Bazaar before the trip; the stalls at Thangu charge double for the same things.

Where to stay

Sleeping in Thangu and Chopta Valley

Most travellers sleep in Lachen, about 30 km below, and pass through Thangu at dawn. Lachen's family hotels serve group packages, and The Apple Orchard Resort offers a little more comfort. Basic lodges in Thangu are sometimes used by operators, especially for foreign groups, but sleeping at about 3,900 m is cold and harder on the body; we only recommend it for well-acclimatised travellers.

comfort

The Apple Orchard Resort Resort · Lachen ₹4,000–7,500 per room night, indicative

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 Thangu and Chopta Valley

All of North Sikkim

Gurudongmar Lake5,430 m

A sacred lake at 5,430 m, reached at dawn from Lachen

Lake · best Apr – May · Oct – Nov · Day trip nights

Lachen2,750 m

The night stop before Gurudongmar, reopened in 2026

Village · best Apr – May · Oct – Nov · 1–2 nights

Chungthang1,790 m

Where two rivers become the Teesta, and the flood struck

River town · best Mar – May · Oct – Nov · Transit nights

Questions people ask

Thangu and Chopta Valley: questions answered

What is the altitude of Thangu

Thangu is at roughly 3,900 m (about 12,800 ft), though sources range from about 3,800 m to 4,200 m depending on the point measured. That is more than 1,100 m above Lachen. Most people feel breathless walking here; a few get headaches. Take it slowly.

How far is Thangu from Lachen

About 30 km, roughly 1–1.5 hours by road. On the Gurudongmar morning, cars leave Lachen at 4–5 am and reach Thangu around 6 am for tea and permit checks, then continue about 35 km to the lake.

Can I stay overnight in Thangu

There are basic lodges in Thangu, and some operators use them when permitted. We do not usually recommend it: sleeping at about 3,900 m is cold and raises the risk of altitude sickness. Sleeping in Lachen and passing through Thangu at dawn is easier for most travellers.

Is Thangu open for tourists now

As of early October 2026, permits for the Lachen valley, including Thangu and Gurudongmar, resumed around 10–11 September 2026 after road repairs. Access depends on landslides below Lachen and snow above it. Check current status before you travel.

How cold is Thangu

Very cold at dawn. Even in summer, daytime temperatures are only about 4–12 °C. In October–November expect around −5 °C at 6 am, and much lower in winter with wind. Wear thermals, a fleece, down jacket, windproof layer, cap and gloves for the dawn stop.

Is there an army checkpost at Thangu

Yes. Thangu has an army presence and checkpost where permits are checked on the way to Gurudongmar. Army medical staff may also check tourists. Carry your permit and ID copies, follow instructions and never photograph military installations, vehicles or personnel.

What is Chopta Valley in North Sikkim

A high meadow valley near Thangu, at roughly 4,000 m, with streams, moraines and alpine flowers in summer, frozen in winter. It is visited from Thangu when the permit and army allow. It is a different place from Chopta in Uttarakhand.

Should I stop at Thangu if I feel unwell

Yes. Thangu is the best place to decide. If anyone has a severe headache, vomiting, confusion, loss of balance or breathlessness at rest, they should not go higher. Ideally they should go back down to Lachen. Mild symptoms that ease with rest can be watched carefully.

Is there mobile signal in Thangu

Patchy at best. Some networks, often BSNL, have worked intermittently near Thangu, but do not rely on it. Above Thangu there is usually no signal. Carry cash, tell someone in Lachen your plans and keep your operator's number written down.