food · Thangu and Chopta Valley, North Sikkim
Dawn tea and a health check at Thangu
Cars from Lachen usually reach Thangu between 5.30 and 7 am. The tea stalls are warm, steamy and crowded. Order sweet milk tea or black tea, and something plain like noodles, boiled eggs or bread. Heavy, oily food at this height is a bad idea before going up another 1,500 m.
Use this halt as a check. Ask each person: headache, nausea, dizziness, unusual tiredness? Anyone who has vomited, cannot walk straight or is breathless sitting down should not go higher. They can wait at Thangu with someone or, better, go back down to Lachen. The army may also check tourists and advise them.
Use the toilets here; there are none at the lake. Fill water bottles, put on your outer layers and sunglasses, and be back in the car on time. Drivers have a schedule set by the army and need to reach the lake and return before the afternoon wind.
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What is available to eat at Thangu
Small tea houses sell tea, coffee, instant noodles, momos, boiled eggs, bread and biscuits. Prices are higher than in Gangtok because of transport. Food is basic but hot. Eat lightly before going to Gurudongmar and carry dry snacks in case stalls are closed early in the season.
Are there toilets at Thangu
Yes, basic toilets are available near the tea stalls and parking area, usually pay-per-use. They are the last toilets before Gurudongmar Lake, so use them. Carry tissues and hand sanitiser. Facilities can be poor in peak season or after heavy snow.
Can someone wait at Thangu instead of going to the lake
Yes. If someone feels unwell or does not want to go higher, they can usually wait at a tea house in Thangu with a companion while the car goes up and comes back. If symptoms are serious, though, descending to Lachen is safer than waiting at 3,900 m.
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