Gangtok to Lachen
Your options
Ways to make the journey
6–7 h
Shared departures for the Lachen–Lachung loop leave Gangtok daily in season. Lachen is usually the first night, so you see Gurudongmar next morning before driving to Lachung. The package includes permit, seat, hotels, most meals and sightseeing. Ask how many people share each vehicle.
6–7 h
A private car with a registered local driver lets you add a second night in Lachen to acclimatise, stop where you like and manage timings for older travellers. Hotels are extra. Your operator files the permit, usually several days ahead.
3 h to Mangan
Indian travellers can ride a shared jeep from Gangtok to Mangan without a permit, useful if you want a night at Singhik before going north. From Mangan onward you must be in your operator's permit vehicle; arrange the pickup point with them in advance.
Worth a stop
- Kabi Lungchok
- Phodong Monastery
- Mangan
- Toong checkpost
- Chungthang
- Taram Chu bridge
Questions people ask
Good to know
Is the road to Lachen open now
As of early October 2026, yes. Lachen reopened in March 2026 after the Taram Chu bridge was built, closed again from April after road damage, and permits resumed around 10–11 September 2026. Landslides can close it at short notice. Check current status before you travel.
What is the Taram Chu bridge
It is a new bridge of about 400 feet on the Chungthang–Lachen road, replacing the crossing destroyed after the 2023 flood. Its completion in March 2026 allowed tourist permits for Lachen to resume after 887 days. Rules have required single-vehicle crossing and load limits.
How far is Lachen from Gangtok
About 129 km, roughly 6–7 hours by road through Kabi, Phodong, Mangan and Chungthang. Repairs, single-lane bridges and checkposts can add time. Most groups leave Gangtok in the late morning and reach Lachen around dusk.
Can I go to Lachen and Gurudongmar from Gangtok in one day
No. Lachen is 6–7 hours from Gangtok, and Gurudongmar is a further 3 hours and must be visited early in the morning. You need at least one night in Lachen. A same-day round trip is impossible within checkpost rules and dangerous at 5,430 m.