Nathula Pass Gangtok | Temperature Permit
Nathula is an important mountain pass in Sikkim which connects India & China. It is one of the highest mountain passes at an altitude of over 14,000 ft or 4,300 meter. Nathula Pass is 56 km away from Gangtok, the capital of Sikkim. The road runs on steep Himalayan Mountain & reaches 14,000ft from 5,500ft. Due to the high altitude the temperature remains low throughout the year. Temperature ranges from -20oC to 18oC in various months of the year. The pass connects Sikkim in India with Chumbi Valley in China. The trade route was used to transfer silk, gold & many other important materials. Nathula Pass is a major tourist attraction for the tourist visiting Sikkim. You can see a gate at the border with Indian & Chinese soldiers deployed at each side.
Nathula Pass in Gangtok | Permit
Driving from Gangtok to Nathula Pass will be charming experience for any tourist. On the way you can visit Tsomgo Lake. It is an oval shape mountain lake at an altitude of 12,000ft. The lake created by glacial eater & a prime attraction in Sikkim. Another 5 km drive will take you to Baba Mandir. On a clear day you might Mt. Chomolhari (Bhutan) from Nathula Pass. You can also find the highest Automated Teller Machine (ATM) of the world. There is also an Indian Army exhibition centre.
Nathula Pass permit & regulations
Only Indian tourists are allowed to visit Nathula Pass. Foreigners, NRI or OCI card holders are not allowed. They can visit up to Tsomgo Lake accompanied by a local guide.
To Visit the pass Indian tourists need to produce photo copy Voter Id/ Passport along passport size photographs. Limited no of permits are available for Nathu La & issued one day before the tour. You need to submit your documents well in advance.
Visiting days – Nathu La is open 5 days a week i.e. from Wednesday to Sunday. It remains closed Monday & Tuesday.
Best time to visit Nathula Pass in Gangtok
Just after the monsoon October & November will be the best time to visit Nathula Pass. You can have a clear view of the pass & surrounding hills. Nathu La remains covered with snow during winter. The temperature may reduce to as low as -20oC. This will be a good to see snow. But there will be chance road block due to heavy snowfall. May & June is the summer season. It is also a good time to visit. But there will be a chance of occasional rain & road blocks. Monsoon is not at all a good time. Sikkim gets a huge amount of rainfall during monsoon. Landslides are very common during this period.
Nathula Weather & Temperature
Winter – December January & February are the coolest months. Temperature ranges from -20oC to 0oC. The pass remains with snow during this period.
Spring – In March & April temperature ranges from -10oC to 10oC. This is the time for various flowers like orchid & rhododendron.
Summer – Summer is not at all hot in Nathula. In May & June temperature ranges from -2oC to 15oC. There will be chance of occasional rainfall.
Monsoon – July August & September are the monsoon season. The area gets maximum amount of rainfall during this period. There will be an increasing chance of landslide & road blocks during this period.
Autumn – October & November are considered to be the best time to visit Nathula Pass. Just after the moon it provides a clear view of the pass & surrounding hills.
How to reach
you can reach Nathula Pass by road from Gangtok. It is just 56km & 3 hours drive from Gangtok. Gangtok can be reached by Bagdogra (IXB) airport, 125 km away & by NJP railway station, 120km away.
