Sikkim Stories: Tsomgo Lake & Baba Mandir

We started our day a little early around 9:30 a.m. as the journey to Nathula pass takes around 2 hours of travel round the mountains and in the clouds (literally). The view is breathtaking and you get to pass through the clouds as soon as you take some height. The weather here is super chilly so don’t forget to take your woolens. Carry enough woolens with hand gloves & cap for your baby as the temperature drops pretty quickly. In case you forget them, you can also buy it from the small shops on the way that sell these for a very reasonable price.

On the way to the Nathula Pass you get to visit Baba Mandir &Tsomgo (pronounced as Changu) Lake. The Baba Mandir is built in memory of Major Harbajan Singh who was an Indian Army soldier. It is believed that his spirit protects every soldier in the inhospitable high altitude terrain of the Eastern Himalyas.

Tsomgo Lake located at an elevation of 12,300 ft, remains frozen during the winter season. The lake surface reflects different colors with change of seasons and is a good place for some cliche but memorable photos with the Yaks.

Nathula Pass is a mountain pass in the Himalyas in East Sikkim. It connects Sikkim with China's Tibet region. This pass had been sealed by India after the 1962 Sino-Indian war, but was recently re-opened in 2006 to expand the trade between the two nations. The permit to visit the Nathula Pass has to be taken in advance in Gangtok itself and your tour guide will help you with the same. Also only citizens of India can visit the pass post obtaining this permit. China border is the main attraction from Nathula pass & it is beautiful in December when the roads are also covered in snow (however this does make the drive a bit risky).  

Tip: While travelling with a baby you can skip the Nathula Pass if the weather gets worse & only cover the Baba Mandir& the Tsangu Lake.

.