Mapping Memories

Climb to

Tsomgo Lake (Changu Lake) in November

The sacred glacial lake at 12,400ft.

Quick answer. Clear and cold. Mountain views are sharpest; passes get snow episodes. For Tsomgo Lake (Changu Lake) specifically, November is a comfortable month with the usual hill-state caveats.

High glacial lake, representative of Tsomgo
November in Tsomgo Lake (Changu Lake)

The essentials

Altitude
About 12,400ft
Permit
Protected area, via registered agency
Foreigners
Permitted under current PAP rules
From Gangtok
About 40km
Month
November, Sikkim
This month
Clear and cold.

Why November here

A holy glacial lake on the old Tibet road: yaks, prayer flags and ice most of the year.

Tsomgo (Changu) is the sacred glacial lake at about 12,400ft on the old trade road to Tibet, held holy by Sikkimese Buddhists. It freezes solid in winter, yaks pose along the shore in season, and it sits inside a protected area: Indians need permits arranged via registered agencies, and foreigners are permitted to visit under current PAP rules.

What to do

Frozen season

Jan-Feb turns the lake into a white plain.

Shoreline yaks

The classic decorated-yak photos.

Elsewhere in Sikkim in November

The wider Sikkim calendar this month: Kagyed Dance (pre-Losar, lunar). Dates shift with harvests and moons; we confirm them when you plan.

Pair it with

Tsomgo Lake (Changu Lake) in November, planned properly

Tell us your dates and group size. Solo travellers can join fixed departures and keep the freedom. A real person replies with a plan and an honest price.

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