Climb to
Things to do in Tsomgo Lake (Changu Lake)
The sacred glacial lake at 12,400ft.
The list
The short version: A holy glacial lake on the old Tibet road: yaks, prayer flags and ice most of the year.
01
Frozen season
Jan-Feb turns the lake into a white plain.
02
Shoreline yaks
The classic decorated-yak photos.
Know before you go
- Altitude
- About 12,400ft
- Permit
- Protected area, via registered agency
- Foreigners
- Permitted under current PAP rules
- From Gangtok
- About 40km
Pair it with Baba Mandir, and Nathula if you are eligible.
Best time: March-May and October-December; winter for ice, if roads allow.
Practicals
Permits & season for Sikkim
No ILP, but protected areas (Nathula, North Sikkim beyond Mangan) need permits arranged through registered agencies ahead of travel.
March to May for rhododendrons and clear skies, October to December for the sharpest views; the monsoon closes high routes.
Tsomgo Lake (Changu Lake) month by month
Places to visit near Tsomgo Lake (Changu Lake)
All of Tsomgo Lake (Changu Lake), none of the guesswork
Fixed departures you can join solo, or a private plan around your dates. Prices on the page, real people on WhatsApp.
Keep planning
- Sikkim travel guide
- Flying into Pakyong Airport, Sikkim: flights, cabs and onward connections
- Sikkim permits: the complete guide
- How Many Days for Gangtok? 2, 3, 4 and 5 Day Versionsfrom the journal
- Gangtok in October: Kanchenjunga views and festival weatherfrom the journal
- How to Reach Gangtok: Flight, Train and Road, Comparedfrom the journal