Thangu Valley - History, Timings & Entry Fee

At a distance of 5 km from Chopta Valley and 35 km from Lachen, Thangu Valley is a small valley situated at Thangu village near Lachen in North Sikkim. Situated on the way to Guru Dongmar Lake, it is one of the perfect gateways for nature lovers and among the magnificent places to visit in Lachen.

Placed at an altitude of 13,500 feet, Thangu remains covered with snow for most of the time because of its high altitude. Dotted with wooden houses and army camps, tourists usually choose this place to relax before they proceed to Guru Dongmar Lake, Muguthang or Cho Lhamo Lake. Inhabited by various tribes, Thangu has a large military base as it is located near the border between India and China.

This tiny valley is criss-crossed by a number of streams and rivulets. The most important streams flowing through Thangu are Chopta Chu, Thangu Chu and Lassur Chu. The place is popular for spectacular hiking trails from Thangu to Chopta Valley and Muguthang. These trekking routes attract a lot of adventure seekers both from India and abroad. Tour to Thangu valley requires special permit (Inner Line Permit) for Indians as well as Foreigners. The permit is given to Tourists through an authorized tour operator only.

The ideal time to travel to this place would be between the months of May and June, during which the entire valley gets decorated with vibrant alpine flowers. But, the valley is covered with heavy snow in the cold months between October and March. An annual Yak race is organized at Thangu every year in summer and is quite popular with tourists.