North Sikkim Car Rental

So you are planning to visit North Sikkim, and looking for a vehicle to take you there. It sounds simple, we know, but if you have done some research about this, you already know that hiring a vehicle for your North Sikkim tour is not as simple as you may have thought in the beginning.

If you are in a hurry and do not have time for further research, we recommend you contact an expert tour operator such as ourselves. The company behind this website is NBTT Travel Solution Pvt. Ltd. We are recognized by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India and have been operating in the Sikkim Darjeeling region for more than 20 years.

But if you can spare a few minutes to understand the issues involved, we suggest you read on. This will give you some clarity about why the North Sikkim tour is expensive and not a very straightforward affair.

The Geography

"North Sikkim" is the largest district of Sikkim in terms of Geographical area but with a population density of 10 per square kilometre, it is also the most sparsely populated region in Sikkim. In terms of area, this district is more than half of the entire Sikkim. It is also the least populated area of Sikkim, and arguably the population density here is one of the lowest in the country. In 2021 the name of the district was changed from "North Sikkim" to Mangan, which is the largest town in the area. Though all the districts of Sikkim are in the mountains, North Sikkim covers most of the high-altitude area of Sikkim. Geographically it offers the most beautiful and the most difficult terrain.

The high mountain peaks of North Sikkim include Kanchenjunga, the third highest mountain in the world, which is situated on the Sikkim – Nepal border. Lachen and Lachung are two towns on the east of Kanchenjunga. Lachen is the base for the Gurudongmar tour whereas Lachung is the base for the Yumthang Valley tour. This area is beyond the high mountains of the Himalayas and on the Tibetan side. The extremely difficult terrain brings challenges in organizing tours to this area.

The terrain is unstable here, in 2023 A major glacial lake burst in North Sikkim. Due to this incident, there was major damage to the infrastructure and for most of 2024, the Western part of Mangan district including Lachen and Gurudongmar Lake remained out of bounds for tourists.

When to visit

North Sikkim can be visited any time of year subject to suitable weather conditions and when the road is open for tourists. During monsoon months, due to very high downpours, landslides are common. North Sikkim may remain cut off for several days and even months in such circumstances. The monsoon season here starts in the middle of June and lasts until the end of September. However, a landslide is more common between the mid-July and the end of August. This period often may not be best suited for tourist movement to North Sikkim.

The winter months may also cause problems due to excessive snowfall and cold. This is less common than a landslide. Snowfall-related issues including road closure normally may arise during January or February.

Permits for Indian Tourists

Indian Tourists need a permit to visit North Sikkim. These permits are arranged by us (The transporter) subject to your submission of necessary documents. The permits are made from Gangtok, so there is little flexibility in terms of deciding on the spot about your next-day itinerary. The tour program must be planned in advance and permits acquired accordingly.

Permits for Foreign Nationals

Foreign nationals visiting North Sikkim have some additional restrictions. Foreign nationals must be traveling in a minimum group of 2 or more and they must be accompanied by a guide during their North Sikkim tour. Foreign nationals are not allowed to travel to Gurudongmar Lake. There is a special permit needed for the North Sikkim visit by the foreign nationals which will be arranged by us on submission of necessary documents.

The Standard itineraries for your North Sikkim tour

Normally North Sikkim tours are arranged full board basis. This tour tariffs include your transport, accommodation and all meals. However, it is now possible for you to hire a vehicle from us and book the hotel directly. The tariff of the vehicle will depend on the season. During the lean season, the tariff is relatively low and during peak season the tariff may be much higher. During the peak season of May and June, you may have a huge shortage of vehicles for North Sikkim and if you are booking at the last moment, you may not have assured service even if you pay an exorbitant price. During this very high season, we and many other established transporters stop taking last-moment bookings as services are very difficult to guarantee at these times.

The North Sikkim tours are mainly of the following types. All these tours originate and end in Gangtok

Itinerary 1 - one-night Lachung tour

Start from Gangtok, and overnight at Lachung. Early morning visit to Yumthang Valley, back to Lachung. Return to Gangtok. Reach Gangtok in the evening.

This short-duration tour is not recommended as tourists get very little time to enjoy the place and have to travel 14 to 18 hours in rough terrain during these two days.

Itinerary 2 - Two-night Lachung tour

Start from Gangtok and go to Lachung. Overnight at Lachung. On Day 2 visit Yumthang Valley and other attractions, return to Lachung stay overnight at Lachung and return to Gangtok on the third day.

This is a much better tour plan with enough time to relax and enjoy the beauty of North Sikkim.

Itinerary 3 - One-night Lachen, One-night Lachung

Start from Gangtok and go to Lachen, overnight at Lachen. On the second day early morning visit Gurudongmar Lake, return to Lachen, pack up and drive onwards to Lachung for an overnight stay. On the third day visit Yumthang Valley and return to Lachung and then return to Gangtok.

This itinerary is also hectic but can be managed by most people unless there are very young, old, sick or unfit people in the group.

Itinerary 4 - One-night Lachen, Two-nights Lachung

Start from Gangtok and go to Lachen, overnight at Lachen. On the second day, early morning visit Gurudongmar Lake, return to Lachen, pack up and drive onwards to Lachung for an overnight stay. On the third day visit Yumthang Valley and return to Lachung and stay overnight at Lachung. On the fourth day return to Gangtok.

Type of vehicle used

Small vehicles like hatchbacks and sedans are not recommended in the North Sikkim tour. We offer two types of vehicles for this tour. One is the basic MUV such as Sumo / Bolero etc. The other is luxury SUVs such as Innova, Xylo, Scorpio, etc. Air-conditioned vehicles do not operate the AC as it puts extra pressure on the vehicle on steep terrain.

The tariff for the North Sikkim tour

Although we try to keep the above tariff up to date, sometimes the tariff might become out of date. We recommend you talk to our transport team at 9733052020 or 9733068080.

Points to Note

• All rates are in Indian rupee and may be changed without advanced notice.
• A Sumo can carry a maximum of 8 passengers. An Innova can carry a maximum of 7 passengers. In case you have children in the group, they will also be counted as a passengers.
• The tariff mentioned includes vehicle charge, fuel charge, permit charge, and driver's overnight charge.
• The tariff does not include tourists' accommodation, food, etc.
• GST is charged extra over and above the rates mentioned.
• The tariff is applicable to Indian tourists. Foreign nationals can ask for a special quote from us.
• The Tariff is subject to vehicle availability and confirmation

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