The lure of snow-clad peaks and glacial lakes has enticed many a tourist/traveller to the foothills of Sikkim. With a brief halt in Gangtok, local jeeps take thousands of tourists to see Tsomgo Lake, Gurudongmar Lake, and Nathula Pass every year.
Though having moved to Sikkim 2 years ago, the 2-hour trip to see the magnificent oval-shaped Tsomgo Lake, glistening a brilliant blue in summers and frosty white in winters, has so far evaded me.
It's nearing the end of January now, and the weather in Gangtok keeps flipping between warm sunny days to dull frigid ones—an indication that it's snowing higher up. The thought of snowball fights, catching snowflakes on my tongue (if it's snowing), making snow angels, and all the things that look so cool in movies and Instagram posts finally got me driving to Tsomgo Lake on a Sunday with a few friends.
One of us had to call the tourist office and arrange for permits a day before. We wanted to follow the typical tourist route of covering Tsomgo Lake, Baba Mandir, and Nathula Pass, but due to heavy snowfall, the routes were closed for tourists; this is common during the winter, and therefore, permits are only issued a day in advance.
Sunday opened to beautiful sunny skies and the promise of clear views of the snow-clad peaks. The road to Tsomgo Lake was mostly smooth but rough in places prone to yearly landslides. As we wound our way up to Tsomgo, we had a beautiful view of the mountains and small villages clinging to the hillsides. Most of the time, I felt like jumping out of the car and just taking in the view in slow motion. Signposts with thoughtful quotes on life and safely whizzed by us on the road, making us contemplative for a second or two. The road also takes you through a few army transit camps. Clear weather is especially helpful if you want to take pictures on the way. There were a lot of things we wanted to capture on our way back, but the weather turned and grey clouds shrouded the landscape.
Small hamlets on the hillside
9:00
We leave Gangtok in a hired vehicle; some of us bursting with anticipation of seeing snow for the first time, while others are in for the cheap thrill.
9:15
Within 15 minutes, we reach the permit check post at 3rd Mile. This is near the Tourist Facilitation Center. There’s a helpful information board on “precaution and protection in high altitude areas” near the check post. Some of the instructions are quite bewildering— “Report to the medical examination cell if you have the following: chest pain, vomiting, burning sensation in hand…,” some sound like your mom when you leave for the hostel— “eat fruit and vegetables to protect yourself from constipation,” and some baffling—don’t go to excessive wind without protective means.
3rd mile check post where we have to show the permit
As we drive on, the mountains slowly change—from green to brown to streaks of white. I also notice clumps of snow on the roadside, sheets of ice on the rooftops, and then a frozen waterfall. It’s a dreamy transition and also a wakening one.
Snow-ridden roads on the way to Tsomgo Lake
10:00
After a 45-min drive from the checkpost, we make a stop at 15th Mile for breakfast. There are a few café’s here, and we go into the first one we spot—Himalayan Cafeteria, where we have Wai Wai noodles, bread omelette, and momos. The shop rents out gumboots at Rs. 100, which can be returned on the way back, and sells coats, wooly caps, gloves, and socks. It is also wise to make a stopover here to acclimatize. There’s an acclimatization center here for pilgrims undertaking the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra.
Stop for breakfast
10:45
We leave 15th Mile and drive on to Tsomgo. It’s only 15 minutes away from this point. There’s more snow on the mountains, the roadsides, and the rooftops, and I’m absolutely mesmerized by it. As we drive higher up, I can spot the winding road we have left behind, drawing a beautiful curved feature in the landscape. I also spot my first yak on this journey.
Snow-covered tin rooftops
11:00
We finally reach Tsomgo Lake at about 11:00. We are forced to get down from the vehicle as there’s a long line of vehicles waiting to get a parking spot. It’s tourist season, and the place is resounding with chatty tourists mostly coming from Kolkata.
As I approach the lake, I’m stunned into pure submission to the beauty lying before me. The lake is blanketed in a thick sheet of snow, with the surrounding brown and white mountains providing a wonderful contrast and backdrop. Across from where I’m standing near the iron railing, I can spot the red building from where we can buy tickets for the ropeway. I had earlier planned to go on a yak ride around the lake but their quiet absence leaves me no choice but give the ropeway a try.
The frozen Tsomgo Lake
A short bridge takes you across to the ticket counter. We pay Rs 325 each for a ticket and await our turn among the long line of tourists. A board at a distance announces this passenger ropeway to be the highest altitude ropeway in Asia at 14,500 feet. Finally, six of us are shuffled into a cabin and then sent off. I was expecting it to be like any other ropeway I’ve been on but was I wrong. The initial ascent can be best described as riding a roller coaster. I’m expecting to be hurled down a rail track any moment as the cabin veers a bit and goes up in a slow semi-jerk motion. I have to constantly remind myself that I’m on a ropeway and so the initial ascent is filled with amused screams from all of us. Once we reach the top, we’re told we have only 10 minutes to look around before we head back down.
Riding Asia's highest ropeway
The view is great from up there, though you can’t really wander much in any direction. The snow is slippery, making walking difficult, so we decide to perch ourselves on one of the rocks and quietly gaze at the snow-clad peaks.
Once we’ve made our way down again, we have a quick tea at the cafeteria below and then go berserk throwing snowballs at each other, sliding down the slopes, and capturing beautiful scenes with our cameras.
Tourists having fun with snowball fights
There’s a small temple called Chhangu Baba Mandir, right near the lake; a consolation for those who couldn’t climb further up to the actual one.
Changu Baba Mandir
14:30
After spending more than 3 hours here, which goes in a flash, it’s time to leave. All the other vehicles have long since gone. Now devoid of human interference, there’s a quietness that envelopes the lake and its surroundings. It’s a surreal moment. The sun now hides behind a mist of clouds, and we feel tiny snowflakes on our bare hands; our dark jackets dotted white. We leave Tsomgo Lake behind in a sweep of stillness and awe.
Taxi waiting to take passengers back to Gangtok
14:45
We stop again at 15th mile and head back to the same cafeteria for lunch. We are grateful for the warm bowl of noodles in our hands as the sky darkens and cold wind creeps through our jacket sleeves and caps. I make a quick purchase of some wooly socks I think is absolutely relevant to add to my 50+ pair of socks drawer. Maybe, unconsciously, I just wanted to take some part of the place with me; that I’d been and felt a connection.
15:30
When we step out of the cafeteria, the road is covered with tiny hailstones. The drive down goes by in silence. Everything is obscured in the mist, and the sky threatens a downpour. I rest my head against the window, quietly listening to whatever’s playing on the stereo.
Serene valley view
16:00
We reach the check post pretty quickly, and in another 15 minutes, we’re back in Gangtok. Once home, I snuggle inside my blanket and scroll through my photo gallery, edit a few pictures for Instagram, and tick off the entry in my wish list. I’ve finally seen snow this year.
I along with my friends take one last picture before leaving
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