Coming up from Tsomgo Lake, the road to Nathu La can have blinding snow on both sides and, in some months, there’s such thick fog that headlights are needed to make way through the phantasmagoria. Located in the Himalayan Mountain range, Nathu La pass was formerly used to connect the state of Sikkim with Tibet.
The mountain pass is known for its beauty and picturesque terrain. Cradled in the lofty Himalayan Range, Nathu La used to belong to the famed Silk Route of ancient period. It also falls on the way of both Hindu and Buddhist pilgrims and is thus an important corridor. The region also has the distinction of having the world’s highest placed ATM machine. Nathu La falls in the state of Sikkim, and is within a short distance of Gangtok. The grand and spectacular peak of Chomolhari in Bhutan can be viewed clearly on a sunny day if you look at the eastern horizon.
Nathu La is a mountain pass in the Himalayas in East Sikkim district. Because of the steep elevation increase around the pass the vegetation graduates from sub-tropical forest at its base to a temperate region, to a wet and dry climate. It connects the Indian state of Sikkim with China’s Tibet Autonomous Region. The pass, at 4,310 m elevation, forms a part of an offshoot of the ancient Silk Road. Nathu means “listening ears” and La means “pass” in Tibetan language.
For major part of the year, the temperature remains quite low and as such the place is flocked by tourists all round the summer season.
