TSOMGO LAKE
AT
GANGTOK
Tsomgo Lake, also known as Changu Lake is a glacial lake in
Sikkim and located at an altitude of 12,310 feet. The name Tsomgo means 'Source
of water'. It's located 35kms from Gangtok town and on the steep route known as
Jawaharlal Nehru Road which leads all the way to Nathula Pass.
This is one of the few
and awesome high altitude lakes in India. The lake becomes doubly attractive
with the reflections of the surrounding hills on the water.
From Gangtok which is
at 5410 ft, the altitude rises to about 10,000 ft in just 15kms. You can
imagine how steep the gradient would be in this stretch of the road.
It takes about 2 hours by car from Gangtok to reach the lake.
The lake is filled with water of melting snow coming from the surrounding
mountains. It's a one kilometer long oval shaped lake.
The average depth is about 50-feet. During summer and autumn,
you will find Primula flowers and other Alpine vegetation around the lake. And
during winter the lake becomes frozen and a snowfield.
You can not litter the lake. Installation of prayer wheels
and a small temple of Lord Shiva by the lakeside denotes that the lake is
considered sacred by the locals. Tsomgo lake is a stop over place for many
different migratory ducks like the Brahmini ducks.
You should spend some time here and soak in
the serene beauty of the lake and its surroundings. In the earlier days the
lamas used to study the color of water in the lake and forecast the future. A
darker color would indicate that the coming year in the state may be
troublesome.
There is a pathway along the lake that leads
to a resting place - about half a kilometer walk. Only about 200 meters away
from the lake there are lots of stalls & shops selling tea, coffee and
snacks.
You will get hot Tibetan noodle soup to
combat the cold. Stalls rent out snow boots, jackets, gum boots etc. There are
pay & use toilets inside the complex as well. However there is no
lodging accommodation in this area to stay overnight.
You can take a ride on colorfully adorned
yaks and ponies. One more terrific activity is being planned at Tsomgo.
Foundation stone of a 957-meter ropeway (cable car) has already been laid here
in 2010. Once implemented, the cable cars will carry passengers from the lake
to a hilltop nearby.
You should reach Tsomgo lake before noon
because in the afternoon the weather here usually turns inclement. In fact best
is to start from Gangtok by 7:30 to 8am and reach here by 10am so that you get
clear 2 hours to enjoy.
In the
winter however the route sometimes get closed due to heavy snowing.
Photography
is now permitted and foreigners are also allowed to visit the lake. However
since this is a restricted area, you are required to take a permit (you need
photo identity proof and two passport size photos).
You
can get the permit from the Sikkim Tourist Information Center at MG Marg
Gangtok, or ask the hotel or a travel agent to arrange for it.
From
April to July, you can witness a good bloom of flowers. Most of the year,
Changu Lake experiences a sparkling weather
By Air
Bagdogra airport is
the nearest and major airport. Gangtok is linked to Bagdogra airport by a daily
helicopter service that operates only once a day and carries four passengers.
By Rail
The nearest major
railway Station is New Jalpaiguri Railway Station (NJP). From New Jalpaiguri
Railway Station one has to drive to Gangtok nearly 130 kilometers. From Gangtok
one has to drive to Tsomgo Lake and is nearly 42 kilometers from Gangtok.
By Road
Roads till Gangtok is
national highway 31 A. Guest has to drive to Gangtok nearly 130 kilometers from
Siliguri. From Gangtok one has to drive to Tsomgo Lake and is nearly 42
kilometers from Gangtok.
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