About Chopta Valley
Chopta Valley is a wide alpine meadow at 3,780m on the road from Lachen to Gurudongmar Lake — the first expansive yak pasture you reach after crossing the treeline. The valley floor is flat and open, crossed by glacial streams, and on clear days the surrounding peaks (5,000–6,000m) form a full 360° horizon of snow. Yak herder families camp here in late spring and summer, moving their herds between the lower valleys and this high pasture. The silence at Chopta is the striking thing — no road noise, no construction, just wind, the sound of the stream, and occasionally yak bells. Most Gurudongmar day trips pass through at sunrise when the light on the peaks is golden. Allow 20–30 minutes rather than the standard photo-stop.
Why go to Chopta Valley
Wide open alpine meadow at 3,780m with yak herds
One of the few places in North Sikkim where the valley floor is flat enough to walk freely at high altitude — not a steep gorge but a genuine meadow with a full 360° mountain horizon.
How to reach Chopta Valley from Lachen
Passed through on all Gurudongmar day trips from Lachen. We Care Holidays schedules the stop as part of the standard North Sikkim package.
Best time to visit Chopta Valley
May–June and September–October. The valley is in heavy snow November–April. The yak herds are present June–September.
Time of daySunrise to 8am — you pass through on the outward Gurudongmar journey when the light on the peaks is the best.
Things we always tell our guests about Chopta Valley
- Altitude sickness is possible at 3,780m — acclimatise in Lachen for one night before attempting Gurudongmar and Chopta.
- The valley is cold at sunrise even in June (0–5°C). Bring a down layer.
- If you have time, a 15-minute walk away from the road across the meadow gives a completely different scale to the landscape.
Chopta Valley — your questions answered
Other places in Lachen
- Sacred LakeValleyMonasteryTrek