Home Destinations IndiaNathu La

Moderate

On-Road

🇮🇳 India

Satellite

This track was identified and mapped via high-resolution satellite imagery.

ID: IN-SK-02

Nathu La

Added on 10 Oct 2026

Logged by @trailx

Nathu La (≈4,310 m) is a motorable pass on the route Gangtok to the Chumbi valley (Tibet). This route drives over it from Gangtok: about 52 km along mapped roads, topping out at about 4,300 m.

Trail Map

Initialising Map Engine...

Trail Profile

General Instructions

Typical season: Border trade 7–8 months a year. Check road status before setting out: landslides, snow and roadworks can close mountain roads at short notice. Drive in daylight, give way to uphill traffic and carry warm clothing.

Mission Logs45 waypoints

Distance	Direction & Instruction	Gradient	Gear Gearing suggestions are defensive and based on terrain profile. Always assess real-time conditions and the path ahead personally.
0.0 km	N Start Point	5%	2H
0.6 km	N Steep Ascent	13%	2H
1.4 km	S Terrain Change	6%	2H
2.1 km	N Steep Ascent	13%	2H
4.1 km	NE Steep Ascent	14%	2H

Note: Gear suggestions are based on terrain gradient and are for reference only.

Weather check

At Start

1635m

Sampling Micro-Climate...

27.3292, 88.6118

Slide to preview conditions across the entire route • Point: 27.3292, 88.6118 @ 1635m

Quick Stats

Distance

52.69 km

Type

On-Road Sector

Elevation Range

1635m - 4299m

Max Elevation

4299 m

Max Gradient

19.8%

8.1%

Highlights

Cross Nathu La at about 4,310 m
Drive from Gangtok

Field Radio Protocol

VHF-UHF Communication

Signal Verified

Emergency Simplex

146.520MHz

Team Coordination

446.006MHz

Scout Primary

146.400MHz

Propagation Telemetry

Ridge Line

92%

Gorge Floor

18%

Sector Relay: Sector Alpha Relay• 12-18 KM Range

Regulatory Compliance

VHF/UHF frequencies are for monitoring and emergency coordination only. Transmitting on these bands may require an Amateur Radio License or regional government permits. Check local telecommunications laws before operation.

Technical Analysis

Total Ascent

+2853 m

Total Descent

-194 m

Ruggedness Index

Terrain Roughness Index

Vertical displacement per km. Typical range: 0 (Smooth) to 100+ (Extreme Mountain).

0 (Smooth)50 (Steep)100+ (Extreme)

57.8

Tortuosity Index

Route Curviness Index

Ratio of actual path to straight line. Typical range: 1.0 (Direct) to 3.0+ (Switchbacks).

1.0 (Direct)2.0 (Winding)3.0+ (Serpentine)

2.33

Gradient Distribution

Flat (0-3%)14%

Moderate (3-8%)35%

Steep (>8%)52%

Surface & Hydrology

Paved100%

Unpaved0%

Surface Spectrum Analysis

Asphalt

100%

Water Crossings

Includes only technical water fords where the vehicle actively enters a stream or riverbed. Permanent bridges are excluded from this count.

Difficulty Analysis

SCORE: 37

Difficulty is determined by a technical multi-vector analysis of elevation profile, surface quality, and topographic intensity.

Resulting CategoryModerate

Bounding Box (WGS84)

MIN LAT: 27.329151

MAX LAT: 27.387456

MIN LON: 88.611791

MAX LON: 88.830896

Point Spacing: 23.1 m • Engine: TrailX Precision GPX ANALYTICS v1.0.0

Reviews & Discussion0

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Plan this trip

Before you go: Nathu La

Best time to go

Jun–Oct

October to March suits most of the country. The southwest monsoon (June to September) floods the Western Ghats and Kerala, but it is also the main season for Ladakh and Spiti, where high passes are usually open only from June to October.