Nathu La Pass

About Nathu La Pass:

• It is a mountain pass in the Himalayas in Sikkim.
• It connects the Indian state of Sikkim with China's Tibet Autonomous Region.
• ‘’Nathu’’ means “listening ears”, and ‘’La’’ means “pass” in Tibetan.
• The pass forms a part of an offshoot of the ancient Silk Road.
• It is one of the highest motorable roads in the world.
• It is guarded on both sides by Chinese and Indian soldiers.
• It is one of the three open trading border posts between India and China; the other two are in Himachal Pradesh (Shipkila) and Uttarakhand (Lipulekh).
• Sealed by India after the 1962 Sino-Indian War, Nathu La was reopened in 2006 following numerous bilateral trade agreements.
• Traded items are limited and include silk, clothes, and yak hair and tail.
• Only citizens of India can visit the pass, and then only after obtaining a permit in Gangtok.