Bagdogra to Gangtok
Gangtok is about 124 km (77 miles) from Bagdogra airport, some 4.5 hours on NH10 up the Teesta. In the monsoon the road slips, and its fragile part is the 52 km between Sevoke and Rangpo.
Photo: Simanta Saha / Unsplash
Slide points
The slide points have names: 20th Mile at Bardang, 29th Mile, Kali Jhora, Seti Jhora, Birik Dara, Likhuveer and Melli. Your driver checks the road with the police the evening before and again at dawn, and slows at each one.
Photo: Boudhayan Bardhan / Unsplash
Recent closures
In June 2024, slides closed or restricted NH10 for about a month. In August 2025 it reopened after six days. In July 2026 it shut for three days while 20th Mile was rebuilt. July is also the wettest month on the Gangtok ridge, about 655 mm.
Photo: Sushmit Dam / Pexels
The long way round
When the highway shuts, the diversion is NH717A through Odlabari, Gorubathan, Lava, Pedong and Rhenock: about 160 km and seven hours, against three and a half on NH10, on a narrow road that slips too.
Photo: Shibaji Mondal / Pexels
When it flies
The state helicopter from Bagdogra to Burtuk heliport in Gangtok costs ₹3,100 a seat one way, the fare set from 1 December 2025, with 7 kg of luggage free. It flies in clear weather only, so we plan a road day and treat a seat as a bonus.
Photo: Yash Sanghani / Unsplash
Flights home
A 13:00 flight from Bagdogra means leaving Gangtok at 07:00; at 15:30 or later the car can go at about 09:00. From mid-June to mid-September we plan your flight home for the afternoon and keep the last Gangtok evening free.
Photo: Ujjwal Chettri / Unsplash
Plan B in writing
Each day of your plan carries its own fallback, written before you travel, and we never drive past a closure the police have not opened. Send us your flight times, and we build the road days backwards from them.
Photo: Sahil Pandita / Unsplash