Kupup Lake (Bitan Cho) & Yak Golf Course

The Sacred 'Bitan Cho': The Glacial Elephant Silhouette

Nestled serenely in a windswept glacial hollow at an elevation of 3,980 metres (13,060 feet) along the historic border highway in East Sikkim, Kupup Lake—known natively in the Tibetan and Bhutia languages as 'Bitan Cho'—is one of the most visually distinctive high-altitude water bodies in the Himalayas. The lake has earned international fame under its popular moniker 'Elephant Lake' due to its uncanny, natural topographical outline: when viewed from the surrounding observation ridges, the contours of the water body perfectly delineate the anatomical form of a majestic Asian elephant.

The right-hand projection of the lake contours resembles the curved trunk of an elephant gracefully outstretched, while the broader central basin forms its colossal body, and a smaller western recess mimics the tail. Fed by subterranean glacial seepages and melting snowfields from the surrounding Tukla and Jelep La ridges, Bitan Cho is considered sacred by local Buddhist communities, who associate its pristine waters with the celestial white elephant Airavata that carried the rain-god Indra across the heavens.

Gateway to Jelep La: The Ancient Royal Trade Pass

Kupup occupies an immensely significant geographical waypoint along the ancient trans-Himalayan trade network. Just five kilometres east of the lake rises the legendary Jelep La Pass (4,374 metres / 14,350 feet), which connects the hills of Sikkim directly with the Chumbi Valley and the Tibetan market town of Yatung. Unlike Nathu La, which is steeper and more prone to rockslides, Jelep La was historically the primary, easier trade pass preferred by the British East India Company and Tibetan caravan traders.

Through Kupup passed the historic British trade missions of Younghusband in 1904, along with countless tons of raw Tibetan wool, hand-woven carpets, and musk destined for the spinning mills of England and India. Although the pass was closed following the 1962 conflict, the ancient paved stone pathways constructed by royal trade caravans are still visible cutting across the rocky scree slopes surrounding the lake, evoking the rich historical heritage of trans-Himalayan commerce.

The Yak Golf Course: A Guinness World Record Wonder

Sprawling across the undulating alpine terrain directly adjacent to Kupup Lake is an extraordinary feat of recreational engineering: the Yak Golf Course. Established in 1972 by the Indian Army's 17th Mountain Division and extensively redesigned in 2000, the course sits at an altitude of 3,970 metres (13,025 feet), officially verified by the Guinness Book of World Records as the highest golf course on planet Earth.

Measuring 6,026 yards for 18 holes, the par-72 course presents extraordinary, unmatched golfing conditions. In the thin, oxygen-depleted air, golf balls travel significantly further than at sea level, but players must contend with fierce mountain gales, natural streams feeding into Kupup Lake, and natural sand bunkers formed from glacial moraines. During winter, the greens freeze solid and the course is converted into a ski slope and ice-skating rink, while during spring and summer, indigenous yaks assist in naturally grazing and manicuring the high-altitude fairways.

Alpine Wetland Ecology, Migratory Waterfowl and Flora

Kupup Lake and its surrounding wetlands form an ecologically fragile high-altitude freshwater ecosystem protected under national conservation guidelines. From November to late April, the lake freezes completely into a solid sheet of turquoise-tinted ice, with surface temperatures frequently dropping below -15°C. When the ice thaws in May, the lake's crystal-clear waters reveal ancient glacial boulders resting on the lake bed, while the surrounding marshlands become a feeding ground for migratory Himalayan avifauna.

Flocks of ruddy shelducks (Brahminy ducks), bar-headed geese, common teal, and northern pintails alight on the lake during their perilous migrations over the main Himalayan crest. The windswept gravel banks surrounding Bitan Cho are dotted with specialized cushion plants, woolly saussurea, dwarf blue poppies, and alpine mosses that survive extreme ultraviolet radiation and sub-zero frost through thick hairy coatings and natural antifreeze sugars within their cells.

Visiting Logistics, Military Permits and Travel Routes

Kupup Lake is located approximately 60 kilometres east of Gangtok (a 3-hour drive via Tsomgo Lake and Baba Mandir) and 35 kilometres north of Zuluk along the Old Silk Route circuit. It is included in the standard Protected Area Permit (PAP) issued for the Tsomgo–Baba Mandir circuit by the Tourism Department in Gangtok or Rongli. Private taxis and four-wheel-drive utility vehicles from Gangtok or Zuluk are required to navigate the high-altitude mountain highway.

Visitors should dress in heavy multi-layered winter clothing, including thermal innerwear, fleece jackets, insulated windbreakers, woolen caps, and UV-filtering sunglasses. The optimal visiting season spans from October through May, when clear skies provide stunning views of the surrounding border ridges. A small Indian Army canteen near the lake parking area offers warm refreshments, hot tea, and clean restrooms for passing travelers, making it a welcoming rest stop on the high Silk Route.

Related Himalayan Expeditions

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