Nathu La links the Indian state of Sikkim with Tibet across the Himalayas.
The pass sits at about 4,310 metres above sea level in the Dongkya Range. Its name is commonly translated from Tibetan and Sikkimese elements as referring to a pass or place of listening. For centuries, it formed part of a trade route between Tibet and the Indian plains.
Nathu La was closed after the 1962 Sino-Indian War and reopened for border trade in 2006. Today, it remains a controlled border crossing rather than an unrestricted international gateway.
Zoji La connects Kashmir with Ladakh, while Rohtang Pass connects parts of Himachal Pradesh. Both are Himalayan passes, but neither is the Sikkim–Tibet crossing described here.