It is about 26 kilometres (16 mi) in length and is located at the base of Kangchenjunga in the Himalayan region of Sikkim, India.

The Zemu Glacier drains the east side of Kanchenjunga, the world's third highest mountain.

One of them is the Teesta River, which has garnered large attention in the past few years because of a proposed 3500 MW hydropower plant.

Studying digital imagery shows that the glacier has receded 27 meters every year between 1967–1984.

The lateral moraine ridges on either side of the glacier are on average 150 feet high.