Pelling

A ridgetop town in West Sikkim facing Kangchenjunga, where Pemayangtse Monastery, the Rabdentse Palace ruins and a sacred lake trace the culture of Sikkim's old capitals.

Pelling is a small town in western Sikkim, India (Gyalshing district), perched on a ridge at about 2,100 m directly facing Kangchenjunga (8,586 m), the world's third-highest mountain. On clear days you can watch the snowy peaks turn golden red at sunrise right from your hotel window. This was the heartland of the old Kingdom of Sikkim: Yuksom and Rabdentse, its capitals from the 17th to 19th centuries, are both nearby, and the area is dense with monasteries of the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism, making it the place to learn about Sikkim's history and religious culture.

Sightseeing usually follows three routes. Around Pelling are Pemayangtse Monastery, the Rabdentse Palace ruins, the Chenrezig statue and Skywalk, and Sanga Choeling Monastery, reached on foot. The northwest route passes Rimbi Falls, the sacred Khecheopalri Lake and Kanchenjunga Falls to Yuksom (Norbugang Coronation Throne, Dubdi Monastery, Kathok Lake), usually as a day trip or with a night in Yuksom. The western route leads to Darap village and the Singshore Bridge, with the hill village of Rinchenpong to the south and Tashiding Monastery to the east. Yuksom is also the starting point for the multi-day Goecha La trek in Khangchendzonga National Park.

The best seasons are the Mar–May rhododendron season and Oct–Dec, when skies are clearest and mountain views most likely; the Jun–Sep monsoon brings cloud, mist and frequent landslides. Sikkim's mountain roads are rough, and most travel is by shared or chartered jeep: about 5–6 hours from Siliguri/New Jalpaiguri railway station or Bagdogra Airport to Pelling, and 4–5 hours from Gangtok. Darjeeling is close as the crow flies, but the road winds through river valleys and takes over 4 hours. Foreign visitors need an Inner Line Permit (ILP/RAP, available at the entry checkpoints) to enter Sikkim; Chinese citizens face special restrictions and should check in advance. Plan to stay 2–3 days. Walk clockwise around monasteries, and note that photography is prohibited inside most halls.

Top sights

• Pemayangtse Monastery – One of Sikkim’s oldest and most important Nyingma monasteries. The seven-tiered wooden sculpture of the Sangdok Palri celestial palace on t…
• Rabdentse Ruins – The palace ruins of Sikkim’s second capital. At the end of a forest trail lie stone walls and a platform facing the snow peaks.
• Khecheopalri Lake – A sacred lake revered by both Buddhists and Hindus, the “Wish-Fulfilling Lake,” surrounded by forest. Legend says birds carry away any leav…
• Chenrezig Statue & Pelling Skywalk – Sikkim's first glass skywalk leads to a giant Chenrezig statue, with views over the Pelling valley and the Kanchenjunga peaks in the distan…
• Kanchenjunga Falls – A high waterfall beside the road from Pelling to Yuksom, fed by Kanchenjunga snowmelt and viewable right from the roadside.
• Sanga Choeling Monastery – Sikkim's second-oldest monastery, founded in 1697 on a hilltop above Pelling and reached by a roughly 40-minute hike.
• Singshore Bridge – A high suspension bridge over a deep gorge, said to be the highest in Sikkim and the second highest in Asia, with spectacular gorges and wa…
• Yuksom – The capital where Sikkim's first chogyal was crowned in 1642, a tranquil mountain village and the starting point for treks to Goecha La pas…
• Norbugang Coronation Throne – A stone throne where Sikkim's first ruler was crowned in 1642, set among old pines with a chorten and prayer hall, a sacred site of the Sik…
• Dubdi Monastery – Sikkim's oldest monastery, founded in 1701 in the forest on a hill above Yuksom, a 30–40 minute climb.
• Tashiding Monastery – A Nyingma sacred monastery on a heart-shaped hill between two rivers, famous for its annual Bumchu holy water prophecy festival.
• Rimbi Waterfall – A roadside waterfall on the way from Pelling to Khecheopalri Lake, beside the Rimbi River and orange groves, often the first stop on a loop…
• Darap Village – A traditional Limbu hill village where terraced fields, cardamom gardens and family homestays meet, offering a taste of Sikkimese farm life…
• Rinchenpong – A quiet hill village south of Pelling, known for unobstructed views of Kanchenjunga, an old monastery and its British colonial history.
• Kathok Lake – A small sacred lake in Yuksom village, the source of holy water used at the 1642 coronation, with prayer flags and mountains reflected on i…

Where to eat

• Grains Vegan Restaurant (Udaan Pine Crest) – A vegan restaurant inside the Udaan Pine Crest hotel in Lower Pelling. It ranks first in Pelling on TripAdvisor and has…
• Kabur Hotel Restaurant – One of the earliest old hotel restaurants in Upper Pelling, serving momos, thukpa and thenthuk with views of Kangchenju…

Itineraries

• Gangtok, South Sikkim & Pelling Monastery Route – Skip North Sikkim and connect Gangtok, the pilgrimage sites of Namchi, and the ancient ruins of Pelling.
• Darjeeling, Pelling, Gangtok & Lachung Panorama – Travel from Darjeeling into Sikkim, covering tea gardens, ancient capitals, the modern capital, and northern alpine val…
• Darjeeling, Sikkim & Kanchenjunga Loop – A loop connecting Gangtok, Pelling, and Darjeeling to see sacred lakes, ancient monasteries, tea gardens, and the Kanch…