Pelling Sikkim - Tour and Travel Guide

Places to Visit in Pelling

There are numerous places to visit in and around Pelling. Some of the worth noting tourist attractions are as mentioned below:

Sanga Choling Monastery

Inaugurated in the 17th century by Lama Lhatsun Chempo, Sanga Choling Monastery is one of the age-old monasteries in the state. The name of the monastery signifies "Island of the Guhyamantra teachings". Located on a ridge, the monastery can already be accessed by walking 4 kilometers uphill through the surrounding lush green forest. Visitors will get to see several paintings and clay statues in the monastery dating back to the 17th century. The jaw-dropping panorama of the Himalayan range also makes it worth visiting.

Pemayangtse monastery

Not more than a 9 km distance away from the heart of this city, Pemayangtse monastery is a notable Buddhist religious site near Pelling. Established by Lama Lhatsun Chempo in the year 1647, it is another ancient Monastery in Sikkim. The name of the monastery Pemayangtse literally means "The perfect, sublime lotus." At an elevation of 2085 meters above sea level, the monastery is located at a beautiful location with a scenic backdrop of snow-capped mountains on two sides. Visitors can even be spectators of the Cham Dance Festival which is held every year on the 28th and 29th day of the 12th lunar month of the Tibetan calendar.

Khecheopalri Lake

Khecheopalri Lake is an attractive place to visit near Pelling, Sikkim. Visitors will have to have a journey of around 1:30 hours to cover a road distance of 32 km. As the locals call it "Kha-Chot-Palri" which signifies "The Heaven of Padmasamvaba", the lake is believed to be a sacred one among the Hindus and Buddhists. Blessed by none other than Guru Padmasamvaba, it is a wish-fulfilling lake and also one of the pilgrimage sites in Sikkim. It is a popular destination for tourists because of its surrounding lush greenery, beautiful prayer flags and tranquil mind refreshing atmosphere.

Changey Waterfall

Not more than a 15 km driving distance away from Pelling, Changey Waterfall is an attractive place to visit for tourists. It is on the Pelling-Dentam road and exactly looks like a white line cascading from a height of about 300 feet and through the surrounding greenery. Visitors can spend some quality time here to relax and they can also have a picnic near it just like the locals do. Apart from this, visitors can also go shopping at the nearby Dentam Baazar. To reach the waterfall, visitors have to walk more than 20 minutes through a broken pathway full of leaves and branches. However, this 20 minutes' walk will not be a hectic one as they will be astonished by seeing the beauty of the surrounding lush greenery.

Kanchenjunga Falls

Merely, 30 km distance away from the town, Kanchenjunga Fall is another promising site to visit for the sightseer. Falls under one of the largest waterfalls in Sikkim, Kanchenjunga Fall's gushing water cascading from a height of 100 feet into a pool provides a soothing view to the spectators. Visitors come here to enjoy its tantalizing beauty and even to have a memorable picnic with their friends and family. Being located at a sharp curve on the roadside, tourists need to climb around 50 steps from the road to finally reach this splendid waterfall.

Dubdi Monastery

Dubdi Monastery or some calls it Yuksom Monastery is approximately 40 km distance away. Located in Yuksom, it is a monastery of the Nyingma sect of Tibetan Buddhism. Established in 1701, on the top of the hill, the monastery proves to be an ideal place to know more about Tibetan Buddhism, architecture and the splendid view of the neighboring hills. Situated at an altitude of 2100 meters above sea level.

Tashiding Monastery

Tashiding Monastery is one of the holiest and the oldest monasteries in the entire state. It was established in the year by 1641 by Ngadak Sempa Chempo Phunshok Rigzing. The monastery is located on top of the hill rising between the Rathong chu and the Rangeet River. The sublime vista of the surrounding along with the panoramic view of the Himalayan range captivates the travellers to visit this monastery.

Things to do in Pelling

While staying in Pelling, Sikkim, there are several activities one can do and enjoy. Some of the most relishing outdoor activities are:

Trekking to Goecha La

Goecha La is one of the highest mountain passes in Sikkim. To trek to this magnificent pass, one has to drive to Yuksom from Pelling. Prior to the start of the trekking, trekkers have to stay overnight at Yuksom first and from the next day trekking to this magnificent place begins. Nestled amidst vibrant and colorful flora and fauna, Goecha La is known everywhere for its colossal exhibition of the snow-peaked Himalayan ranges. Moreover, due to its high elevation of around 4940 meters above sea level, the panoramic view of the entire valley it offers to the trekkers is quite tantalizing.

Bird Watching

Bird watching is another worth noting outdoor activity to do here in Pelling. In Khecheopalri Lake or its surrounding dense forest, birds like Rusty Cheeked Scimitar Babbler, Scaly-breasted Wren Babbler, Spotted Wren Babbler, Scaly Laughingthrush, Red-Faced Liochichla, Fire tailed Myzornis, Scarlet Finch, Cutia, Black-headed Shrike Babbler, and many more are easily sighted. Bird watchers can even go for a short excursion to Yuksom to spot birds like Yellow-rumped Honey Guide at some selective places.

Hiking to Rabdentse Ruins

From Pelling, travellers can hike to Rabdentse a ruin which is just a 9 km distance away. In the past, from 1670 to 1814, Rabdentse was the second capital of the Kingdom of Sikkim. However, it was later invaded and destroyed by the Gurkha Armies. Now in ruins, the place offers a breathtaking view of the surrounding as well as the ruins of the palace and the Chortens. To reach the ruins of Rabdentse, travellers have to hike upwards of at least 2.5 km on a small road midst of dense trees to reach there from main road which would take not more than 30 to 40 minutes.

Hotels in Pelling

Being one of the favored tourist attractions of Sikkim, there are many options for accommodation in Pelling. There are many budgets hotels in Pelling along with eco-friendly resorts in Pelling. You can easily book a resort or hotels in Pelling of your liking with the help of the hotel booking service of North Bengal Tourism.

How to Reach Pelling

By Air: The nearest airport to Pelling is in Bagdogra. It is an approx. ride of 6hrs from Bagdogra to Pelling. Tourist can easily hire a taxi from Bagdogra to Pelling at a budget-friendly price with North Bengal Tourism.
Distance: The distance between Bagdogra to Pelling is 140 kilometers.

By Rail: The nearest railways station of Pelling is New Jalpaiguri Railway Station (NJP). From NJP it takes approx. 5½hr to reach Pelling. With the North Bengal Tourism car rental service, you can easily rent a car from NJP to Pelling at a reasonable price.
Distance: The distance between NJP to Pelling is 137 kilometers.

Best Time to Visit Pelling in Sikkim

April to Mid-June: During this time visitors get to admire the exquisite view of blooming flowers in Pelling.

Mid-June to September: During this time most people avoid travelling to Sikkim due to the heavy rainfall and sudden roadblocks.

October to December: During this time the sky remains clear and visitors get to enjoy the pleasant weather of Pelling while witnessing the panoramic vista of the Kanchenjunga range.