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Pelling

Pelling

hill station · Sikkim

Pelling is a hill town in western Sikkim known for its close-up views of Kanchenjunga, the world's third-highest peak.

State
Sikkim
Type
Hill Station

Pelling is a hill town in western Sikkim known for its close-up views of Kanchenjunga, the world's third-highest peak. Set amid forested ridges, it is a base for the historic Pemayangtse and Sanga Choling monasteries, the ruins of Rabdentse (a former Sikkimese capital), and the dramatic glass Skywalk at Chenrezig.

When to go

March to May and October to December offer the clearest mountain views; winters are cold but crisp and spring brings rhododendron blooms.

Why visit

Wake up to sweeping Kanchenjunga sunrises, visit centuries-old monasteries, and explore waterfalls, the Rabdentse ruins and the vertigo-inducing Skywalk.

Cultural notes

Pelling sits in the historic heart of Sikkim; Pemayangtse Monastery is one of the oldest in the state, and nearby Rabdentse was a former royal capital.

How to reach

By Road: Pelling is about 110 km from Gangtok and 130 km from Siliguri, reached by shared or private vehicles on mountain roads. By Air and Train: Bagdogra airport and New Jalpaiguri railway station near Siliguri are the nearest major gateways.

Pelling in 3 days

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3 days in Pelling

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Day 1

Day 1

Pelling Skywalk & Chenrezig statue

Pelling Skywalk & Chenrezig statue

Pemayangtse Monastery

Day 1

Pemayangtse Monastery

Only the monks here are entitled to be called ta-tshang, monks of pure lineage: celibate, without physical abnormality, and still drawn from among Sikkim's Bhutias. That rule has held since Lama Lhatsun Chempo founded the place in 1647, and it makes this a house with conditions rather than a photo stop. Pemayangtse means Perfect Sublime Lotus, and the monastery still governs every other Nyingma house in Sikkim; its head lama once anointed the Chogyals with holy water. Six kilometres from Gyalshing, and part of the pilgrim circuit that begins with Dubdi at Yuksom. Come early and behave as you would in someone's home.

Day 1

Kanchenjunga sunrise from upper Pelling

Kanchenjunga sunrise from upper Pelling

Khecheopalri LakeDay 2

Day 2

Khecheopalri Lake

The surface stays clear of leaves, and the local account is that birds lift each one off as it drops. Sit a while and see whether it holds. Buddhists and Hindus both treat the water as sacred and wish-fulfilling. Its older name, Kha-Chot-Palri, means the heaven of Padmasambhava; the local one, Sho Dzo Sho, means Oh Lady, Sit Here. The lake lies within the sacred Khechoedpaldri hill and belongs to the pilgrimage circuit running through Yuksom, Dubdi, Pemayangtse, the Rabdentse ruins, Sanga Choeling and Tashiding. Walk it as part of that rather than driving the 147 kilometres out from Gangtok for the lake alone.

Day 2

Kanchenjunga & Rimbi waterfalls

Kanchenjunga & Rimbi waterfalls

Day 2

Darap village walk

Darap village walk

Day 3

Day 3

Rabdentse palace ruins trail

Rabdentse palace ruins trail

Sanga Choeling Monastery

Day 3

Sanga Choeling Monastery

Seventeenth-century, and among the oldest monasteries around Pelling, but the climb is what you will remember: four kilometres of steep track through thick forest to a ridge top, with no way to shorten it. Lama Lhatsun Chempo founded it, and the name means the island of the Guhyamantra teachings, which is to say Vajrayana. Pilgrims take it as part of the circuit running through Pemayangtse, seven kilometres off, along with the Rabdentse ruins, Khecheopalri Lake, Norbugang Chorten, Dubdi Monastery, Yuksom and Tashiding. Start early. The track is unkind in the middle of the day.

Day 3

Local Limboo lunch

Local Limboo lunch

Pelling guide & itineraries

Pelling is perfect for

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Shopping

Small shops sell Sikkimese handicrafts, prayer flags, local cheese (churpi) and organic produce.

Frequently asked questions

What is Pelling famous for?

Its up-close views of Kanchenjunga, historic monasteries like Pemayangtse, the Rabdentse ruins and the glass Skywalk at Chenrezig.

How far is Pelling from Gangtok?

About 110 km, or roughly a four to five hour drive on mountain roads.

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Trending in Sikkim

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Gangtok

Gangtok is where most Sikkim trips begin, and its real value is as a base rather than a destination. The town itself is a steep ridge of concrete with one pleasant pedestrian street, MG Marg, where no vehicles and no spitting are allowed and the whole town walks in the evening. Rumtek monastery, half an hour out, is the seat of the Karma Kagyu lineage and the more worthwhile hour. Enchey, closer in, is quieter still. Tsomgo lake and Nathu La are the standard day trip. Both need permits arranged through a registered operator in Gangtok, both are high — Tsomgo is at around 3,700 metres — and Nathu La is closed to foreign nationals entirely. If you have only been in the hills a day, that altitude gain in a single drive is a lot. For actual Sikkim, keep going. Pelling for the Kanchenjunga view, Yuksom for the walking, north Sikkim for Lachung and the Yumthang valley — all of which need their own permits. March to May and October to early December. The monsoon here brings serious landslides and roads close for days at a time.

Tsomgo Lake & Nathula Pass

Tsomgo Lake & Nathula Pass

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Yumthang Valley

Yumthang Valley

Yumthang Valley, often called the Valley of Flowers of Sikkim, is an alpine meadow at around 3,500 metres in North Sikkim. In spring its slopes blaze with rhododendrons and primulas, and there are hot springs, the Shingba Rhododendron Sanctuary, and Zero Point higher up.

Rumtek Monastery

Rumtek Monastery

Rumtek is the largest monastery in Sikkim and the seat-in-exile of the Karmapa, head of the Karma Kagyu (Black Hat) lineage. Rebuilt in the 1960s by the 16th Karmapa as a faithful copy of Tibet's Tsurphu monastery, it holds the Golden Stupa with his relics, a monastic college, and treasures of the lineage. Ritual dances, deep-horn ensembles and the view back across the valley to Gangtok make it the centrepiece of any Sikkim circuit.

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