Pelling is a small quaint town in the north-east Indian state of Sikkim, at the foothills of Mount Kanchenjunga. Breathtaking landscape, peaceful atmosphere & rich cultural heritage makes Pelling one of Sikkim’s most popular tourist destinations.
Best Places To Visit In Pelling
Pelling Skywalk & Chenrezig Statue
The Pelling Skywalk is India’s first glass-bottom skywalk & probably the most popular sightseeing spot in Pelling these days. The skywalk provides unobstructed panoramic view of Mount Kanchenjunga along with the other Eastern Himalayan mountain ranges.
The skywalk is connected to the giant Chenrezig statue which is located on a hilltop. Chenrezig (or Avalokiteshvara) is the earthly manifestation of the self-born, eternal Buddha, Amitabha.
Singshore Bridge
Singshore Suspension Bridge is believed to be the highest bridge in Sikkim and the second highest in Asia. It connects two beautiful villages Dentam and Uttarey in the West Sikkim district and is truly an engineering marvel.
The bridge offers a spectacular view of gushing waterfalls and winding streams if you look down.
Only a single car is allowed to pass at once and you can feel the entire bridge vibrating if you happen to stand on the bridge at the time. It’s quite a thrilling experience unless you are scared of heights!
You will drive by scenic rice fields & terrace farms of Dentam Village on the way to Singshore Bridge.
Changey Falls
Located on the way to Dentam Village & Singshore Bridge, Changey Falls is situated right on the road and can be seen flowing down a steep hill surrounded by lush greens.
Kanchenjunga Falls
Kanchenjunga Falls is the most beautiful waterfall in Pelling and hence the most popular. It is believed that this stunning waterfall originates high up in the glaciers of Mount Kanchenjunga. It is a perennial waterfall and was gushing down in full force, even during winter. Kanchenjunga Falls is one of the largest waterfalls in Sikkim and is a must-visit.
This is actually a two-tiered waterfall which merges with another one in this area to flow downhill together. No photo can depict the actual beauty of this place, since it can’t all be fitted in a single frame. Probably a drone video shot could somewhat justify how gorgeous this looks.
Khecheopalri Lake
Khecheopalri Lake, located near Khecheopalri village in West Sikkim, is estimated to be 3,500 years old. The name Khecheopalri literally translates to ‘heavenly abode of Padmasambhava’, the 8th century Buddhist master commonly believed to be the second Buddha. The lake is sacred for both Buddhists and Hindus, and is believed to be a wish fulfilling lake.
An interesting feature is that even though the lake is surrounded by thick vegetation, leaves never float on the surface of the lake, which is ensured by the birds who hastily pick them up as soon as they drop into the lake surface.
According to folklore legend related to Sikkim topography, the Khecheopalri is said to represent one of the four plexus of the human body namely, the thorax; the other three plexes are said to be represented by Yuksom (the third eye), Tashiding (head) and Pemayangtse (the heart).
Another folk legend narrated is that long time back this place used to be a grazing ground, troubled by nettle (the native original tribal population make use of the barks of nettle for multipurpose uses). On a particular day, a Lepcha couple was peeling off the bark of the nettle when they saw a pair of conch shells falling from air on the ground. This was followed by severe shaking of the ground and spring water emerged from below and thus the lake was formed!
I can’t attest to any of the folklore but nonetheless the lake possesses a serene beauty that will captivate you.
Orange Garden
Rimbi Orange Garden, also known as Sewaro Rock Garden, is a government funded orange garden. Along with lots of orange trees, you’ll also see some plenty of cardamom plants in this area.
The Orange Garden was actually a pleasant surprise as we didn’t expect much from it & were even planning to drive past it without getting down!
You can walk downhill through the orange garden to reach the riverside. Spend some time here to unwind & enjoy the soothing sound of the river. You should also try the delicious organic fruit wine here.
Tip: Visit the Orange Garden while returning from Khecheopalri Lake. This way you can catch the sunset here and don’t have to worry about missing any spots if you get a bit late since this will be your last stop anyway.
Rimbi Falls
Rimbi Falls is a scenic waterfall situated near Darap Village, on the way to Khecheopalri Lake & Rimbi Orange Garden. The waterfall flows into Rimbi River, which is frequently visited by tourists and locals for leisure activities like fishing and swimming.
You can dip your feet in the water here & relax for sometime while listening to the melodies of nature.
Note: It is a seasonal waterfall, so the flow is less during the winter months.
There are a few more places in Pelling which we couldn’t visit but you should. Some of the monasteries in Sikkim were still closed due to the pandemic when we visited, so we had to miss out.
Pemayangtse Monastery
Pemayangtse Monastery is a Buddhist monastery located in Pemayangtse, near Pelling. It is one of the oldest and premier monasteries of Sikkim, as well as the most famous in this state. The Pemayangtse Monastery was specially built for the “pure monks” (ta-tshang) meaning “monks of pure lineage”, celibate and physically sound. This practice is still retained!
The main statue of Padmasambhava (who revived Buddhism in Tibet and was also the propagator of Vajrayana or tantric form of Buddhism) seen here is in his wrathful form with multiple heads and arms. The monastery building also houses many statues of saints and rinpoches, several antique idols and scriptures.
Sanga Choeling Monastery
Sanga Choeling Monastery, located on a ridge top above Pelling, is one of the oldest monasteries in Sikkim. The monastery can only be accessed by walking a steep hilly track of 4 kms, which traverses through rich forest cover. Being one of the prime holy places amongst pilgrims and devotees, lamas recite hymns at this monastery on the tenth day of every month according to the Tibetan calendar.
Rabdentse Ruins
Rabdentse was the second capital of the former Kingdom of Sikkim from 1670 to 1814. The capital city was destroyed by the invading Gurkha army and only the ruins of the palace and the chortens are seen here now. Superb views of the Kanchenunga ranges can be witnessed from here.
Sikkim is one of India’s most beautiful states and by visiting just one town you’ll be left wanting for more! I would recommend adding Namchi & Ravangla to your itinerary when you visit Pelling. If you are visiting Sikkim for longer, you should definitely cover Gangtok and North Sikkim.
Planning Guide
How To Reach Pelling
By Rail: New Jalpaiguri Junction is the nearest major railway station. You have to hire a car from there to reach Pelling.
By Air: The newly opened Pakyong Airport near Gangtok (in East Sikkim) is the nearest airport to Pelling but Bagdogra Airport in West Bengal is the more popular choice since it is well-connected with most major Indian cities. For international travellers, you can try taking a connecting flight from Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Airport in Kolkata.
By Road: Pelling is well-connected by road and you can drive a car or bike from parts of West Bengal and Sikkim. You can also avail bus service from Kolkata (or other nearby cities) to Siliguri. We booked our seats on the luxury AC sleeper bus and really enjoyed the comfort. You have to hire a cab from Siliguri to reach Pelling.
Car fare from NJP/Bagdogra/Siliguri to Pelling is Rs. 4500 for a Bolero.
Note: Shared cabs or buses for Pelling are not usually available. So be prepared to hire the entire car.
Where To Stay In Pelling
We stayed at Magpie Chestnut Retreat and thoroughly enjoyed our stay. Our booking was initially at Magpie Pachhu Village Resort but since this was our first anniversary special trip, we got upgraded to their more scenic property! We loved the room, the service, the breakfast buffet but most of all the gorgeous unobstructed view of Mount Kanchenjunga right from our room & balcony! Moreover, the hotel is centrally located yet isolated from the rest of the hotels, which is a plus if you enjoy the peace & quiet.
Best Time To Visit Pelling
All of winter and the onset of summer are the most ideal times to visit Pelling.
Winter in Pelling starts from December and lasts until February and according to me is the best time to visit Pelling, especially if you enjoy cold weather. Tourist rush is also much lesser than summer. October & November also sees clear skies and cool weather, but try to avoid the Durga Puja & Diwali rush.
Summer season spans from March to May and is a pleasant time to visit Pelling. But this is also the peak season and sees heavy tourist activity.
Monsoons are usually not considered ideal for visiting hill stations due to heavy rainfall and frequent landslides. Most of the tourist spots & adventure activities also remain closed during this time.
Note: Pelling does not receive snow any time of the year. So don’t be fooled by the bunch of articles claiming so! A lot of information available online are blindly copied these days without research.
Pelling Sightseeing Cost
Hiring a car for full day sightseeing costed us Rs. 4000 for a Bolero. If you skip either the Pelling Skywalk or Singshore Bridge, it will cost Rs. 1000 less since they are both located on opposite routes (though I recommend skipping neither).
Start very early if you want to cover all the spots mentioned in this article, especially since Sanga Choeling Monastery & Rabdentse Ruins involves a lot of additional walking time.
Camera Gear Used For Photography:
- Canon EOS 77D 24.2MP Digital SLR Camera
- Tamron SP AF17-50mm F/2.8 XR Di II LD Aspherical [IF] Lens for Canon DSLR Camera
- Canon EF-S 18-55mm F/3.5-5.6 Zoom Lens for Canon DSLR Camera
Check out my ‘What’s In My Camera Bag‘ blog post for more details.
I really hope you enjoyed reading this article and you’ll find the information useful whenever you plan to visit these beautiful places in Pelling.
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