Pelling

Pelling sits at about 2,150 metres in west Sikkim with an unobstructed line to Kanchenjunga, close enough that on clear mornings the whole massif fills the northern view from hotel balconies. Pemayangtse, founded in 1647 and enlarged in 1705, is one of the oldest monasteries in Sikkim and holds a seven-tiered wooden model of the Guru Rinpoche heavenly palace built by a single monk over five years. Rabdentse, the ruined second capital of Sikkim, stands on a ridge nearby. A glass-floored skywalk opened in 2018 projects from a hillside beneath a large Chenrezig statue, giving a view down and out toward the peaks.

What you'll find

• Kanchenjunga - the massif filling the northern view on clear mornings.
• Pemayangtse - a monastery founded in 1647 and enlarged in 1705, with a carved seven-tiered palace model.
• Rabdentse ruins - the second capital of Sikkim on a forested ridge.
• The skywalk - a glass-floored platform beneath the Chenrezig statue.

When to go

October to December for the clearest mountain views and March to May for rhododendron; the monsoon closes the peaks in cloud for weeks and brings landslides.

Before you go

Kanchenjunga is often hidden and views fail entirely on cloudy days. Rooms facing the peak cost considerably more. Roads in west Sikkim are rough and landslide-prone.

Nearby

Yuksom lies north; Gangtok is east.

Key facts