Pelling - Sikkim’s Hidden Gem You Must Visit

If you plan to visit Sikkim, consider keeping aside at least 2-3 days in your tour itinerary for Pelling. The beautiful hill station can be a natural extension of your Sikkim tour once you complete exploring Gangtok and its adjoining places. 

It will surely be worth your time. There are many places to explore in and around Pelling. Let's take a look.

7 Places to Visit in Pelling

• Pemayangtse Monastery

The Pemayangtse monastery is the oldest and most famous monastery in Sikkim. Located on a hilltop, the monastery lies at the beginning of the highly popular Yuksom-Dzongri-Goecha La trek route.

Lama Lhatsun Chempo founded planned, designed and founded this Buddhist monastery in 1647. A special attraction of this place is the seven-tiered wood model of Guru Rimpoche. The three-storied, aesthetically built structure also houses various Buddhist scriptures, sculptures, and artefacts. 

• Khecheopalri Lake

Located 34 km northwest of Pelling, the sacred Khecheopalri lake is an important landmark in the Yuksom-Pelling trek. The lake is also easily accessible through a road and is a popular sightseeing spot in Pelling. 

• Skywalk

Inaugurated in November 2018, the skywalk near Sanga Choeling has quickly become one of the significant tourist places to visit in Pelling. The transparent walkway made of glass leads to the gigantic 137 feet statue of Chenrezig (Avalokitesvara). It’s the first skywalk in India.

• Rimbi Orange Garden

Rimbi Orange Garden can be one of the best places to visit in Sikkim for newlyweds and honeymoon couples. If you visit the place in December, one of the best times to visit Pelling, you can see the trees laden with small-sized oranges typical to the Northeast climate. No one usually cares if you pluck one or two oranges from the trees to revive childhood memories.

Alternatively, just sit on the bank of the Rimbi river and enjoy the natural scenery all around.

• Singshore Bridge

Located around 26 km from Pelling, Singshore bridge is one of the hidden gems of Sikkim you can’t miss. At an elevation of 198 metres above the ground, it is the highest bridge in Sikkim and the second-highest suspension bridge in Asia. 

The bridge connects two lush green mountains and provides a breathtaking panoramic view of the surrounding mountains, forests, and waterfalls. 

• Kanchenjunga Falls

At first glance, Kanchenjunga Falls may appear deceptively simple from the roadside. But, as you walk through an old wooden bridge, the milky white stream of water gushing down from a height of 100 meters unravels the beauty of falls like a magician’s act. 

If you're hungry, a few breakfast stalls serve delicious momos here. 

• Darap

Darap village is one of those offbeat places in Sikkim that is emerging as a major tourist attraction. The culturally rich village is just 8 km away from Pelling. Mainly inhabited by the Limboo community, the town is popular among offbeat travellers for its cardamom plantations and the lush green paddy fields spread over the mountain slope.

November to early December can be the best time to visit Sikkim as the winter season usually arrives, but it's not extremely cold. So, grab your camera, pack your clothes and head to the land of Kanchenjunga. Oh. Did we tell you? Pelling offers one of the best and most clear views of Kanchenjunga.