Pelling & West Sikkim
Kanchenjunga up close, monasteries and a glass skywalk
Pelling, in West Sikkim, offers the closest and most jaw-dropping views of Kanchenjunga of anywhere easily reached in the state — on a clear morning the whole snow massif seems close enough to touch from your hotel balcony. It is the base for the richest concentration of history and monasteries in Sikkim.
Just around Pelling lie the 1705 Pemayangtse monastery with its carved model of the Buddhist heavens, the atmospheric ruins of the old royal capital at Rabdentse, the sacred Khecheopalri wish-fulfilling lake, and the Sky Walk, India's first glass skywalk, leading to a giant statue of Guru Padmasambhava. It is a place to slow down, wake for the mountain at dawn, and explore Sikkim's Buddhist heart.
What to see & do
- Dawn views of Kanchenjunga from Pelling
- Pemayangtse monastery and the Rabdentse ruins
- Khecheopalri, the sacred wish-fulfilling lake
- The glass Sky Walk and the Chenrezig statue
Getting to Pelling & West Sikkim
| How to reach | About 6–7 hours from Bagdogra/NJP, or 4–5 from Gangtok. |
| Best time | March to May and October to December for the mountain. |
| Permit | No permit needed for Indians to enter Sikkim. |
| Good to know | Stay overnight and set an early alarm — Kanchenjunga is usually clearest just after sunrise, before cloud builds. |
More to explore
Sela Pass & Madhuri Lake
on the road to Tawang
A high Himalayan gateway of lakes and snow.
Dirang & Bomdila
West Kameng
Apple orchards, hot springs and gompas on the Tawang road.
North Sikkim
Lachen, Lachung & Yumthang
High valleys of flowers, alpine lakes and the road to Gurudongmar.