Pelling - Highlight
- Pelling, at 7200 Ft is a small town is West Sikkim, is famous for the majestic view of Mt. Kanchenjunga
- Located at 131 kms from Gangtok, the capital of Sikkim
- Best time to visit Kalimpong is April-May and again mid-October to mid-December
- Singshore bridge, located near pelling, is the 2nd highest suspension bridge in Asia
Pelling is a small town situated in the Indian state of Sikkim which has an average altitude of 7,200 feet above the sea level. On the foothills of the third largest peak Kanchenjunga the small town of Pelling is located. The view of the beautiful Kanchenjunga is wonderful from here. It is also the trekker’s destination. Pelling is surrounded by the beautiful Himalayan and Kanchenjunga mountains along with alpine trees and waterfalls on the hillside. The local language of this place is Sikkimese Nepali, Bhutia, Lepcha, Hindi and the local people are mainly Buddhists. Pelling is also the house of a number of monasteries. Tourists love to spend time in the monasteries here.
In one of the monastery named as Pemayansgtse Monastery is known for the famous Cham dance that is held every year in the month of January. Sangachoeling Monastery is an important monastery in Pelling.
Changey waterfall which is some 10 km away from Pelling is a marvelous spot to visit. The mesmerizing panoramic view of the Himalayas and the breath taking away view of Kanchenjunga attracts thousands of tourists from all over the world
How to Reach
- Air — Bagdogra is the nearest accessible airport. Distance of Pelling from Bagdogra is 124 kms. Chennai, Kolkata, Guwahati and Mumbai have regular flights to this airport. Taxis will take you from the airport to Pelling.
- Rail — New Jalpaiguri is the nearest rail head. Chennai, New Delhi and Kolkata have regular train connectivity to New Jalpaiguri. A taxi will take you from the airport to Pelling.
- Road — situated at a distance of 114 kms from Siliguri, driving is an option that has to be done via taxis or rented cars in this town
Distance of Darjeeling from below places:
| Place | Distance (KM) |
|---|---|
|
Siliguri |
132 |
|
Darjeeling |
75 |
|
Gangtok |
132 |
|
Kolkata |
688 |
Weather
Pelling Temperature:
- Summer (Apr to Jun) — Temperatures are mild and range between (12°C) to (22°C)
- Monsoon (Jul to Sep) — Regular rainfall happens. This is not a good season for tourists
- Winter (Oct to Mar) — Temperatures are low and range between (4°C) to (20°C)
- Best Season to Visit — April to May and Oct to Dec are the best season for tourism
What to See
Photo by dhillan chandramowli, CC BY-SA 2.0
Pemayangtse Monastery
Pemayangtse Monastery is considered to be the most important and as well one of the oldest monastery in Sikkim. This monastery was founded by the Nyingma-pa sect in 1705. The three storied monastery s a house some exclusive paintings and sculptures. On the top most floors there abode of Guru Rimpoche which is a 7-tiered painted wooden model with angels and rainbows and the whole panoply of Buddha and bodhisattva. The religious Cham dance that is held every year in the month of January
Sangachoeling Monastery
Sangachoeling Monastery is the oldest monastery in the state of Sikkim. It was built in 1697 AD by Lhatsun Ankh Sigma. This monastery is house of the three hundred year old Buddhist crematorium. A huge number of accessories belonging to the Buddhists and Buddhism are housed in this monastery. The monastery is open for all the communities
Photo by Sujoy25, CC BY-SA 4.0
Khecheopalri Lake
Khecheopalri Lake is marked as a sacred lake in the state of pelling. It has various others names too like Kha-Chot-Palri, Wishing lake and Sho Dzo Sho. This lake is surrounded by thick dense forests. It is said that the birds staying around the place don’t even. Allow a leaf to float in the lake. The lake is considered sacred both by the Hindus and Buddhists. Tourists from all over the world come here
Changey Waterfall
Changey Waterfall is located 10 km away from the town of Pelling. The beautiful waterfall is situated on a height of 300 metres. The waterfall is surrounded by greenery and dense forest as a backdrop. The waterfall disappears while descending downwards into the deep forests
Photo by Pankaj.biswas, CC BY -SA 4.0
Singshore Bridge
It is one of the oldest and highest suspension bridges with a height of 680 ft. Designed by connecting two mountains, it is symbolic of monumental architectural excellence. The bridge is an ideal spot from where one may see the majestic hills in the periphery of the region. Moreover one may get an awesome view of the underlying hills. The sight of the water streams going past the boulders is very picturesque. One may get the best panoramic view right from the centre of the Singshore bridge
Photo by Sujay25, CC BY -SA 4.0
Kanchenjunga Waterfall
Situated 25 km from Pelling, Kanchenjunga Waterfall is a major tourist attraction of the state. The crystal clear water of the Kanchenjunga Waterfalls falling from a great height and bouncing upon the boulders creates a mesmerizing sight. The sharp curve in the cascading fall is a treat to watch and gets beautified even more with the sight of the rainbows
Photo by Amritendu Mallick, CC BY -SA 4.0
Rabdantse Ruins
Rabdantse was the second capital of Kingdom of Sikkim between 1670 and 1814. This was destroyed by the invading Gorkha army. This is now maintained by Archaeological Society of India as a monument of national interest.
Other Details
>> What to Do
- Visit the Darap Village. It offers a wide range of activities to look forward to.
- Go fishing at Rimbi. It is located 2 kms from Darap.
- Visit the Limboo Heritage house. In 1810 it was built by the Limboo Chief.
- Go for a trek to Rani Dunga.
- Bird watching at Khanchendzongna Biosphere Reserve
- Hot stone bath
>> Where to Eat
- Melting Point — Located at Middle Pelling. Cosy lounge and an adjacent balcony with an amazing view is the crowd puller here. The wholesome Sikkimese and the Western favorites are also delicious. 5-7 in the evening are the happy hours.
- Anjali Restaurant – Located at Middle Pelling. Sisnoo, ningro and a glass of chang in here will leave you wanting for more. Fiery chilli chicken with noodles here are toothsome too
- Taatopani Bar and Restaurant – Locality Middle Pelling. The restaurant with a bar. It is filled to brim in the peak seasons
>> What to Buy
Local costumes, traditional crafts along with organic products such as tea, walnuts and cardamom are the things to shop in Pelling
>> Get Around
The town is a small one and one can just walk around it. Or you can just rent a cycle if you are a nature enthusiast.
