North Sikkim
At an altitude of 7,200 feet Pelling, a town in the district of West Sikkim, is located at a distance of 10 km from the district headquarters of Geyzing. Pelling is famous for the panoramic view of the snow-capped Kanchenjunga range (if weather is favorable), the third highest peak in the world. Pelling have many sacred shrines, caves, mountain-peaks, lakes and rivers for pilgrims to visit. It also forms the base from where trekkers and other peripatetic adventurers undertake the strenuous and arduous treks in West Sikkim. It offers appropriate sites for mountain biking, rock climbing, village tours, meditations, educational studies and many more.
Pelling is very cleverly connected by proper roads and bridges to all the tourist destinations and all the nearest towns (Gangtok, Darjeeling, Siliguri, Jorethang, Singtam and Kalimpong). It is 115 km from the state capital Gangtok and about 135 km from Siliguri, the nearest railhead and airport.
Kanchenjunga Waterfalls:
Kanchenjunga falls is situated around an hour drive from Pelling towards Yuksom at a sharp curve on the road side. This tourist spot is not easily seen from the road because it is hidden. One has to climb a series of steep stairs to reach the base of the fall. Locals say it is fed by streams originating from the glaciers near the base of Mount Kanchenjunga. Before 90s, this fall was not well known to the tourist and even the locals who passed by it. Today this spot is being developed with needed infrastructure for the comfort of the tourist and has become one of the leading tourist spots in west Sikkim.
Rabdentse Ruins:
Rabdentse was the royal capital of Sikkim established by the second Chogyal in the latter half of the 17th century. The capital city was destroyed by the invading Gurkha army and only the ruins of the palace and the chortens are seen here now. Archaeological Survey of India is maintaining and undertaking the restoration works. The place is surrounded by dense forest with a water pond. The scenic view from the top of the ruins scanning across deep valley to the mystic heights of Kanchendzonga ranges is something to be cherished and etched in memory. The ruins are maintained very well and it is very peaceful there. A good place to hike and then just relax and soak in the quiet and calm. The walk down is comparatively easier as it is mostly decent. This place is definitely a hidden gem of Pelling.
Pemayangtse Monastery:
Pemayangtse Monastery is a Buddhist monastery and is very close to Mount Pandim with a steep approach. Literally translated as ‘Perfect Sublime Lotus’, the Pemayangtse Monastery is one of Sikkim’s oldest and most significant Nyingmapa Monastery. It was mainly built for ta-sang lamas or the purest monks, but it eventually grew in size and started serving all communities. The Monastery has some very old relics and life like statues of The Buddha and other prominent personalities in Buddhism. There are 3 stories floors in this monastery. The first floor is for holy writings and top floor is museum contains ancient hand written books, pots, crockery, cloths, sculptures which were used in this monastery since ancient time. The last one having a huge prayer wheel for worship. The atmosphere is serene and quiet with lots of lamps burning with yak butter. This is an ancient monastery which is sure worth to visit.
Khecheopalri Lake:
Located at 1950m, this placid natural reservoir – pronounced ‘ketchup-perry’ – is highly revered by both Buddhists and Hindus and is believed to be a wish fulfilling lake. Khecheopalri Lake, originally known as Kha-Chot-Palri means the heaven of Padmasambhava. The local name for the lake is Sho Dzo Sho, which means “Oh Lady, Sit Here”. It is located near Khecheopalri village, 147 kilometres west of Gangtok and 34 kilometers to the northwest of Pelling. The Lake remains hidden under the rich forest cover. Locals believe its shape to be akin to the footprint of the goddess Tara. An interesting feature of the lake is that leaves are not allowed to float on the lake, which is ensured by the birds which industriously pick them up as soon as they drop into the lake surface. During Khecheopalri Mela (March/April), butter lamps are floated out across the lake.
Sewaro rock Garden:
This Rock Garden has been developed by the tourism department of Sikkim where rocks, gardens, pools, zigzag foot paths and interesting recreation amenities like swimming yard and viewpoints are highly maintained. The garden is lush green with a lot of flora growth and vegetation. The Rimbi River flows alongside the garden. There are well designed pathways along the garden. This has now come up as one of the popular picnic spot for the locals in Sikkim where many local picnic parties arrive in winter.