Namchi

Guru Rinpoche on the hilltop and Shiva on the next ridge

Namchi is the headquarters of Namchi district (the old South Sikkim) at about 1,315 m, a clean, easy-going town 100 km from Siliguri. Go for the giant Guru Padmasambhava statue at Samdruptse, Char Dham on Solophok hill and the walk up Tendong Hill. One night is enough; it also works as a day stop between Siliguri and Ravangla.

Photo: Subhrajyoti07 · CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

Namchi means 'sky high' in Sikkimese, a name that makes more sense when you stand at Samdruptse, 7 km above town, beside a statue of Guru Padmasambhava about 45 m tall. Below it, the town spreads over a broad ridge with a tidy central plaza, a fountain, a sports stadium and a long market street. It is warmer and lower than Ravangla or Pelling.

Since the 2000s the state has built two large pilgrim sites here: the Samdruptse statue, completed in 2004, and Char Dham at Solophok, opened in 2011, which brings Hindu pilgrims from across India. To the north rises Tendong Hill, sacred to the Lepcha people, whose legend of the great flood centres on it.

Namchi is an easy first stop out of Siliguri, about 3.5–4 hours by road, and a good base for Temi Tea Garden and Ravangla. Most visitors spend one night and keep moving to Pelling or Gangtok.

Highlights

What Namchi does best

Samdruptse statueA 45 m statue of Guru Padmasambhava on a hilltop at about 2,100 m, facing the Kangchenjunga range.
Char Dham at SolophokA hill complex with replicas of India's four main pilgrim shrines and a 33 m statue of Shiva.
Tendong HillA forested hill sacred to the Lepchas, with a walking trail to a viewpoint at about 2,600 m.
Namchi Rock GardenA terraced garden of flowers, ponds and paths on the road up to Samdruptse.
Ngadak MonasteryAn old monastery in Namchi town, with a newer hall beside the eighteenth-century building.
An easy first nightOnly 3.5–4 hours from Siliguri, with good roads and hotels for all budgets.

Experiences

Four hours to plan around

spiritual · 1.5–2 hours Samdruptse and the statue of Guru Rinpoche Namchi, West and South Sikkim

spiritual · 2 hours Char Dham pilgrimage on Solophok hill Namchi, West and South Sikkim

nature · 5–6 hours return Walk up Tendong Hill from Damthang Namchi, West and South Sikkim

food · 2 hours Namchi bazaar food trail Namchi, West and South Sikkim

Getting there

How to reach Namchi

Shared jeep

Shared jeeps leave Siliguri for Namchi through the morning and early afternoon, about ₹250–350 a seat and 3.5–4 hours via Melli. From Gangtok, morning jeeps cost about ₹200–300. Jorethang, 20 km below Namchi, has frequent jeeps too.

Private car

A reserved car from NJP or Bagdogra costs about ₹3,800–4,800 and takes 3.5–4 hours via Sevoke, the Teesta valley and Melli. From Gangtok it is about ₹3,500–4,500 and 3 hours.

Air

Bagdogra (IXB) is about 110 km and 4 hours away. Pakyong airport near Gangtok has had irregular flights; check current status before you travel.

Rail

New Jalpaiguri (NJP) is the nearest major railway station, about 105 km away.

Where to stay

Rooms we book

Namchi has the widest range of hotels in South Sikkim. Mid-range hotels near the central plaza and on the road to Samdruptse cost ₹2,500–5,000 a room, with simpler hotels at ₹1,200–2,500. A few larger hotels have Kangchenjunga views from upper floors. Avoid booking rooms close to the stadium during football tournaments if you want quiet.

From our planners

Five things to know

Visit Samdruptse in the morning and Char Dham in the afternoon; both are about 5–7 km from town in different directions.
Char Dham has a strict dress code and shoe rules inside the shrines; carry socks for cold floors.
For Tendong Hill, start from Damthang early and carry water; there are no shops on the trail.
Namchi is warmer than Ravangla; it is a good winter stop when higher towns are icy.
Expect large crowds at Char Dham on Mondays in the Hindu month of Shravan and during Maha Shivaratri.

The local story

Tendong Hill and the great flood

The Lepchas, the oldest known inhabitants of Sikkim, tell of a time when the rivers Rangeet and Teesta rose and flooded the whole land. People and animals fled uphill as the water climbed, and many were lost.

Read the whole story →

Questions travellers ask

Questions about Namchi

How many days do I need in Namchi

One night is enough for most people. You can see Samdruptse, Char Dham and the Rock Garden in a half day by car, and add Temi Tea Garden or Ravangla the next morning on your way north. Add a second night if you want to walk up Tendong Hill, which takes a long half day from Damthang.

How far is Namchi from Siliguri

Namchi is about 100 km from Siliguri, 3.5–4 hours by road via Sevoke, the Teesta valley, Melli and Jorethang or the Melli–Namchi road. A shared jeep costs about ₹250–350 a seat and a reserved car from NJP about ₹3,800–4,800. It is one of the quickest Sikkim towns to reach from the plains.

What is Char Dham in Namchi

Char Dham, also called Siddhesvara Dham, is a pilgrim complex on Solophok hill about 5 km from Namchi, opened by the Sikkim government in 2011. It has a 33 m (108 ft) statue of Shiva, replicas of the four main dhams of India (Badrinath, Jagannath, Rameswaram and Dwarka) and of the twelve jyotirlingas. Entry is about ₹50–100.

Who does the Samdruptse statue show

It shows Guru Padmasambhava, also called Guru Rinpoche, who brought Buddhism to the Himalaya and is the patron saint of Sikkim. The statue is about 45 m (135 ft) tall and stands on Samdruptse hill above Namchi. The Dalai Lama laid its foundation stone in 1997, and it was completed in 2004.

Can foreigners visit Namchi

Yes. Foreign nationals need the Sikkim Inner Line Permit, available at the Melli and Rangpo checkposts or online, and should carry it with their passport. No extra permit is needed for Namchi, Samdruptse, Char Dham or Tendong. Permit rules can change, so check current status before you travel.

Is Namchi good for a family trip

Yes. Drives are short, roads are good, sights are easy to reach by car with little walking, and there are hotels for every budget. Children usually enjoy the Rock Garden and the size of the statues. Namchi is milder than Ravangla or Pelling, which helps with young children in winter.

Can you see Kangchenjunga from Namchi

Yes, on clear days, especially from Samdruptse hill and the upper floors of some hotels, mainly from October to March in the morning. Namchi is lower and farther from the range than Pelling, so the view is smaller. Haze from the plains can hide it in spring. Treat it as a bonus rather than the main reason to come.

What is the weather like in Namchi

Namchi is mild for Sikkim: about 5–15°C in winter, 15–25°C in spring and autumn, and warm and wet in the monsoon. Fog is common in the monsoon and in some winter mornings. October to April is the best time. June to September brings heavy rain and occasional landslides on the roads.

How do I go from Namchi to Pelling

Namchi to Pelling is about 70–80 km, 3–3.5 hours via Jorethang and Legship, or via Ravangla. A reserved car costs about ₹3,500–4,500. Shared jeeps run from Namchi to Jorethang and from Jorethang to Gyalshing, with a change. Many travellers break the trip at Ravangla to see Buddha Park.