Sikkim, Darjeeling, Kalimpong, the Dooars and Bhutan · a planner replies within one working day
Try "Gangtok", "toy train", "rhino", "Bhutan permit"
A five-night loop from Siliguri through South and West Sikkim: the great statues of Namchi, Buddha Park and Temi tea at Ravangla, two nights in Pelling and a quiet farm night in Rinchenpong. Drives are short and the pace is easy.
This loop avoids Gangtok entirely and shows the gentler south and west of Sikkim. No drive is longer than about 3 hours except the first and last, and each night is in a different kind of place: a district town, a cool monastery town, Sikkim's best-known view, and a farming village on a ridge.
It suits families, older travellers and anyone who wants mountains and monasteries without passes, permits or long days in a car. Indians need no permits at all. Foreign travellers need only the Sikkim ILP.
Highlights
Three ways to do it
Budget
₹14,500 pp
Needs early starts and some changes at Jorethang and Gyalshing.
Ask for BudgetValue
₹26,000 pp
The easiest balance of comfort and cost for families.
Ask for ValueComfort
₹42,000 pp
Quiet heritage rooms and an SUV with the same driver all week.
Ask for ComfortIndicative, per person, twin sharing, for the whole package. Mix tiers night by night if you like. Your written quote lists every cost.
Day by day
Pick-up at NJP or Bagdogra in the morning. Drive along the Teesta via Sevoke to Melli, then climb to Namchi at about 1,315 m. After lunch, drive up to Samdruptse to see the statue of Guru Padmasambhava, stopping at the Rock Garden on the way down. Late afternoon at Char Dham on Solophok hill. Evening walk around the central plaza.
Drive via Damthang to Temi Tea Garden and walk among the tea bushes, then buy tea at the factory counter. Continue to Ravangla at about 2,100 m. In the afternoon visit Ralang Monastery and the old gompa below town. Ravangla is cool and often misty; ask for a heater.
Be at Buddha Park when it opens for the quietest visit and the best chance of a clear sky. Drive down to Legship on the Rangeet and up through Gyalshing to Pelling. Afternoon at leisure, or walk to the helipad ground in Upper Pelling for evening views of the range.
Sunrise on Kangchenjunga. Visit Pemayangtse Monastery and walk to the Rabdentse ruins. After lunch, drive to Khecheopalri Lake and back via Rimbi waterfall, or, if you prefer a lighter day, visit the skywalk and Sangachoeling and rest.
A last sunrise in Pelling, then a short drive south to Rinchenpong at about 1,700 m. After lunch at your farmstay or homestay, walk to Rinchenpong Monastery and its rare statue of the Adi Buddha, then down through the village to the old poison lake. Sunset over the range from the ridge.
Sunrise from the ridge, then breakfast and the drive down to Jorethang and Melli and out to the plains. Reach NJP or Bagdogra by early afternoon. Book onward trains or flights for after 4 pm, and later in the monsoon.
Included
Not included
Where you sleep
A small resort of wooden cottages in a garden outside Ravangla, one of the older tourist stays in South Sikkim. It is a good base for …
A long-running resort in Upper Pelling with terraced cottages facing the Kangchenjunga range. It is our usual Value pick when families want space and a view …
Small family-run guesthouses and lodges line the lanes of Upper Pelling, many with rooftop views of Kangchenjunga. They are the cheapest way to stay in Pelling …
A heritage hotel on the ridge just below Pemayangtse Monastery, a short drive from Upper Pelling. It is the quietest Comfort choice in West Sikkim, with …
A working family farm below Rinchenpong, with rooms in an old farmhouse dating from the 1820s and a newer cottage. It is one of the best-known …
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Questions travellers ask
It suits families with children, older travellers and anyone who prefers short drives and calm towns over high passes. There is no permit-heavy day, no altitude above about 2,150 m and no drive longer than 5 hours. Keen trekkers or snow seekers should look at Yuksom treks or North Sikkim instead.
Indicative per-person prices on twin sharing are about ₹14,500 in the Budget tier, ₹26,000 in Value and ₹42,000 in Comfort, including rooms, breakfasts, dinners and transport. Rinchenpong meals are all included. Prices rise in October, the Puja holidays and New Year week, and fall in the monsoon.
Yes. Add two nights in Gangtok before Namchi or after Ravangla: Gangtok to Ravangla is about 65 km and 2.5–3 hours. That makes a seven-night trip. Gangtok adds city life, Rumtek and Tsomgo Lake, but also busier roads. Ask us for a combined plan.
Yes. Add a night in Yuksom between Pelling and Rinchenpong. The Pelling–Yuksom drive is about 1.5–2 hours, and Yuksom to Rinchenpong is about 2.5–3 hours via Gyalshing or Tashiding. You gain Sikkim's first capital, Dubdi Monastery and Tashiding, at the cost of one more day.
October to early December and February to April are best, with clear mornings and dry roads. March and April bring flowers and the first flush at Temi. January is cold but bright. June to September is the monsoon: views are rare and landslides can disrupt the drives, so it is the least suitable time.
Yes. Most sights can be reached by car with short walks. Buddha Park and Char Dham have paved paths with some steps. The Rabdentse walk is about 1 km each way on a forest path, which can be skipped. Choose the Value or Comfort tier for warmer rooms and a private car.
No. Drivers in Sikkim know the sights and will drop you at each one. A local guide can add depth at Pemayangtse, Rabdentse or Rinchenpong, for about ₹800–1,500 per group, and your hotel can arrange one. For monastery visits, a guide helps explain paintings and rituals.
You have several chances: from Namchi and Samdruptse, Ravangla, two mornings in Pelling and one or two in Rinchenpong. Between October and April, most travellers see the range at least once, usually at sunrise. In the monsoon, views are rare, so plan the trip outside June to September if the mountains matter most.
Landslides can close roads for hours, mainly in the monsoon. Our drivers will take an alternative route where possible, such as via Ravangla instead of Jorethang. A delay may shorten a sightseeing day, and in rare cases a night may need to change. Check current status before you travel and keep your last day flexible.
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