Gangtok Pelling and Darjeeling Tour Package

Highlights & Route

This seven-day circuit adds West Sikkim to the Gangtok-Darjeeling pair, and in doing so reaches the part of Sikkim that most visitors miss. Pelling sits on a ridge at about 2,150 m facing Kanchenjunga directly, closer than from Gangtok or Darjeeling, and around it lie the oldest monuments of the former kingdom: Pemayangtse Monastery, founded in 1705, and the ruined palace of Rabdentse, Sikkim’s second capital, in a forest clearing a short walk away.

The road from Gangtok to Pelling passes two of South Sikkim’s modern pilgrimage sites. At Ravangla the Tathagata Tsal (Buddha Park) has a 130 ft gilded statue of the Buddha, consecrated in 2013, on a hillside with the mountains behind it. At Namchi, the Siddheshwar Dham complex on Solophok hill has replicas of the four Char Dham shrines and the twelve Jyotirlingas around a 108 ft Shiva statue, which many Hindu families find a moving stop. Khecheopalri Lake near Pelling, sacred to both Buddhists and Hindus, is said to be kept clean of leaves by birds.

The tour then crosses into West Bengal for two nights in Darjeeling, with the Tiger Hill sunrise, Ghoom Monastery, the Batasia Loop and the heritage toy train, and ends at Bagdogra or NJP. It is a week of long views and short walks rather than treks, and the halts are chosen so that no driving day exceeds five hours.

Route

Bagdogra or NJP → Gangtok (2 nights) → Tsomgo Lake and Baba Mandir → Namchi and Ravangla → Pelling (2 nights) → Khecheopalri, Pemayangtse, Rabdentse → Darjeeling (2 nights) → Tiger Hill → Bagdogra or NJP drop

Good to know before you book

Tsomgo Lake, Baba Mandir and Nathula lie in a Protected Area. Indian citizens need a permit, which we arrange: carry an original voter ID, passport or driving licence and two passport photos. Aadhaar is not accepted for Sikkim protected-area permits, and children need a birth certificate or school ID.
Nathula Pass (about 14,140 ft) is open to Indian citizens only, on a limited number of permits each day, and is generally closed to tourists on Mondays and Tuesdays; snow or army orders can close it on any day. Foreign nationals may visit Tsomgo Lake but not Nathula.
Foreign nationals need an Inner Line Permit to enter Sikkim, issued free at the Rangpo or Melli checkpost against passport and visa, and must travel in a group of at least two for protected areas.
Pelling is at its best from October to December and March to May; in the monsoon the mountain is hidden and the Pelling-Darjeeling road can be slow.
Pemayangtse Monastery and Rabdentse are ticketed, and Pemayangtse asks visitors to remove shoes and cover shoulders; photography inside is not allowed.
The toy train joy ride is optional and booked through IRCTC; Tiger Hill means a 4 am start.

Yatra Highlights

Tsomgo Lake and Baba Mandir from Gangtok
Siddheshwar Dham at Namchi, the Ravangla Buddha, Pemayangtse monastery and Rabdentse ruins
Tiger Hill sunrise, Ghoom Monastery, Batasia Loop and the Darjeeling toy train

Day 1 :

Bagdogra or NJP to Gangtok

Pickup at Bagdogra airport or New Jalpaiguri station at your arrival point (airport, railway station or hotel) at the agreed time and drive about 125 km, four to five hours, along the Teesta into Sikkim. Check in at Gangtok, hand over IDs and photos for the Tsomgo permit, and take an evening walk on MG Marg. Dinner at the hotel.

Overnight: Gangtok

Day 2 :

Tsomgo Lake and Baba Mandir

After breakfast, the day trip to Tsomgo (Changu) Lake at about 12,300 ft, two hours above Gangtok, and on to Baba Harbhajan Singh Mandir, the army shrine near the Nathula road. Indian citizens may add Nathula Pass on open days with a separate permit (optional, extra cost). Return to Gangtok by late afternoon; visit the Do Drul Chorten stupa if there is light. Dinner at the hotel.

Overnight: Gangtok

Day 3 :

Gangtok to Pelling via Namchi and Ravangla

After breakfast, drive south-west, about 115 km and five to six hours including stops. At Ravangla, visit the Tathagata Tsal (Buddha Park) and its 130 ft statue, with a meditation hall and gallery below. At Namchi, visit Siddheshwar Dham on Solophok hill, with its 108 ft Shiva statue, replicas of Badrinath, Kedarnath, Jagannath and Rameswaram and the twelve Jyotirlingas; across the valley the 135 ft statue of Guru Padmasambhava stands on Samdruptse hill.

Continue to Pelling, arriving by evening. Dinner at the hotel.

Overnight: Pelling

Day 4 :

Pelling sightseeing

Wake early for the Kanchenjunga view from the hotel or the Pelling helipad ground; the massif is at its clearest in the first hour of light. After breakfast, drive to Khecheopalri Lake, about 25 km, a wish-fulfilling lake sacred to Buddhists and Hindus in a forest bowl, reached by a short flat walk lined with prayer flags. Stop at Kanchenjunga Falls and Rimbi Falls on the way.

In the afternoon, visit Pemayangtse Monastery, founded in 1705 and the head monastery of the Nyingma order in Sikkim, with a seven-tiered wooden model of Guru Rinpoche's heavenly palace on its top floor. Walk from there through forest to the Rabdentse ruins, the stone remains of the royal palace of the 17th and 18th centuries, with a viewpoint over the valley. End at the Pelling Sky Walk and the Chenrezig statue above the town. Dinner at the hotel.

Overnight: Pelling

Day 5 :

Pelling to Darjeeling

After breakfast, drive to Darjeeling, about 75 km but four hours on hill roads, descending to the Rangeet river at Jorethang, crossing into West Bengal and climbing through the tea gardens of Singla and Lebong. Check in to the hotel by afternoon. Visit the Japanese Peace Pagoda and spend the evening at Chowrasta. Dinner at the hotel.

Overnight: Darjeeling

Day 6 :

Tiger Hill sunrise and Darjeeling sightseeing

A 4 am start for Tiger Hill (2,590 m) to see the sun rise on Kanchenjunga, with Everest visible far to the west on the clearest mornings. Return via Ghoom Monastery (Yiga Choeling, 1850) and the Batasia Loop with its Gorkha war memorial. Breakfast at the hotel.

Later, visit the Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park and the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute (both closed Thursdays), the Tibetan Refugee Self Help Centre (closed Sundays) and the Happy Valley tea estate. The optional toy train joy ride from Darjeeling to Ghoom and back fits into the afternoon if booked in advance. Dinner at the hotel.

Overnight: Darjeeling

Day 7 :

Darjeeling to Bagdogra or NJP

Breakfast and check-out. Drive down to Bagdogra airport or NJP station, about 70 km and three hours. Drop at your departure point (airport, railway station or hotel); please book departures after 1 pm.

Night	Place	Hotel (or similar)	Room type
1	Gangtok	Hotel confirmed at booking	Standard room, sharing basis
2	Gangtok	Hotel confirmed at booking	Standard room, sharing basis
3	Pelling	Hotel confirmed at booking	Standard room, sharing basis
4	Pelling	Hotel confirmed at booking	Standard room, sharing basis
5	Darjeeling	Hotel confirmed at booking	Standard room, sharing basis
6	Darjeeling	Hotel confirmed at booking	Standard room, sharing basis

Frequently Asked Questions

Expand all

Why add Pelling to a Gangtok-Darjeeling trip?

Because it gives you the closest view of Kanchenjunga on the circuit, the oldest monastery and palace of the Sikkim kingdom, and the pilgrimage sites of Namchi and Ravangla on the way, all at a slower pace than the two bigger towns. If you have a full week, it is the natural third stop.

Is Siddheshwar Dham a real pilgrimage site?

It is a modern complex built by the Sikkim government and opened in 2011, with replicas of the Char Dham shrines and the twelve Jyotirlingas around a large Shiva statue. It is not a substitute for the original dhams, but it is a well-kept and peaceful place, and families who cannot travel to all four dhams value the darshan here.

What ID is needed for the Tsomgo permit?

A voter ID, passport or driving licence in original for each adult, with two passport photos. Aadhaar is not accepted for Sikkim protected-area permits. Children need a birth certificate or school ID.

Will we see Kanchenjunga?

Most likely from Pelling and Tiger Hill if the sky is clear, which it usually is from October to December and March to April. Cloud is common in the monsoon and the view can be missed on any single morning, which is why the tour has mountain-facing halts on three different days.

How long are the driving days?

Four to five hours on Days 1, 3, 5 and 7, with stops; the Gangtok to Pelling day is the longest because of the Namchi and Ravangla visits. Days 2, 4 and 6 are local sightseeing with shorter drives.

Can the toy train be included?

Yes, as an optional extra. The joy ride from Darjeeling to Ghoom and back takes about two hours on the heritage railway and is booked through IRCTC; seats sell out in season, so tell us when you book.

Can we add Nathula Pass to this Gangtok, Pelling and Darjeeling package?

Yes, for Indian citizens, as an optional extra on Day 2. Nathula needs a separate permit and vehicle, which are not in the package price, and it is added to the Tsomgo Lake and Baba Mandir day. Permits are limited each day. The pass is generally closed to tourists on Mondays and Tuesdays, and snow or army orders can close it on any day, so it cannot be promised in advance. Foreign nationals may visit Tsomgo Lake but not Nathula.

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Gangtok Pelling and Darjeeling Tour Package (this page)	7 days / 6 nights	Bagdogra / New Jalpaiguri	From ₹40,500
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Gangtok Pelling and Darjeeling Tour Package

Highlights & Route

Route

Good to know before you book

Yatra Highlights

Day-by-Day Itinerary

Inclusions & Exclusions

Included

Not included

Hotels

Documents & Fitness

Documents to carry

Fitness and health

Cancellation Policy

Frequently Asked Questions

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