Pelling is one of the oldest places in Sikkim and also among the most beautiful ones. There are multiple amazing places that form a plethora of tourist attractions in Pelling. They are among the most popular places for sightseeing in Pelling. We visited a couple of Pelling attractions while coming to Pelling from Kaluk. After reaching Pelling, we hired a cab from there to visit the remaining tourist attractions Pelling.
Pelling Sightseeing - Our Experience
We started early in the morning and went for sightseeing in Pelling. There are so many Pelling attractions that it takes a whole day to cover all of them. If you have the time to spend the whole day, you can go for a Whole Day Pelling Sightseeing. Otherwise, you can also opt for Half Day Pelling Sightseeing, which is planned in the perfect way to help you see the most important tourist attractions Pelling.
Almost all the places of tourist attractions Pelling offer excellent views of the Himalayan mountain range, especially Mount Kanchenjunga, and help you spend time close to nature. This is why sightseeing in Pelling is such a favorite among the tourists. There are also several places of historical interest among the tourist attractions Pelling. These form a great list of Pelling attractions that you can't afford to miss during your Pelling sightseeing.
Here's a quick look at some of the best places of tourist attractions Pelling.
Kanchenjunga Falls, Pelling
A mesmerizing perennial waterfall is located on the way from Pelling to Yuksom, at a distance of 24 kilometers from Pelling. The melting snows of glaciers high up on Mount Kanchenjunga are considered to be the source of the waters of this waterfall. And it is named after the famous peak too, as Kanchenjunga Waterfall.
The Kanchenjunga Falls came into the limelight only in the 1990s, before which it remained hidden from human eyes and was not considered a tourist attraction Pelling. As a result, it is still quite pristine, although tourists coming to Pelling or Yuksom pay a visit to this majestic waterfall.
Wondering how to reach Kanchenjunga Waterfall, Pelling?
To reach Kanchenjunga Waterfall, Pelling, we drove from Pelling toward Yuksom. It takes around an hour on the Pelling-Rimbi Road to reach the Kanchenjunga Falls. On the way to Yuksom from Pelling, we stopped at the side of the road and climbed a flight of about 50 stairs to reach the base of the Kanchenjunga Waterfall. This waterfall remains hidden from the main road by the wall of mountains, but the magical sound of the thundering waterfall told us that we were about to witness a breathtaking view.
Once we reached below the Kanchenjunga Waterfall, we saw the gushing waters taking a dip from a height of almost 100 feet. It has created a pool at the base. The sun rays fall on the sparkling waters to form spellbinding rainbows on the pool. We were mesmerized by this place of sightseeing in Pelling and spent a good amount of time appreciating the beauty of the waterfall.
Skywalk Pelling
Do you love thrill and want it to be a part of your tour to Pelling?
Pelling, the small town in Sikkim, has it in store for you in form of the Sangacholi Skywalk – more popular as Skywalk Pelling.
The Pelling Skywalk, located just beside the Sang-Ngag Choling Monastery, is a glass-bottom bridge to go to the 137-feet tall Chenrezig statue. India’s first skywalk, it offers a feeling of thrill just by walking on this wonderful creation.
We could view the gorge below us while walking on this Skywalk made of glass. It gives a feeling of free falling while walking on this skywalk. And it’s surely not for the chicken-hearted.
Sang-Ngag Choling Monastery
When we visited the Sang-Ngag Choling Monastery or the Sange Choeling Monastery in Pelling, we were spellbound by the amazing history and the beauty of this place. Founded in 1697, this Monastery in Sikkim still holds the clay statues that date back to the 17th Century.
Sidkeong Tulku Bird Park, Rabdentse
Randentse, one of the oldest places in Sikkim, is famous not only for the ruins but also for the Sidkeong Tulku Bird Park. Located on the way to the Rabdentse Ruins, this Bird Park has been named after Sidkeong Tulku, who was the 10th Chogyal of Sikkim.
We visited the Sidkeong Tulku Bird Park, Rabdentse, on our way to the Rabdentse Ruins. Both the Ruins and the Bird Park have the same gate to enter. The park has numerous types of birds, which include:
- Oriental Turtle Dove
- Long-tailed Shrike
- Common Cuckoo
- White-collared Blackbird
- Mrs.Gould's Sunbird
- Dark-breasted Rosefinch
- Golden-breasted Fulvetta
- Yellow-breasted Greenfinch
- Blue Whistling Thrush
- Grey Drongo
- Green Imperial Pigeon
- Whiskered Yuhina
In addition, the Park also has a rich flora, which is meant to attract birds of various kinds to it. Our visit to the Rabdentse Bird Park was made beautiful by the songs of birds coming from various trees of the Park. It's surely a great addition to the Pelling sightseeing list.
Rabdentse Ruins
The ancient capital of Sikkim now stands as ruins on the mountains at a distance of about 8 kilometers from Pelling. It took us only about 20 minutes to reach the gates of the Rabdentse Ruins. After visiting the Rabdentse Bird Park, we started hiking through the wild route to reach the ruins.
The hiking of about 1.5 kilometers took us along the winding, narrow road through the forest. The moist soil below was covered with layers of dry, dead leaves. It took us almost 30 minutes to reach from the gates of the Palace to the Rabdentse Ruins.
The place really amazed us with its beauty and silence. The site wore the ancient look through the majestic pillars and age-old bricks of the rooms, stairs, and courtyard. Although the ruins have not been able to stand the test of time in the best possible manner, yet they appear pleasing as well as astounding to the eyes standing against the backdrop of the mighty Himalayas.
If you don't visit Rabdentse Ruins, your Pelling sightseeing will remain incomplete.
Pemayangtse Monastery
Located close to Pelling is the Pemayangtse Monastery, one of the six major monasteries of Sikkim. Established in 1647, this monastery has been one of the most important centers of Buddhism in this state. We entered the monastery and went through every level of it. The Shrine of Guru Padmasambhava is located on the first floor and there's a museum on the second floor. After spending some time there, we roamed around on the courtyard of the Pemayangtse Monastery before moving ahead to the next point of Pelling sightseeing.
Tashiding Monastery
The Tashiding Monastery is popular among Buddhist pilgrims who want to spend time close to their revered deity. This monastery, which is one of the most important in Sikkim, sits on top of a hill at an altitude of 1465 meters. Tashiding Monastery is the venue for the annual festival of Bumchu or Holy Water, which occurs during the month of February or March.
Rimbi Waterfall
The mountains around Sikkim are spotted with waterfalls. You can find water trickling down the mountains like a beautiful, narrow lace here and there. A few of them become wider and wilder to attract the attention of the tourists. Rimbi waterfall is one such waterfall, which has gained popularity among the tourists for its enchanting beauty.
This beauty of nature offers an excellent view to the tourists and has become an integral part of Pelling sightseeing in recent times.
Rimbi Orange Garden
On our way back from Rimbi Waterfall, we stopped at a gate located right by the road. It bore the sign -- River Orange Garden. This spot is also popular as Rimbi Orange Garden.
A flight of stairs took us down from the main road to the Rimbi River. On the way, we came across a variety of well maintained and colorful flowering plants. And along with them, there were trees that were full of blooming oranges. The Rimbi River was flowing in full strength as a narrow brook here, jumping over the rocks and skidding through the slopes of the mountain.
There are also a few shops inside the Rimbi Orange Garden. Besides, you're also in luck if you want to stay in this beautiful place amid the gardens and just beside the river.
The Orange Village Homestay is located inside the Rimbi Orange Garden. This quaint, little cottage is a beautiful Pelling homestay, which you can book for as a lodging option in Pelling.
Together, the Rimbi Orange Garden, the Orange Village Homestay, and the nimble river flowing over the rocks have become one of the popular tourist attractions and is a part of the sightseeing in Pelling.
Khecheopalri Lake
The car took us to a certain spot and the driver asked us to start walking along a road paved with stones to reach Khecheopalri Lake.
This lake in Sikkim is considered sacred by the Buddhist as well as the Hindu community. The silence of the forest, broken only by the chirping of birds, added to the beauty of the walk. After we halted on the shores of the Khecheopalri Lake, the beauty of the place took all the fatigue of the walk away. The vast lake laid there as a Buddhist monk in meditation.
Through its clear waters, we could see the large fishes that resided in those still waters of the lake. The reflections of the forest around added colors to make the Khecheopalri Lake even more beautiful.
Singshore Bridge
Singshore Bridge, the second-highest bridge in Asia and the highest in Sikkim, is located at a distance of 5 Kilometers from Pelling, West Sikkim. Situated at a height of over 100 meters, this 240 meters long bridge is one of the star attractions of sightseeing in Pelling. The Singshore Bridge in Pelling offers almost a bird's eye view of the valley in between the surrounding mountains.
Standing on this magnificent bridge, we witnessed how the lush greenery of the gorge blended soothingly with the trees on the mountains around us. Then we spent some time sitting in one of the cafes just beyond the Singshore Bridge and enjoying smoking hot momo and coffee.
The Singshore Bridge is open every day from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm. The road beyond the bridge leads to Uttarey, Sikkim, which is just 10 kilometers away. Uttarey is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Sikkim these days. Therefore, the Singshore Bridge, Sikkim, experiences a good amount of traffic on a daily basis.
Geyzing Market
Once we were done with most of the places of tourist attractions Pelling and our sightseeing in Pelling, we headed toward our homestay, the Martam Farmhouse. On our way, we visited Geyzing Market. It is a small market from where you can buy a few souvenirs of your Pelling trip. It is a good idea to visit the Geyzing Market during an evening walk in Pelling, instead of visiting it on the same day of your plan of sightseeing in Pelling.
That was all for the day for us. We had planned to visit Yuksom, the first capital of Sikkim, but couldn't do it because of lack of time. It was already evening and we were quite tired when we reached Martam Farm House in Tikjuk. But the memory was fresh and pleasant with which we left Pelling. The next day, we left Pelling for Siliguri to catch our flight to Kolkata from Bagdogra Airport.
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