In the print dialog pick “Save as PDF” to keep it on your phone. A5 makes a pocket booklet; A4 suits a desk printer.
Voykit pocket guide · India
Pelling
Give Pelling 2 nights: base in Upper Pelling for the Kanchenjunga view, see the monastery and ruins on foot, and skip it if you want nightlife or a big town.
Pelling is a small ridge town in West Sikkim at about 1,900 m, built around the view of Kanchenjunga and a cluster of old monasteries. Two nights covers the sights on foot; three if you add the Rabdentse walk and a Darap village day. It is a quiet, cold, walk-heavy stop, not a resort town.
- Country
- India
- Best months
- Mar–May, Oct–Nov
- Avoid
- Jun–Sep (monsoon, leeches and landslides), Jan–Feb (cold, but clear)
- Stay
- 2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- INR
- Money
- Indian rupees (INR, ₹) in small notes for autos, street food, tips and entry tickets.
- Daily spend
- Budget ₹1,200–2,000 excl. bed · Mid ₹2,000–3,500 excl. bed · High ₹3,500+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Jio, Airtel and Vi sell tourist SIMs at airport counters and their shops; passport, visa and a photo needed; activation can take a few hours.
- Emergency
- All services 112
- Plugs
- Types C, D, M · 230 V · 50 Hz · Round two-pin C plugs fit most sockets; D (three round pins) is the common wall socket; hotels often have universal sockets. UK and US plugs need an adapter.
- Tipping
- Street food and dhabas: Nothing.; Restaurant: 5–10% if no service charge is on the bill.; Car and driver: ₹300–500 a day at the end of the trip.; Guide: ₹300–500 for a half day.; Hotel porter / housekeeping: ₹50–100.; Auto or Uber: Round up.
- Water
- Not drinkable from the tap. Buy sealed bottles (check the cap), or use RO-filtered refill stations in hotels and cafés; avoid ice from street stalls.
- Toilets
- Western toilets in hotels, malls and airports; squat toilets with a water jug or hose in stations and villages. Carry tissue and sanitiser; paid public toilets (Sulabh) cost ₹5–10.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Thali or momo plate | ₹80–200 |
| Thukpa or noodle soup | ₹100–180 |
| Tongba (millet wine, bamboo cup) | ₹50 |
| Tea or coffee | ₹20–60 |
| Shared jeep, Pelling to Geyzing | ₹50–100 |
| Guesthouse double room, standard | ₹500–800 |
| Internet, per hour | ₹50 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- IXB · Bagdogra (Siliguri)
- Nearest airport, about 115–135 km (71–84 mi) by road; 4–5 h by shared jeep or private car, longer in the monsoon.Nearest airport, about 71–84 mi (115–135 km) by road; 4–5 h by shared jeep or private car, longer in the monsoon.
- PYG · Pakyong (Gangtok)
- About 125 km (78 mi) from Pelling; few flights, check schedules before relying on it.About 78 mi (125 km) from Pelling; few flights, check schedules before relying on it.
Typical fares
- Shared jeep Pelling → Gangtok
- about ₹150, 4–5 h
- Shared jeep Pelling → Siliguri
- about ₹150–350, 5–6 h
- Hired jeep Siliguri → Pelling
- ₹3,000–4,000 per vehicle
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
The town is one 2 km (1.2 mi) road from Lower to Upper Pelling: walk it, or take a shared jeep for short hops. Pemayangtse Monastery and Rabdentse Ruins are a 10–20 min walk from Upper Pelling. For Darap, Rimbi or Kechapalari Lake, hire a jeep or join a shared one from the Upper Pelling crossing.The town is one 1.2 mi (2 km) road from Lower to Upper Pelling: walk it, or take a shared jeep for short hops. Pemayangtse Monastery and Rabdentse Ruins are a 10–20 min walk from Upper Pelling. For Darap, Rimbi or Kechapalari Lake, hire a jeep or join a shared one from the Upper Pelling crossing.
See and do
Known for
- Kanchenjunga views
- Pemayangtse Monastery
- Rabdentse Ruins
- Chenrezig statue and skywalk
- Limboo village culture
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Yuksom | Shared jeep from the Upper Pelling crossing, about 1 h | About 1.5 h |
| Geyzing | Shared jeep, about 30 min | About 45 min |
| Kechapalari Lake | Shared jeep via Pelling, or hire a jeep | About 1.5 h |
| Rimbi | Shared jeep or hired jeep | About 1 h |
Sleep
- Upper Pelling
- Highest part of the 2 km (1.2 mi) ridge road; the Kanchenjunga view rooms and the pricier hotels. Walk to Pemayangtse and the helipad.Highest part of the 1.2 mi (2 km) ridge road; the Kanchenjunga view rooms and the pricier hotels. Walk to Pemayangtse and the helipad.
- Middle Pelling
- Between the two; near the State Bank of India, the tourist office and most restaurants. Good balance of price and access.
- Lower Pelling
- Cheapest rooms and the bus and jeep counters; mostly Indian tour groups, less view, more road noise.
- Darap village
- About 7 km (4.3 mi) out, homestays run by the Darap Eco-Tourism Committee; quiet, farming, no town facilities.About 4.3 mi (7 km) out, homestays run by the Darap Eco-Tourism Committee; quiet, farming, no town facilities.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Thank you | धन्यवादdhanyabad |
| How much is it? | कति हो?kati ho |
| Where is the toilet? | शौचालय कहाँ छ?shauchalaya kahan chha |
| Please stop here | यहीं रोक्नुहोस्yahin roknuhos |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Namaste (palms together) or a handshake between men; wait for a woman to offer her hand; avoid: Hugging or kissing strangers
- Hands and feet: Give and eat with the right hand; apologise if your foot touches someone; avoid: Pointing feet at people or shrines; touching books or food with your feet
- Temples: Shoes off, walk clockwise around shrines, accept prasad (blessed food) with the right hand; avoid: Leather in Jain temples; entering sanctums that say Hindus only
- Home visit: Bring sweets or fruit; accept tea at least once; avoid: Refusing all food; wearing shoes inside
- Questions: Expect personal questions (married? job? salary?) as friendliness; avoid: Taking offence; answer vaguely if you prefer
- Saying no: A firm, polite 'nahi, dhanyavaad' (no, thank you) and keep walking; avoid: Long explanations to touts
- Dress: Loose clothes covering shoulders and knees; kurta tops are cheap and cool; avoid: Swimwear or shorts away from Goa beaches
Scams and watch-outs
- Altitude is 1,900 m and the ridge is steep: pace the first day and drink water.
- One bank and one ATM (State Bank of India) in Pelling, and it does not change foreign currency; it can run out of cash. Bring rupees from Gangtok or Siliguri.
- Monsoon (Jun–Sep) brings landslides and road closures on the Siliguri and Gangtok routes.
- Shop and taxi prices are tourist prices: agree the fare before you get in.
- Most Sikkim travel needs an inner-line permit for foreign visitors; check the current rule before you go.
Pelling is quiet and low-crime, and the real risks are mountain roads, monsoon landslides, altitude on the first day and cash running out. Solo women generally report few problems; walk the ridge road in daylight and agree jeep fares first.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Pelling yet. Suggested stay: 2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Kanchenjunga views
- Pemayangtse Monastery
- Rabdentse Ruins
- Chenrezig statue and skywalk
- Limboo village culture
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Sikkim Tourism (Government of Sikkim): www.sikkimtourism.gov.in/
- OpenStreetMap — Pelling: www.openstreetmap.org/#map=13/27.3000/88.2333
- Wikivoyage: Pelling, revision 5249782 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5249782
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Pelling
यो ठेगानामा जानुहोस्
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- All services112
No embassies in Pelling; the US, UK and most others have embassies in New Delhi and consulates in Kolkata. Check the current list before you travel.
Carry ₹100 notes: small shops and jeeps rarely have change.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/pelling). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.