Discover South Sikkim

If you’re looking for a hotel in South Sikkim, you can start by planning your trip around the landscapes, landmarks and activities that interest you. Namchi District ranges in elevation from 400 to 2,000 metres. Its landscape includes farmland, terraced slopes and forests dotted with springs. This variety offers different ways to plan your trip: Would you like to take in views across a valley, explore religious heritage, or focus on nature trails and bird species?

Landscapes and viewpoints

From the summit of Samdruptse Hill, you can see Namchi, Darjeeling, Kalingpong, Kanchendzonga and eastern Nepal. Samdruptse, near Namchi, is also home to a 135-foot statue of Guru Padmasambhava. The viewpoint combines sweeping vistas with a distinctive religious landmark. Tarey Bhir offers another perspective on the landscape: the ridge is 10,000 feet long and has a viewpoint overlooking Sikkim’s river valleys and forests. From there, you can see the panoramic confluence of the Teesta and Rangeet rivers.

Temi Tea Garden offers a different perspective on the landscape. It stretches across a gentle slope extending from Tendong Hill and offers striking views of the surrounding villages. A visit to the tea garden’s factory can offer insight into tea-processing methods. Check in advance whether a factory visit is possible.

Temples, monasteries and religious heritage

Siddheshwar Dham is on Solophok Hill, 5 km from Namchi. The complex includes a 108-foot statue of Shiva, replicas of the twelve Jyotirlingas, and models of the four Hindu Char Dham temples: Jagannath, Badrinath, Dwaraka and Rameswaram. If you’re comparing religious landmarks by their different associations, you’ll find here both features dedicated to Shiva and models of important temple sites.

Karma Rabdenling Goenpa in Ralong, near Rabong, was built around 1730 by Miwang Gyurmed Namgyal, the fourth Denjong Chogyal. It is considered the oldest Karma Kagyu Goenpa in Sikkim and is one of the state’s six prominent monasteries. In Ravangla, Buddha Park (Tathagata Tsal) is home to a 130-foot Buddha statue. The park was established between 2006 and 2013 and became a stop on the “Himalayan Buddhist Circuit”. These different historical and religious associations can help you consider landmarks not only by their size but also by their history.

Nature and trails

Kitam Bird Sanctuary is home to more than 200 bird species and over 200 butterfly species, including migratory birds. Those interested in wildlife observation can focus on both birds and butterflies. Ravangla has numerous short nature trails. A trek also leads downhill from the area around Ravangla to the sacred cave of Shar Chok Bephu.

Another cave, Sharchog Bey Phug, is in Sangmo village in southern Sikkim, about an hour’s walk from Rabong. It is approximately a quarter of a mile long and is said to extend as far as Tendong and Maenam Hill.

The Indian Himalayan Centre for Adventure and Ecotourism in Chemchey is in the Central Himalayas, near Khangchendzonga. Its mission is to develop and promote adventure and ecotourism through safe, environmentally responsible activities. Private taxis, jeeps and buses run regularly on the Chemchey–Namchi–Siliguri Highway. If you’re planning to travel by bus, check the services available on your travel date.

Then compare the specific options to see which location best suits your plans.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Geyzing, Singtam, Namchi, Rhenock, Damthang, North Sikkim, West Sikkim, East Sikkim.

Back to the main travel guide: Sikkim.