Top things to do near West Sikkim. Get a list of handpicked activities and nearby tourist attractions of West Sikkim
Kanchenjunga Falls
Half an hour from the beautiful hill station of Pelling in Sikkim, Kanchenjunga falls is a perennial waterfall that is one of the major tourist attractions in the region.
Geyzing
The capital city of the West Sikkim District, Geyzing is located at an altitude of 6,500 feet above the sea level with lofty and majestic mountains of the Himalayan range surrounding the city. The river Rangeet surges in the western part of the city. Keeping aside the scenic beauty of the nature that can be seen in this city; the many monasteries situated here make it a major tourist attraction.
EASTERN MYSTERY TOUR
Magical Mystery Tour is a 52-minute-long British surreal comedy television film starring the Beatles (John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr) which originally aired on BBC1 on Boxing Day, 26 December 1967, in a monochrome transmission at 8:35 PM.
Tasiding Monastery
Tasiding Monastery is a Buddhist monastery of the Nyingma sect of Tibetan Buddhism. It is located on top of the hill rising between the Rathong chu and the Rangeet river 40 kilometres from Geyzing and 19 kilometres to the south east of Yuksam.Tashiding Monastery reflects an old world charm with a serene ambiance that is ideal to seek some enlightenment and spirituality. Being one of the oldest Buddhist Monasteries in Sikkim, it make a great destination not to be missed by the tourists. One can also enjoy the scenic view of the fluttering prayer flags and holy stupas that are built for spiritual benefit of the devotees.
Darap Village
As a living testimony of the Limboo culture and tradition Darap village is one of the undiscovered villages in the valley of where travelers looking for a taste of bucolic life far from the maddening crowds of touristic places. Darap village is a place that blends with natural resources and bio diversity, more than elsewhere in the state of Sikkim. Local homestays offer a village retreat gifting you a quiet holiday with the glorious scenic wonders of the charismatic village.There are a lot of tourist-related activities that can be done in Darap village like trekking, traditional house visits, handicraft making, bird-watching and visiting the caves at Kanchenjunga National Park etc.Darap has been a successful village in retaining the pristine nature of its flora and fauna over the years.
Yuksom
Located in the western region, Yuksom is a beautiful place to visit in Sikkim. The place is in the heart of mountain covered with lush green vegetation. Situated near the khanchenjunga National park,Yuksom is also the base camp for some of the most adventurous treks in Sikkim. The place is also with a highly religious and historic importance to the sikkimese as the first chogyal were crowned here. It is located in a peaceful, cozy surrounding covered by high hills and green forest. This small, but beautiful village doesn’t look like a growing centre of urbanisation, yet it has some decent facilities like hotels, restaurants, tour agencies etc.The first sight of Yuksom was very refreshing.
Pemayangtse Monastery
Buddhist monastery called as Pemayangtse Monastery near Pelling in the northeastern Indian state of Sikkim, located 110 km west of Gangtok.Pemayangtse means "Perfect Sublime Lotus", and is said to represent one of the four plexus of the human body. The monastery was built for pure monks. The Pemayangtse Monastery is part of Buddhist religious pilgrimage circuit which is one of the oldest and the most important monasteries of Sikkim. An intricately carved wooden structure located on the top floor displaying a heavenly sphere known as ‘Zangdokpalri’ is the unique feature of the monastery which makes the monastery worth to visit. The head lama of this monastery had the unique privilege of anointing the Chogyals of the erstwhile monarchy of Sikkim with holy water. Pemayangtse means "Perfect Sublime Lotus", and is said to represent one of the four plexus of the human body.
Coronation Throne of Norbugang
Simple monastery complex with very old relics & building. This place is about 20 minutes walk from the main yuksom bazaar and about 10 minutes from the Kathok lake. Its a must visit and take a guide along with you to know the history of the place.oronation throne is also called the meeting place of 3 monks. This place has a lot of history as it was also the 1st capital of Sikkim. One also need ticket to enter into monastery.It was a quiet and calm place, very sacred to locals there. The footprints of one of the monks can still be seen there.The moment you enter through the gate of the coronation throne, you feel like you have been taken back in the time of the Namgyals.
This place is also every botanist's dream. A lot of rare and indigenous trees and plants can be found here.
Kartok Lake
Kathok Lake is favourite and easily accessible destination in Yuksom Town. The place is quaint where you can meditate, read books or just sit by the bank. The place is ideal for an evening stroll during a leisure stay at yuksom. A serene place where u can sit for hours with closed eyes.The lake is very small a walk around it takes only 10 - 15 minutes. Dragonflies were buzzing around everywhere. The reflection of prayer flags that line the lake make for a lovely atmosphere.During December/January, a festival is celebrated in Karthok Lake which is worth to attain.
Rabdentse Ruins
The second capital city of the former Kingdom of Sikkim Rabdentse was destroyed by the invading Gorkha army and only the ruins of the palace and the chortens are seen here now. From the vantage point of this former capital, superb views of the Khanchendzonga ranges can be witnessed. It is a part of Buddhist religious pilgrimage circuit starting with the first monastery at Yuksom known as the Dubdi Monastery. This monument has been declared as of national importance by the Archaeological Survey of India and can be visited by all history enthusiasts.
Pelling
Pelling is a small hill town in the District of West Sikkim, with an altitude of 2150m,it is located at a distance of 131km from Gangtok. The Himalayas and the Kanchenjunga may be viewed at a close quarters from Pelling. The main attraction of the place is the breath-taking sight of the Khangchendzonga and the neighbouring peaks. It also provides sites for mountain biking, rock climbing, village tours, meditations, educational studies and several other activities. The scenic town of Pelling is a perfect holiday destination for all nature lovers.
Kanchenjunga National Park
Earlier known as Kanchenjunga National Park, it is a Biosphere reserve and a National Park. Khangchendzonga National Park is nestled in the beautiful Indian state of Sikkim. Named after the third-highest peak in the world, this national park is sprawled over an area of around 849.5 sq km. A number of glaciers are found in this park. Zemu glacier is one of them. Counted amongst the few high altitude parks, Kanchenjunga National Park enjoys popularity across the globe. The park is counted amongst the rarest parks across the globe.Diverse tropical geography of the park enables it to house a wide variety of vegetation, which includes forests consisting of Oaks and Willow, Birch, Maple and Fir etc. The park also offer rare medicinal plants and herbs.Mammal species of the park include musk deer, Himalayan Tahr, wild dog, snow leopard, sloth bear, red panda, Tibetan wild ass, civet, Himalayan black bear, Himalayan blue sheep, serow, goral and many more.For trekkers, it is not less than paradise. Several explored and unexplored trekking routes of the park are feasts for trekkers around the world. Exploring such high peak is a challenge for real adventurers.