Rumtek monastery and the Gangtok ridge
Sikkim · 7 hrs · Cab and driver included · Pickup from your stay
From ₹4500 for the whole vehicle, up to 8 people. The price is per car, not per person.
Vehicles
- Swift Dzire: Sedan. Best for a couple or a small family. ₹4500 for the vehicle.
- SUV: Eight seats, and the one permitted on the Nathu La road. ₹8000 for the vehicle.
The Gangtok day that needs no permit
Not everything in Sikkim sits behind a barrier. This is the day that does not: no protected area permit, no capped daily numbers, no 6 am alarm, and nothing above 6,500 ft, which makes it the sensible thing to do on your first day in Gangtok before the altitude days later in the week.
It is built around Rumtek, the seat of the Karma Kagyu lineage in exile, which is only about 24 km from Gangtok and takes an hour each way because the road goes round the head of the valley rather than across it. That drive, through terraced fields and cardamom, is half the reason to go.
Either side of it: Tashi Viewpoint first thing, because Kanchenjunga shows itself early and hides by late morning, then Do Drul Chorten and Ganesh Tok on the way back for the ridge view over town. Carry photo ID, because Rumtek has a security check at the gate. You book the car, so the price is the same for two of you or eight.
Why book a car for a day this close to town
Rumtek is an hour away for 24 km
The road goes round the valley, not across it. Shared transport runs on its own schedule and leaves you waiting at the far end for a ride back.
The mountain has a window
Kanchenjunga is usually clear early and gone by eleven. Starting at Tashi Viewpoint rather than ending there is the difference between seeing it and hearing about it.
No permit, no altitude, no early start
This is the day you can book the night before and do straight off the Bagdogra drive, which is exactly why it belongs before Tsomgo rather than after.
Where you'll go
1. Tashi Viewpoint
Above town on the north ridge, and on a clear morning the place Kanchenjunga finally appears. Done first because the mountain almost always clouds over by eleven.
2. The valley road to Rumtek
About 24 km round the head of the valley through terraced fields and cardamom, which is a long way for the distance and the best driving of the day.
3. Rumtek Monastery
The seat of the Karma Kagyu lineage in exile, built to replicate the original in Tibet. There is a security check at the gate and photo ID is required, which catches people out.
Monastery entry ticket, paid at the gate
4. Do Drul Chorten
Back on the Gangtok side: a stupa ringed by more than a hundred prayer wheels, with a monastic school beside it. Quieter than its position in town suggests.
5. Ganesh Tok and the late light
A small shrine on the ridge with the whole of Gangtok laid out below it. The last stop, for the view rather than the shrine.
How you get there
One car, both sides of the valley
About 60 km across the day on narrow hill roads, with a long loop out to Rumtek and back. The vehicle, driver, fuel and parking are one flat price for the car.
- Pickup: Your stay in Gangtok at 8:30 am
- Vehicle: Swift Dzire up to 4, or SUV up to 8, with driver
- Distance: About 60 km across the day
- Highest point: Under 6,500 ft throughout
- Drop: Back at your stay around 3:30 pm
The day
8:30 am: Pickup
Carry photo ID, Rumtek's gate asks for it.
8:45 am: Tashi Viewpoint
Kanchenjunga while it is still clear. About 30 minutes.
10:00 am: The drive to Rumtek
Round the head of the valley through terraced fields.
10:45 am: Rumtek Monastery
The main hall, the courtyard and the shedra above. About 90 minutes.
1:00 pm: Lunch on the way back
A local place your driver would choose himself.
2:15 pm: Do Drul Chorten
The stupa and its prayer wheels. About 30 minutes.
3:00 pm: Ganesh Tok
The last of the ridge view over town.
3:30 pm: Drop
Back at your stay.
In your price
- Private vehicle with local driver for the day
- Pickup and drop at your stay in Gangtok
- Fuel, parking and driver allowance
- Route sequenced around the Kanchenjunga window
- GoExplorer support number for the day
Not included
- Monastery entry and camera charges
- Meals
- Anything personal
What you pay on the day
- Rumtek monastery entry
- Small entry or camera charges at the viewpoints
- Lunch and drinks
- Personal expenses
Who this suits
Everyone, including people who arrived last night, which is rather the point of it. Nothing climbs beyond monastery steps and stupa paths, and none of it is at altitude by Sikkim standards. Children of any age are fine. Dress modestly for Rumtek: shoulders and knees covered, shoes off inside. Sedan takes four, SUV takes eight, one flat price either way.
What to bring
Photo ID for the Rumtek gate, modest clothing for the monastery, a light rain layer because Gangtok makes its own weather, and cash for entries.
Cloud, mostly
Rain almost never stops this day, it just takes Kanchenjunga away, and no booking can promise you a mountain. If a landslide closes the Rumtek road, which happens in heavy monsoon, you take a full refund or a free reschedule.
Cancellation
- More than 24 hrs before: Full refund
- Within 24 hrs: 50% refund, or reschedule free once
- No show: No refund
Safety and the operator
Licensed local ground operator with a driver who knows the valley road, which is narrow and busy in places. Rumtek is a working monastery with a security check at the entrance: carry original photo ID, follow the posted photography rules inside the halls, and keep to the visitor areas.
Questions
Is the price per person?
No. It is the price of the vehicle for the day, flat, whether there are two of you or eight.
Do we need a permit for this?
No. Nothing on this route is inside the restricted area. Tsomgo and Nathu La are the ones that need permits, and they are separate bookings.
Why is photo ID needed at Rumtek?
There is a security check at the monastery gate and every visitor is registered. Bring the original, not a photo of it on your phone.
Will we see Kanchenjunga?
On a clear morning from Tashi Viewpoint, yes, and that is why it is the first stop rather than the last. Nobody can promise a Himalayan mountain and we will not pretend otherwise.
Should we do this before or after Tsomgo?
Before. It stays low, needs no permit and no early start, which makes it a much better first day than a fast climb to 12,300 ft.