Enlightened Mountain-Lachung

Sikkim

Sikkim was its own mountain kingdom till 1975 and still retains a very distinctive personality. The meditative, mural-filled traditional monasteries of Tibetan Buddhism coexist with Hindu shrines of the ever-growing Nepali community, with both religions creating some astonishing latter-day megasculptures to adorn the skyline.

Attractions

Must-see attractions

  • Resum Gompa

    Resum Gompa

    Sikkim

    This wobbly old temple is a peaceful, half-forgotten delight with appealingly naive paintings and an incredible 360-degree mountain panorama. There's no…

  • Norbugang Park

    Norbugang Park

    Sikkim

    All aflutter with prayer flags, the Norbugang 'coronation park' is a historic woodland garden containing a small temple, a huge prayer wheel, a chorten…

  • Samdruptse

    Samdruptse

    Sikkim

    Visible for miles, this 45m-high statue of Padmasambhava (Guru Rimpoche) is painted in shimmering copper and gilt and sits on a lotus plinth high above…

  • Buddha Park

    Buddha Park

    Sikkim

    With a breathtaking backdrop of Himalayan peaks, the gigantic, 41m-tall Buddha statue is one of Sikkim's most iconic sights. Finished in 2013, it's…

  • Namgyal Institute of Tibetology

    Namgyal Institute of Tibetology

    Gangtok

    The NIT's 1958 core building feels like a Tibetan fantasy palace, with corner towers, colourful mural frontage and a forest-glade setting. The main hall…

  • Char Dham

    Char Dham

    Sikkim

    This unmissable feast of colour is a remarkable Hindu religious theme park crowning Solophuk hilltop, 5km southwest of Namchi. It brings together replicas…

  • Tsuklakhang

    Tsuklakhang

    Gangtok

    Gangtok's 'royal' monastery has a very impressive centrepiece temple whose superb interior incorporates a pair of carved dragon columns flanking the main…

  • Rumtek, Tibetan prayer wheels

    Rumtek Gompa

    Sikkim

    Rumtek is Sikkim's most spiritually significant monastery complex. It's essentially a self-contained village with a colourful main prayer hall that was…

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Articles

Latest stories from Sikkim

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High-angle view of Gangtok City, as seen from the ropeway.

Hiking

Highlights of the Seven Sisters: why Northeast India is the place to travel right now

Oct 10, 2019 • 9 min read

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Go Beyond

Sikkim and beyond

Beyond Sikkim
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