Pelling in 1 or 2 Nights: What to See, How to Get There
One night in Pelling covers the Skywalk, Pemayangtse and Rabdentse; two add Khecheopalri Lake and the waterfalls. Which trip fits a start in Gangtok, Bagdogra, NJP or Darjeeling.
The short answer
One night in Pelling covers the Skywalk, Pemayangtse and Rabdentse; two nights add Khecheopalri Lake and the waterfalls, with trips from Gangtok, Bagdogra, NJP or Darjeeling.
- From Gangtok, 114 km and about 4 hours: one night straight to Pelling, or two nights via Ravangla and Namchi.
- From Bagdogra or NJP, about 4.5 hours: one night or two nights, then on to Gangtok, Darjeeling or Kalimpong.
- From Darjeeling, 62 km and about 3 hours: one night or two nights, then on to Bagdogra, NJP, Gangtok or Kalimpong.
- Kanchenjunga is clearest on early mornings from October to December. Indian travellers need no permit for Pelling.
Trips you can book for this
Hotels are not included on any of the six trips: book your Pelling room yourself and write it in the booking’s note box.
Quick facts
Checked Oct 2026
- From Gangtok
- 114 km, about 4 h
- From NJP · Bagdogra
- 124 km · 131 km, about 4.5 h
- From Darjeeling
- 62 km, about 3 h
- Sights open
- Most 8 am–5 pm, every day
- Mountain views
- Oct–Dec, early morning
- Permit
- None for Indians; RAP for foreign nationals
How many days do you need in Pelling?
One night is enough for the sights around town; two nights let you add Khecheopalri Lake, Kanchenjunga Falls and Rimbi Waterfall.
On every Pelling trip listed here, the first day is mostly the drive. The sightseeing starts from your hotel the next morning.
- One night: the Skywalk and Sangachoeling Monastery, the Pelling ropeway, Pemayangtse Monastery, the bird park at Rabdentse and the Rabdentse Ruins, then the drive on to your next stop.
- Two nights: the same morning, then Rimbi Waterfall, an orange garden, Khecheopalri Lake and Kanchenjunga Falls, and a second night in Pelling.
Pick one night if Pelling sits between two other places and you mainly want the view and the monasteries. Pick two if you want the sacred lake, or a slower pace.
With two nights, the last morning has no sightseeing in it, so the long drive out is unhurried.
How do you get from Gangtok to Pelling?
By road: Pelling is 114 km from Gangtok, about 4 hours, and you can go straight there or take the longer way through South Sikkim.
The one-night trip from Gangtok goes straight to Pelling, so you arrive with the afternoon free. After the next morning’s sightseeing it carries on to Bagdogra Airport, NJP station, Darjeeling or Kalimpong, not back to Gangtok.
The two-night trip from Gangtok takes the road through Ravangla and Namchi. Day one stops at Buddha Park and Char Dham, day two is a full day around Pelling, and day three is the drive to the same choice of drops.
If you would rather see Ravangla and Namchi on a day out from Gangtok, our South Sikkim day guide shows how that day runs. Every other road is in the distances guide.
A trip you can book
Gangtok, SikkimGangtok to Pelling 2N3D via Namchi & RavanglaMulti-dayHotel pickupFull refund up to 24 hours beforefrom $159per vehicleSee the trip →How do you get from NJP or Bagdogra to Pelling?
Straight up from the plains: Pelling is 124 km from NJP station and 131 km from Bagdogra Airport, about 4.5 hours by road.
The road follows the Teesta valley past Sevoke and Melli, then climbs through Jorethang and Legship. You stop to eat wherever you like on the way.
The driver meets you at the airport, the station or your Siliguri hotel, at the time you choose. Write your flight or train number, or your hotel, in the booking’s note box.
The one-night trip from Bagdogra or NJP covers the sights around town the next morning, then drives you on to Gangtok, Darjeeling or Kalimpong. Pelling becomes the first stop of a longer hill trip, not a separate journey there and back.
The two-night trip from Bagdogra or NJP adds the full day out to Khecheopalri Lake and the waterfalls, with the same choice of drops on day three.
A trip you can book
Siliguri, West BengalBagdogra/NJP to Pelling 2N3D Private Cab, Khecheopalri LakeMulti-dayHotel pickupFull refund up to 24 hours beforefrom $138per vehicleSee the trip →How far is Pelling from Darjeeling?
62 km, about 3 hours by road: the closest of the three start points, so you reach Pelling with most of the first day left.
The road drops to the Rangeet river, crosses into Sikkim at Jorethang and climbs again through Legship. It is the same Kanchenjunga you see from Darjeeling, from another side.
The one-night trip from Darjeeling leaves the first afternoon free to walk around Pelling, covers the sights the next morning, and drops you at Bagdogra, NJP, Gangtok or Kalimpong.
The two-night trip from Darjeeling adds the lake and the waterfalls on day two, and reaches its drop by early afternoon on day three.
A trip you can book
Darjeeling, West BengalDarjeeling to Pelling 2N3D Private Cab, Khecheopalri LakeMulti-dayHotel pickupFull refund up to 24 hours beforefrom $138per vehicleSee the trip →What are the main tourist places in Pelling, and when are they open?
Most are open 8 am to 5 pm every day, by the Gyalshing district’s own table, and only the Skywalk has a ticket.
Pelling is in Gyalshing district, which used to be called West Sikkim. Here are its main sights in the order the trips usually reach them, with the district’s timings.
- Skywalk and Sangachoeling Monastery: ticketed; check the hours and the price at the gate. A glass-floored walkway on the ridge above town, beside a large statue of Chenrezig.
- Pelling ropeway: a short cabin ride up to the same ridge. Its ticket is paid on the spot.
- Pemayangtse Monastery: 8 am to 5 pm, every day, no ticket now, operators say. One of the oldest monasteries in the state, of the Nyingma school, about 2 km before Pelling on the road from Gyalshing. Inside is a carved wooden model of Guru Rinpoche’s heavenly palace.
- Rabdentse Ruins: 8 am to 5 pm, every day, no ticket. The kingdom’s second capital after Yuksom. From the gate it is about 30 minutes’ walk to the palace ruins, and the way back climbs.
- Khecheopalri Lake: 8 am to 5 pm, every day, no ticket. A forest lake sacred to Buddhists and Hindus, 27 km from Pelling, about 45 minutes by road. Swimming, boating and feeding the fish are not allowed.
- Kanchenjunga Falls: 8 am to 5 pm, every day, no ticket. About 100 steps up from the car park, on the road to Yuksom.
None of the six trips includes the Skywalk ticket or the ropeway: you pay for them on the spot, so carry cash.
When can you see Kanchenjunga from Pelling?
Most often on clear early mornings from October to December; from June to September, monsoon cloud usually hides it.
Operators agree: October to December gives the clearest views. Cloud tends to build as the morning goes on, so the first hours after sunrise give the best chance.
The sightseeing morning on every trip starts early, with the Skywalk on the ridge above town among the first stops.
March to May brings mild days but more haze. December to February has cold nights and often clear mornings. In the monsoon, the forest paths at Rabdentse and Khecheopalri turn slippery, with leeches.
Gangtok or Pelling: which should you choose?
Both, if you can: Gangtok is the base for Tsomgo Lake, Nathula and North Sikkim, while Pelling is for the close Kanchenjunga view, old monasteries and a sacred lake.
Pelling is a small hill town that exists mostly for its view and the sights around it. Gangtok is the state capital, with more to do in town and more days out from it.
Because the trips from Gangtok end at Bagdogra, NJP, Darjeeling or Kalimpong, Pelling fits at the end of a Gangtok stay, on the way home or on to the Darjeeling hills.
For days out from Gangtok itself, see every trip from Gangtok. All six Pelling trips are side by side on the Pelling page.
What should you have ready before you go?
Your own hotel booking in Pelling, a government ID for everyone, cash for tickets and, for foreign nationals, Sikkim’s entry permit.
Indian travellers need no permit for Pelling. Foreign nationals and OCI card holders need the Restricted Area Permit (RAP): it is free and applied for online through e-FRRO, about 15 days before you arrive. The Sikkim permits guide explains it.
Bring
- A government photo ID for every traveller
- Cash for entry tickets, the ropeway and meals
- Comfortable shoes for steps and forest paths
- Clothes that cover shoulders and knees for the monasteries
- A refillable water bottle; single-use plastic bottles are not allowed
- One trolley bag and one backpack per person at most
Have ready
- Your Pelling hotel, booked yourself, for one or two nights
- Your pickup, your Pelling hotel and your drop, written in the booking’s note box
- An onward flight or train after the listing’s drop time
- For foreign nationals: the RAP, applied for online about 15 days ahead
Questions travellers ask
What is Pelling famous for?
Can you see Gangtok, Pelling and Darjeeling in one trip?
Are hotels and meals included on the Pelling trips?
Do the Pelling trips suit children and older travellers?
Is Singshore Bridge on these trips?
Is it worth going to Pelling in the monsoon?
Sources & checks
- Timings for Pemayangtse Monastery, Rabdentse Ruins, Khecheopalri Lake and Kanchenjunga Falls, and which sights are ticketed; the walk at Rabdentse and the steps at the falls (table from a 2023 survey) — Gyalshing District, Government of Sikkim (Primary Attraction page) · checked Oct 2026
- Pemayangtse Monastery: one of the oldest in the state, of the Nyingma school, and its wooden model of the Guru’s heavenly palace — Gyalshing District, Government of Sikkim · checked Oct 2026
- Rabdentse: the kingdom’s second capital after Yuksom — Gyalshing District, Government of Sikkim · checked Oct 2026
- Road distances to Pelling from Gangtok, NJP, Bagdogra and Darjeeling, and to Khecheopalri Lake — OpenStreetMap routing (OSRM) · checked Oct 2026
- Each trip’s start, drops, stops and their order; what is paid on the spot; luggage and the note box; the lake’s rules; walking; the roads from NJP and Darjeeling; who the trips suit — The trips' own listings on Day Trio · checked Oct 2026
- Kanchenjunga clearest from October to December; no ticket at Pemayangtse now; Singshore Bridge or Yuksom added to a two-night trip for an extra charge; permits for Indian and foreign travellers — First-hand: the author and local operators who run these trips · checked Oct 2026
