Namchi travel guide

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Namchi town is a pilgrimage place for Buddhist all over India. Namchi located in the Indian state of Sikkim in the district of South Sikkim, at an altitude of around 5500 feet. The town lies near the main city of Gangtok, and it is also located near Siliguri, at a distance of around 100 kilometers. . The Buddhist Padmasambhava is a saint that was spreading Buddhism in Bhutan and Tibet. The Eight Manifestation is held in Namchi every year, so the place is crowded with tourists and pilgrims.

Major Tourist Spots in Namchi:

Namchi monastery the namchi monastery, actually known as the decchen choyling gumpa is located at ahaley a small area within the namchi town, just beyond the baichung bhutia stadium.
The monastery complex is lovely and quite charming with gold wall imprints of the various bodhisatvas (visible on the left hand side of the pic, near the other gumpa)

this should be one of the other major attractions of the namchi town, but it barely gets written about because most of the hype and traffic is directed to the sandruptse statue.

Ralang Monastery

portrays the true spiritual side of Sikkimese people. Located at a distance of 6 kms from Ravangla, Ralang Monastery is easily accessible from Namchi via Ravangla in South Sikkim district. Ralong Monastery is regarded as the one amongst the most significant and most consecrated monasteries of Sikkim. The Monastery was built to commemorate the successful pilgrimage of the fourth Chogyal to Tibet.

Guru Padmasambhava statue:

135 ft high is the tallest statue of statue of Guru Padmasambhava, known as Guru Rinpoche, in the world. Located on a soaring hilltop, 7.5 km from the marketplace, the spot also offers some spectacular sights. One can also catch some fabulous sunrise and sunset upon this “wish fulfilling hill” (for that is what ‘Samdruptse means in Bhutia). The foundation stone of the landmark was laid by H.H. the Dalai Lama in October 1997 and the enormous statue was finally completed and consecrated in November 2003.

Solophok :

This is a place where there are depictions of all kinds of pilgrimages like the Chaar Dham Yatra of the Hindus. There are huge statues of Lord Shiva and temples dedicated to the auspicious pilgrimage of Char Dham. Lying around 5 km from Namchi, this is slowly also becoming a cultural hub.

Rock Garden, just few kilometers up from the town on the way to Samdruptse, is agreat picnic spot and offers magnificent view of Mount Kanchendzonga (the Third highest Peak in the World).

Meanam Peak : This is around 12 km from Ravangla. Situated at a height of 10,300 feet, this trek up to the top reveals a lot of dense expanse of forests, which really mesmerize the trekker. A perfect place for an adventure lover, the forests of rhododendrons, chestnut and oak, is also the natural living spot for the Himalayan Black Bear. Notwithstanding the fact that the Red Panda and many kinds of species of deer is also found here. Thus this place has rightly been assigned the distinction of being a wildlife sanctuary. Here is where one also finds the Bhaley Dunga. This is a natural projection of the rock like a rock spur. There is a ridge in the Yangang village which has a ridge. The Bhaley Dunga projects out from this ridge. This is a lovely sight and a perfect treat for the adventure lover, naturalist and the wildlife enthusiast.

Tendong Hill :

Atop a height of 8530 ft, the local language translates Tendong as a horn which shoots up. The lores of the Lepcha tribe relate this place to a flood which totally flooded this place and submerged it. It is said that Tendong Hill came up to save this land. The locals even today, offer prayers at the hill before the rainy season so that the deities don’t get angry and cause another calamity like before.

Helipad, located 5 km away from town at an altitude of around 5000 fts, gives the most panaromic view of Mt. Kanchanzonga and the surrounding mountains, a part of Darjeeling Kalimgpong and the rolling plains of Bengal. The visitors can savour the breathtaking view of Temi tea garden the one and the only tea estate in the state which produces top quality tea in the international market.

Baichung Stadium built by the Sikkimese government in honour of its most famous citizen, footballer Baichung Bhutia

Salleybong Bul Cave : Popular as a wishing cave, the locals believe that wishes come true in this cave. The distance of the caves is around 30minutes by road from Namchi. Hindus revere this as a holy site.

Maenam Wildlife Sanctuary is situated 25 kilometres from Namchi, and it is rich in rare flora and fauna. This was the only source of water for the surrounding area, so it is considered a holy place.

Tendong State Biodiversity Park : Located around 16 km from Namchi, it has the best of varieties of medicinal plants from the Himalayas. The Forest Department of Sikkim takes care of this. Rare species are found here and the Biodiversity Park is a conserved zone. A tourist coming here likes to know more about plants he has not seen and species he hasn’t found.

If you are planning your vacation in February, you can attend the annual flower show. Buy some rare orchids for your home, but don’t forget about other beautiful flowers. As a sport passionate, you can attend the Gold Cup Soccer Tournament. Although this is an amateur competition, the competition attracts players from Nepal, Bangladesh and Bhutan.

Namchi Transportation
There are many modes of transport that you can opt for in order to reach Namchi. Buses and jeeps will readily be available from all local destinations within the state, and flights and trains can also be taken to the region. Buses will be available from the nearest railway station or airport to Namchi as the place is well connected through roads.

Namchi Accommodation
The Indian Government realized the importance of this place as a tourist destination, so the infrastructure is great. However, the locals are somewhat behind this trend, so accommodation options are limited. However, fewer hotels mean more quality, so you won’t have to worry about this aspect. All the hotels are comfortable and suited for a long-term holiday. The food is also great, as you could taste some Indian exotic specialities there. The people are also trying to accommodate themselves with the new touristic aspect of Namchi, trying their best to make the tourists to feel good.

Namchi map

Sikkim, India

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