The laid back, scenic, but rapidly
swelling hamlet of Pelling, situated 2,085m above
sea level only 2-km beyond Pemayangtse, looks north
towards the glaciers and peaks of Kanchenjunga. High
above the forest- covered hills, in an amphitheatre
of cloud, snow and rock, the entire route from Yoksum
over Dzongri La to the Rathong Glacier can be seen.
Walks & Treks
Pelling itself consists of little more than a road
junction, Helicopter pad and numerous hotels, creating
the so-called "Bengali Boulevard", a strip
of highly unimaginative identikit concrete blocks.
Luckily, from most angles this development is hidden
by the forested slopes and Pelling offers numerous
attractive walks and hotel terraces from where one
can gaze in awe at the world's third highest peak.
PRIME ATTRACTIONS
Sanga Choling Monastery
A 4-km trail rises from the playing fields just above
Pelling to reach the small monastery of Sanga Choling,
one of the oldest gompas in Sikkim. This gompa is
another of Lhatsun Chenpo's creations, and is highly
venerated among the Nyingmapa. Gutta by fire, it has
been rebuilt and houses some of the original clay
statues.
TREKKING
For those with permit endorsements to visit Khechepalri
Lake, Yoksum and Tashiding, a scenic low-altitude
trek along trails and roads starts from Pelling. Public
transport run from both Yoksum and Tashiding back
to Legship from where one can continue to Ghezing,
and eventually back to Pelling.
HOW TO GET THERE
Road:
Shared jeeps travel regularly until mid or late afternoon
between Pelling and Ghezing; twice daily for Gangtok,
and once a day for Siliguri. There is no direct service
to Yoksum from Pelling but a daily bus leaves Ghezing
and travels via Legship and Tashiding. One bus leaves
Ghezing daily for Khecheopalri Lake and passes through
Pelling, and two leave Pelling for Ghezing, and eventually
back to Pelling.
