Pelling
Closest hotel-window views of Kanchenjunga in Sikkim
Best time to visit Pelling
- Jan, shoulder season
- Feb, shoulder season
- Mar, peak season
- Apr, peak season
- May, shoulder season
- Jun, best avoided
- Jul, best avoided
- Aug, best avoided
- Sep, best avoided
- Oct, peak season
- Nov, peak season
- Dec, shoulder season
peak shoulder off-season avoid
- Go: March to April and October to November
- Shoulder: May and December to February, quieter, and the weather is less of a sure thing
- Skip: June to September
Pelling season by season
Winter December to February Shoulder
Cold, clear mornings: reliable Kanchenjunga-from-bed views with a fraction of Gangtok's crowd.
Summer March to May Prime time
Mar-Apr brings the best light on the peaks; by May haze creeps in ahead of the rains.
Monsoon June to September Do not go
Persistent cloud erases the very views Pelling is famous for, plus landslide risk on approach roads.
Autumn October to November Prime time
The reliable window: the clearest Kanchenjunga views of the year, cool and comfortable.
What Pelling is actually like
Quieter than Gangtok - sunrise balconies, day trips to Khecheopalri lake.
Getting to Pelling
4-5hr shared jeep from Gangtok or NJP via Jorethang.
Practical ways in: road
Trip facts
- How long to stay
- 3 days
- Budget
- Mid-range
- How busy
- Steady at its peak
- Solo travel
- Fine solo
- Altitude
- 2150 m
- State
- Sikkim
- Coordinates
- 27.2970, 88.2370
Common questions
When is the best time to visit Pelling?
March to April and October to November is peak season in Pelling. May and December to February is shoulder season: thinner crowds, a bit more risk in the weather. Avoid June to September. The reliable window: the clearest Kanchenjunga views of the year, cool and comfortable.
How many days do you need in Pelling?
3 days is the usual stay. Quieter than Gangtok - sunrise balconies, day trips to Khecheopalri lake.
How do you get to Pelling?
4-5hr shared jeep from Gangtok or NJP via Jorethang. Practical ways in: road.
Is Pelling expensive, and does it get crowded?
Mid-range by Indian travel standards, and it runs steady at the busiest time of year. Fine solo.
Nearby, and where to go next
-
Yuksom
Sikkim
Sikkim's first capital, trailhead for the Goecha La trek
10 km from Pelling, roughly under an hour by road
-
Ravangla
Sikkim
Laid-back South Sikkim town under a 130ft Buddha statue
20 km from Pelling, roughly under an hour by road
-
Barsey Rhododendron Sanctuary (Hilley)
Sikkim
Singalila ridge walk at 3000 m through rhododendron forest
20 km from Pelling, roughly under an hour by road
-
Namchi
Sikkim
South Sikkim pilgrim town with a 108-ft Shiva and Char Dham
30 km from Pelling, roughly under an hour by road
-
Darjeeling
West Bengal
Queen of the Hills - tea, toy train, Kanchenjunga views
40 km from Pelling, roughly about 1 h by road
-
Sandakphu
West Bengal
West Bengal's highest point - sunrise over 4 of 5 top peaks
50 km from Pelling, roughly about 1 h by road
-
Kalimpong
West Bengal
Quiet hill town near Darjeeling - monasteries, nurseries
50 km from Pelling, roughly about 1 h by road
-
Gangtok
Sikkim
Sikkim's capital and gateway: monasteries, MG Marg cafés
60 km from Pelling, roughly about 2 h by road
More places to visit in Sikkim
- Barsey Rhododendron Sanctuary (Hilley) Sikkim
- Dzongu (Lepcha Reserve) Sikkim
- Gangtok Sikkim
- Namchi Sikkim
- North Sikkim (Lachen-Lachung) Sikkim
- Ravangla Sikkim
- Yuksom Sikkim
- Zuluk Sikkim