Pelling

Pelling is a hill station in Gyalshing district of Sikkim, India. Pelling is nestled at an altitude of 2,150 m (7,200 feet). The town is located at a distance of 10 km from Gyalshing city, the district headquarters and 131 km from Gangtok. A regular bus service connects the two towns. However, with the influx of tourists, the region is undergoing a metamorphosis, with the roads being repaired and hotels being set up. The Himalayas and the Kanchenjanga may be viewed at close quarters from Pelling. Pelling also forms the base from where trekkers and other peripatetic adventurers undertake the strenuous and arduous treks in West Sikkim. The land around Pelling is still a virgin territory and is bathed with alpine vegetation, with numerous waterfalls lining the hillside. In the months of winter, Pelling is sometimes covered with a blanket of snow. Pelling is 115 km from the state capital Gangtok and about 135 km from Siliguri, the nearest railhead and airport. Regular jeeps connect Pelling to the towns of Jorethang, Kalimpong and Namchi. The nearest airport is Bagdogra airport. Most of the people of Pelling are Buddhists and speak the Sikkimese language. Other languages spoken are Nepali, Hindi, and English. Places to visit in and around Pelling include the local monasteries, rock garden, waterfall, the holy rock of Rani Dhunga, the imposing double-pronged Kanchenjungha Falls, the archaic quaint Singshore Bridge, the Changey Waterfalls, and the Khecheopalri Lake holy to Buddhists. Rabdentse Palace Ruins - Rabdentse was the second capital of the former Kingdom of Sikkim from 1670 to 1814. The capital city was destroyed by the invading Gurkha army and only the ruins of the palace and the chortens are seen here now. However, the ruins of this city are seen close to Pelling and in West Sikkim district in the Northeastern Indian state of present-day Sikkim; Pemayangtse Monastery is one of the oldest monasteries in Sikkim which is close to the ruins. Pemayangtse Monastery - It was built in 1705 located in Pemayangtse (2 km from Pelling).