Pelling

Pelling, at about 2,150 metres in the Gyalshing district of West Sikkim, is the state's premier viewpoint town — a quiet ridge settlement whose great draw is an almost absurdly close, full-frontal view of Kanchenjunga, the world's third-highest mountain at 8,586 metres, which on clear mornings fills the northern sky in a wall of snow and ice straight from the breakfast table.

• Beyond the views, Pelling is rich in Sikkimese heritage.
• The Pemayangtse Monastery, founded in 1647 and one of the oldest and most important in Sikkim, is a serene three-storeyed Nyingma gompa famous for its wall paintings, sculptures, and a remarkable seven-tiered wooden model of the Buddhist heavenly palace.
• A short walk away lie the Rabdentse Ruins — the moss-grown remains of the second capital of the kingdom of Sikkim, set on a forested spur with sweeping valley views and a sacred chorten.
• Pelling's newer attractions have made it a family favourite: the Pelling Glass Skywalk, India's first transparent cantilevered skywalk (opened 2018), leads to a towering 137-foot statue of Chenrezig (Avalokiteshvara) at Sanga Choeling.
• The sacred Khecheopalri Lake — a wish-fulfilling lake revered by both Buddhists and Hindus, whose surface is kept spotlessly clear of fallen leaves by the birds — the Kanchenjunga and Rimbi waterfalls, the Singshore suspension bridge (one of the highest in Asia), and the Sanga Choeling Monastery complete the circuit.
• The traditional villages of Darap and Rinchenpong reward travellers with more time, and the drive up to Pelling itself, through cardamom forest, terraced fields, and waterfalls, is part of the pleasure, winding through some of West Sikkim's prettiest mountain country.
• For vegetarian travellers, Sikkim's organic-state kitchens make it easy: dal-bhat-tarkari (lentils, rice, and seasonal vegetables), gundruk and sinki (fermented greens) soups, vegetable momos, thukpa, and churpi.
• The best months are March-May (rhododendrons, clear peaks) and October-December.