Namchi

The district headquarters of South Sikkim has come into tourist prominence only during the last few years. Previously Namchi used to be considered just a large town with little or no attraction for tourists. However, under the aegis of the Chief Minister of Sikkim, who also happens to be the legislator from the area, Namchi slowly but surely made its mark in the tourism scene of Sikkim.

The attraction of Namchi is partially natural and partially man-made. The Chardham Temple on the hilltop and the Samdruptse statue, are man-made attractions that Indian tourists find quite attractive. Even the Namchi market and its well-maintained central park is a good place to spend leisurely hours.

Tourists looking for natural attractions may visit Chemchey, Bhiretar or Temi tea garden. All within an hour’s drive from Namchi.

Getting There

From NJP / Bagdogra Namchi is about 100 km and about 4 hours drive. It is closer to Kalimpong which is about 50 km and two and a half hours away. Darjeeling through the main road is about 70 km and 3 hours distance.

Among the different tourist destinations of Sikkim, Namchi is about 90 km and 4 hours drive from the capital Gangtok. The nearest tourist place is Ravangla, just 26 km away and takes less than an hour to reach. Pelling about 75 km away takes about 2.5 hours to reach.

Things to see and do

Char Dham

Sri Siddhesvara Dham, popularly known as the Char Dham is an attempt to bring together the most important religious sites of India in one place, in the form of their replicas. The idol of Lord Shiva is the largest with a height of 33 meters. It can be seen from the neighbouring hills of Sikkim as well as far from Bengal. Indian religious tourists find the place quite attractive, but for international travellers, the attraction is limited as the construction is very recent.

Char Dham located at Solophok hill can be reached by vehicle from the main market which is about 5 km away. The last couple of kilometres to Char Dha am is a forested area, where birding can be explored to great advantage.

Samdruptse Statue

This is a 36-meter-high statue of Guru Padmasambhava. The statue is located about 7 km away from Namchi town in the opposite direction of Char Dham and on the way towards Ravangla. The place is called Tendong Hill. On a clear day, the place offers an excellent view of the surrounding mountains.

Ngadok Monastery

This monastery is located close to the Samdruptse statue, it's a peaceful place where you can spend a few moments among the chants of the monks in a well-maintained and preserved monastery.

Tarey Bhir viewpoint

About 16 km from Namchi town near the village of Sadam is the location of Tarey Bhir. It is a long ridge that spans east to west with a deep gorge on one side. The total length of the steep ridge is about a kilometre. The government here has constructed pedestrian footsteps which you can follow to take the long ridge walk. The views from the top are great with Kalimpong, Teesta Bazar, Rongpo, Tinchuley, Peshok, Ichey Gaon and many other tourist destinations visible from here.

Temi Tea Garden

The only tea garden in Sikkim has located 30 km from Namchi which is an hour's drive. The organic tea garden produces some of the best tea in the region. Temi is a popular tourist destination and there are tourist accommodations available nearby for an overnight stay.

IHCAE Chemchey

Indian Himalayan Centre for Adventure and Eco-tourism has located about 15 km from Namchi. Within the compound, there is also a tourist accommodation with great mountain views. Tourists visit the IHCAE compound for a panoramic mountain view of the surrounding. There is a nice restaurant here which offers good Indian and continental food.