village · Rhenock, Gangtok
A farm day at a Rhenock village homestay
The slopes around Rhenock are farming country. Families grow maize, rice in the lower terraces, vegetables, ginger and large cardamom under the shade of trees, and keep cows and goats. Sikkim was declared India's first fully organic state in 2016, and on small farms like these you see what that means in practice: compost, cow dung and hand weeding rather than chemical sprays, and seed often saved from one harvest to the next.
A day here has no fixed plan. Walk the fields with your host in the morning, help with whatever is in season, and ask to watch or help in the kitchen. Depending on the house, you may see sel roti being fried, gundruk greens being dried, or chhurpi cheese being made. Children are welcome to play with the family's kids. Evenings are early, with dinner by the fire and stories over tea.
Book through your driver or agent and ask which homestays are registered with the tourism department this season, as standards and openings change. Rates of about ₹1,500–2,500 per person usually include dinner and breakfast, indicative 2026. Bring a small gift from home rather than sweets from the bazaar, pay fairly for anything extra, and ask before photographing people or the inside of the house. Expect shared bathrooms in some homes.
Good for
Questions people ask
Good to know
Are there homestays in Rhenock
Yes, a small number of registered village homestays operate in the villages around Rhenock, alongside a few simple hotels and lodges in the bazaar. Homestays usually charge about ₹1,500–2,500 per person per night with dinner and breakfast, indicative 2026. We do not name individual houses because standards change; ask your driver or agent which are registered and open.
What crops are grown around Rhenock
Farms around Rhenock grow maize, vegetables, ginger and large cardamom, with rice on the lower terraces, and many families keep cows and goats. Mandarin oranges ripen in the winter months. Sikkim was declared India's first fully organic state in 2016, so small farms here rely on compost and manure rather than chemical fertilisers and pesticides.
Is a Rhenock farm stay good for children
Yes. At about 1,040 m there is no altitude concern, the pace is slow, and children usually enjoy the animals, the fields and playing with the family's own kids. Bring closed shoes, insect repellent and a torch. From June to September paths are muddy and leechy, so we suggest visiting between October and May.
