Morning walk to Lachung Monastery

The Lachung Monastery stands on the slope across the river from the main bazaar, reached by a footbridge and a steep lane between houses and apple trees. It belongs to the Nyingma school, the oldest of the Tibetan Buddhist traditions and the one most closely tied to Guru Padmasambhava, who is revered across Sikkim. It was established in 1880 and is still the spiritual centre of the village.

Inside the main hall you will see the usual layout of a Sikkimese gompa: images of the Buddha and Guru Rinpoche, wall paintings of protective deities and rows of seats for the monks. Walk clockwise around the building and the prayer wheels, take off your shoes at the door and ask before you photograph anything inside. Mornings are best because prayers are often under way.

The monastery holds an annual masked dance, or chaam, in winter. Dates follow the Tibetan calendar, so ask your hotel when you book. On the way down, look at the older houses with stone ground floors and wooden upper storeys, built that way to keep animals and stores safe from the snow.