Photo: dhillan chandramowli · CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

PhodongHeight above mean sea level 1,400 m

monastery town · North Sikkim

One of Sikkim's six great monasteries, 38 km from Gangtok

Best Oct – May0–1 nights

Phodong is a farming town 38 km north of Gangtok, known for Phodong Monastery, a Karma Kagyu gompa of the 18th century and one of the six most important in Sikkim. Its masked chaam is held in December before Losoong. No permit is needed for Indians, and it is an easy stop on the way north.

Phodong sits on the North Sikkim Highway about 38 km from Gangtok, around 1 hour 40 minutes by car. It is a small town of terraced fields, a bazaar and government offices, and most travellers know it only as a name on the way to Mangan and Lachung. Stop. Phodong Monastery, about a kilometre from the bazaar, is one of the most important gompas in Sikkim and much quieter than Rumtek.

The monastery belongs to the Karma Kagyu school. It was built in the 18th century, around 1740, under Chogyal Gyurmed Namgyal, at a time when the ninth Karmapa's links with Sikkim had led to three Kagyu monasteries: Rumtek, Ralang and Phodong. An older monastery stood here before it. It was later rebuilt, and it has a community of monks, a large prayer hall and old murals.

Phodong is also a good base for the history of the area. A short drive above it is Labrang Gompa, and below it lies Tumlong, the royal capital of Sikkim for much of the 19th century, where the Treaty of Tumlong was signed with the British in 1861. Add Kabi Lungchok and the Seven Sisters Waterfall and you have a full, permit-free half-day from Gangtok.

Don't miss

Highlights of Phodong

Phodong Monastery

An 18th-century Karma Kagyu monastery about a kilometre above the bazaar, with a large prayer hall, murals and a community of monks. Entry is free; it is open from about 8 am to 5 pm.

The December chaam

On the 28th and 29th days of the tenth Tibetan month, usually in December, monks perform masked chaam dances in the courtyard before Losoong, the Sikkimese new year. Arrive early for a place to stand.

Labrang Gompa

A short drive above Phodong, Labrang Gompa is a second monastery on the same ridge, usually quieter still. Visit both in an hour if you have a car.

Tumlong, the old capital

Below Phodong, Tumlong served as Sikkim's capital from 1793 for much of the 19th century, and the Treaty of Tumlong was signed here in 1861. There is little to see, but much to know.

Seven Sisters Waterfall

About 32 km from Gangtok, a few kilometres before Phodong, a waterfall drops in several stages beside the highway, with a viewing shed. Fullest from July to October.

Told in the hills

When the capital of Sikkim stood below Phodong

Sikkim's first capital was at Yuksom, where the first Chogyal was crowned in 1642, and its second at Rabdentse near Pelling. After repeated raids from Nepal, Chogyal Tshudpud Namgyal moved the court inland in 1793 to Tumlong, a village on the Dik Chu just below Phodong. For most of the 19th century, this quiet valley was the political heart of the kingdom.

It was at Tumlong, in 1861, that the Treaty of Tumlong was signed between the British and the Sikkim ruler after a British expedition, giving the British strong influence over Sikkim's affairs and trade. Later in the century the capital moved again, to Gangtok, closer to British Darjeeling.

Little survives of the palace at Tumlong, and there is no museum. But the monastery at Phodong grew up close to the court, with royal patrons who rebuilt it. Standing in its courtyard, looking down at Tumlong, you are looking at where Sikkim's kings once ruled.

Pinned to the board

Did you know

Phodong Monastery is said to house about 260 monks and a collection of old murals, according to its Wikipedia article.

The Phodong chaam is held on the 28th and 29th days of the tenth Tibetan month, usually in December, just before Losoong.

The Seven Sisters Waterfall, a regular photo stop, is about 32 km from Gangtok, a few kilometres before Phodong.

Things to do

Four ways to spend a day in Phodong

45 minutes–1 hour Inside Phodong Monastery Phodong · Free; offerings welcome

Half day The Phodong chaam before Losoong Phodong · Free

15–20 minutes Seven Sisters Waterfall photo stop Phodong · Free

1.5–2 hours Labrang Gompa and a look at Tumlong Phodong · Free; car extra if not on a package

Getting there

How to reach Phodong

Shared jeepShared jeeps from Gangtok's North Sikkim stand to Mangan pass Phodong; the fare to Phodong is about ₹100–200 a seat, indicative, 2026. Ask to be dropped at the monastery turn-off. Returning jeeps may be full in the afternoon.

Reserved carA half-day car from Gangtok covering Kabi Lungchok, Seven Sisters and Phodong costs about ₹2,500–3,500, indicative, 2026. On a Lachung or Lachen package, ask your driver to stop for 30 minutes; most will if asked early.

Rail / AirThe nearest airport is Bagdogra (IXB) and the railhead NJP. Go to Gangtok (≈ 115 km, 4–5 h) and continue north. Phodong is about 1.5–2 hours beyond Gangtok.

Costs in Phodongindicative, 2026

Monastery entryFree
Shared jeep Gangtok → Phodong₹100–200 a seat, indicative, 2026
Half-day car from Gangtok₹2,500–3,500, indicative, 2026
Butter lamp offering₹20–100, optional

Fares and fees change with fuel prices, season and local union rates. Check current rates before you travel.

Money-saving tip

See Phodong free on the way to Mangan or Lachung by asking your driver for a 30-minute stop, instead of paying for a separate half-day trip.

Where to stay

Sleeping in Phodong

Most people visit Phodong from Gangtok or on the way north and do not stay. Gangtok, under two hours away, has the widest choice. If you want to be close to the monastery for an early chaam morning, small local guesthouses and homestays operate around Phodong; ask in the bazaar. Further north, the government-owned Singhik Bungalow near Mangan, about 1.5 hours on, is a quiet budget option with mountain views.

budget

Singhik Bungalow Government lodge · Mangan and Singhik ₹2,000–3,500 per room night, indicative

On the map

Drawn by Darjeeling Tour Plan from Natural Earth outlines (public domain). Borders as depicted by India. Not for navigation.

Next stations

Near Phodong

All of North Sikkim

Kabi Lungchok1,400 m

Where Lepcha and Bhutia leaders swore blood brotherhood

Village · best Oct – May · Stopover nights

Mangan and Singhik1,000 m

District town of cardamom, with Kanchenjunga from Singhik

Hill town · best Oct – Apr · 1 nights

Dzongu1,200 m

The Lepcha reserve across the Teesta from Mangan

Valley · best Oct – Apr · 2–3 nights

Festivals here

Losoong and the Phodong chaam · Dec, 28th–29th day of the 10t…

Questions people ask

Phodong: questions answered

How far is Phodong from Gangtok

About 38 km along the North Sikkim Highway, roughly 1.5–2 hours by car. Shared jeeps towards Mangan pass through, about ₹100–200 a seat to Phodong, indicative, 2026. It is an easy half-day trip from Gangtok or a stop on the way north.

Do I need a permit for Phodong

No. Indian citizens do not need a Protected Area Permit for Phodong, which is on the open stretch of the North Sikkim Highway. Foreign nationals should check their Sikkim permit conditions. Check current status before you travel.

Is Phodong Monastery worth visiting

Yes. It is one of Sikkim's six most important monasteries, quieter than Rumtek, with old murals and a large monastic community. It is right on the way north, so it costs little time. In December, the chaam before Losoong is a highlight.

When is the best time to visit Phodong

October to May for clear weather, and December for the chaam masked dances held on the 28th and 29th days of the tenth Tibetan month. The monastery is open year-round. In the monsoon, roads are wetter and the views more clouded, but the visit is still possible.

What is there to see in Phodong besides the monastery

Labrang Gompa on the ridge above, the old royal capital site of Tumlong below, Phensang Monastery and Kabi Lungchok on the way from Gangtok, and the Seven Sisters Waterfall about 32 km from Gangtok. Together they make a half-day history circuit.

Can I stay overnight in Phodong

Small local guesthouses and homestays operate around Phodong, mainly for people attending festivals or on work. Most travellers stay in Gangtok or continue to Mangan and Singhik. If you want to be at the chaam early, ask in the Phodong bazaar or through a Gangtok operator.

Who built Phodong Monastery

Phodong Monastery was built in the 18th century, around 1740, under Chogyal Gyurmed Namgyal, on the site of an older monastery, in connection with the ninth Karmapa's links to Sikkim. It was later rebuilt under royal patronage, including by Sidkeong Tulku Namgyal.

Is Phodong good for families

Yes. The drive is short, the monastery is easy to reach and children enjoy the prayer wheels, colours and, in December, the masked dances. Combine with the Seven Sisters Waterfall and Kabi Lungchok. There is no altitude concern at about 1,400 m.

Can I photograph inside Phodong Monastery

Ask first. Photography inside the prayer hall is often not allowed, especially during prayers, and flash damages old murals. Photos of the exterior and courtyard are usually fine. During the chaam, avoid flash and do not enter the dance area.