Photo: Schwiki · CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

Shingba Rhododendron SanctuaryHeight above mean sea level 3,300 m

wildlife sanctuary · North Sikkim

Forty-odd rhododendron species on the road to Yumthang

Best Apr – MayDay trip nights

Shingba Rhododendron Sanctuary covers about 43 sq km of the Lachung valley between Lachung and Yumthang, at roughly 3,000–3,700 m. Created in 1984, it protects two to four dozen rhododendron species, including Sikkim's state tree. You see it from the Yumthang road; the bloom peaks from late April to May.

Most people drive through Shingba without knowing its name. The road from Lachung to Yumthang climbs for about 24 km through forest of fir, birch and rhododendron, and for much of that distance you are inside the Shingba Rhododendron Sanctuary. It was declared in 1984 and covers about 43 square km of the upper Lachung valley, roughly between 3,000 and 3,700 m.

The sanctuary exists for one family of plants. Sources count anything from about 24 to 40 species of rhododendron here, from trees several metres tall to small shrubs. Sikkim's state tree, Rhododendron niveum, with its magenta flower heads, grows in this altitude band. In spring the slopes turn red, pink, white, yellow and mauve, with peak bloom usually from late April to mid-May.

Shingba is also good for birds and is part of the wider Sacred Himalayan Landscape conservation area. Recorded species include the wood snipe and the hoary-throated barwing. You visit on your Lachung permit as part of the Yumthang morning; there is no separate walking route for tourists, but short, careful stops along the road show you a great deal.

Don't miss

Highlights of Shingba Rhododendron Sanctuary

Spring bloom

From about the third week of April to late May, rhododendrons flower through the sanctuary, lower slopes first and higher ones later. Early mornings on the Yumthang road are the best time to see and photograph them.

The state tree

Look for Rhododendron niveum, with compact balls of magenta or lilac flowers and leaves white-felted underneath. Ask your driver or a local guide to point it out; it grows in this altitude band.

Fir and birch forest

Between the rhododendrons, the sanctuary holds tall silver fir and birch, draped with lichen. On misty mornings the forest is quiet and atmospheric, even outside flower season.

High-altitude birds

Shingba's recorded birds include the hoary-throated barwing and wood snipe. Pheasants such as the blood pheasant are found in similar forests in Sikkim. Early mornings and binoculars give you the best chance.

Autumn and winter faces

In October and November the forest turns gold and russet; from December the road is often under snow. The sanctuary is never closed to the Yumthang drive when the road is open, but flowers are a spring event.

Told in the hills

A sanctuary for a single family of trees

When Joseph Hooker came up these valleys in 1849, he found rhododendrons in more forms than any European had seen: tree-sized and shrub-sized, scarlet, white, yellow, purple. His illustrated folio, The Rhododendrons of Sikkim-Himalaya, published between 1849 and 1851, and the seed he sent to Kew, helped make the rhododendron a fixture of British gardens.

More than a century later, Sikkim set aside part of the Lachung valley to protect these forests from cutting and grazing pressure. The Shingba Rhododendron Sanctuary was established in 1984 with an area of about 43 square km. The state also chose Rhododendron niveum as its state tree, a species native to Sikkim, Bhutan and southern Tibet that grows between about 2,600 and 3,500 m.

The sanctuary sits inside a working landscape. Lachung villagers still take animals up to Yumthang in summer, and the Lachung Dzumsa manages its own community forests below. The pressure today comes mostly from roads and tourism. Staying on the road edge, carrying out your waste and never breaking a branch is your part of keeping it intact.

Pinned to the board

Did you know

The Shingba sanctuary was established in 1984 and covers about 43 square km of the Lachung valley.

Rhododendron niveum, Sikkim's state tree, has leaves with a white felt underneath and magenta to lilac flowers held in a tight ball.

The hoary-throated barwing and wood snipe are among the birds recorded in the sanctuary.

Things to do

Four ways to spend a day in Shingba Rhododendron Sanctuary

1 hour within the Yumthang morning Rhododendron photo stops on the Yumthang road Shingba Rhododendron Sanctuary · Included in Lachung packages

2–3 hours Early birding in the Shingba forest Shingba Rhododendron Sanctuary · Guide ₹800–1,500 per group, indicative,…

30 minutes within the Yumthang drive Find Sikkim's state tree Shingba Rhododendron Sanctuary · Free

Within the Yumthang morning The sanctuary in autumn gold Shingba Rhododendron Sanctuary · Included in Lachung packages

Getting there

How to reach Shingba Rhododendron Sanctuary

Group packageEvery Lachung group package's Yumthang morning passes through the sanctuary. Ask your driver for one or two short stops on the way up. Packages cost about ₹3,500–5,500 per person for one night from Gangtok, indicative, 2026.

Reserved carWith a private car you can take the Yumthang road more slowly, leaving Lachung at first light and stopping several times. The cost is part of your Lachung car hire, about ₹9,000–13,000 for 1N/2D from Gangtok, indicative, 2026.

Rail / AirThe nearest airport is Bagdogra (IXB) and the railhead NJP. Go to Gangtok, then Lachung, and enter the sanctuary on the Yumthang road the next morning. Permits through a registered operator are required.

Costs in Shingba Rhododendron Sanctuaryindicative, 2026

Sanctuary entryCovered by your Lachung–Yumthang permit
Group package from Gangtok, 1N/2D₹3,500–5,500 per person, indicative, 2026
Local birding guide, morning₹800–1,500 per group, indicative, 2026
Lachung hotel, comfort, in May₹4,500–8,000 per room, indicative, 2026

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

Money-saving tip

Travel in the last week of April instead of mid-May; the bloom is usually well under way and Lachung hotel rates have not yet hit their peak.

Where to stay

Sleeping in Shingba Rhododendron Sanctuary

There is no accommodation inside the sanctuary. Stay in Lachung, a short drive below. Budget travellers can try a family homestay such as Bichu Homestay; Le Coxy Resort is a solid comfort option with heated mattresses; and Yarlam Resort, on the hillside above Lachung amid fir and rhododendron, is the premium choice. Book early for late April and May, the busiest weeks of the year in Lachung.

premium

Yarlam Resort Resort · Lachung ₹10,000–18,000 per room night, indicative comfort

Le Coxy Resort Hotel · Lachung ₹4,500–8,000 per room night, indicative budget

Bichu Homestay Homestay · Lachung ₹2,000–3,500 per room night with breakfast and dinner, 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 Shingba Rhododendron Sanctuary

All of North Sikkim

Yumthang Valley3,564 m

Meadows, hot spring and rhododendrons above Lachung

Valley · best Apr – May · Oct – Nov · Day trip nights

Lachung2,700 m

Base for Yumthang, run by its own village council

Village · best Mar – May · Oct – Nov · 1–2 nights

Zero Point (Yume Samdong)4,660 m

The end of the tourist road above Yumthang

Pass · best Apr – May · Oct – Nov · Day trip nights

Questions people ask

Shingba Rhododendron Sanctuary: questions answered

Where is Shingba Rhododendron Sanctuary

It is in the upper Lachung valley of North Sikkim, between Lachung and Yumthang, covering about 43 square km at roughly 3,000–3,700 m. The road from Lachung to Yumthang runs through it. It is part of the Mangan district and the wider Sacred Himalayan Landscape.

When was Shingba Rhododendron Sanctuary established

It was established in 1984 to protect the rhododendron forests of the Lachung valley. It covers about 43 square km. Yumthang valley lies within or beside it, and tourists see it on the Yumthang drive with their Lachung permit.

Do I need a separate ticket for Shingba sanctuary

Not as a standard tourist. Your Lachung–Yumthang permit, arranged by a registered operator, covers driving through the sanctuary to Yumthang. Research visits, treks or filming may need separate forest department permission. Check current status before you travel.

What is the best month for Shingba rhododendrons

May, with late April a close second. Lower slopes flower first, from mid to late April, and the bloom moves uphill into late May. Weather shifts the peak by a week or two each year. Book Lachung hotels early for these weeks.

Is Shingba the same as Yumthang Valley

Not exactly. Shingba is the rhododendron sanctuary covering the forested slopes of the upper Lachung valley; Yumthang is the meadow valley at its upper end, at 3,564 m. Many sources describe Yumthang as home to the sanctuary. On the ground you pass through both on one drive.

Can I trek in Shingba sanctuary

Not on a standard tourist permit. Some longer treks, such as routes linking Yumthang and the Lachen side, pass through the area but need special permits, registered operators and guides. For most visitors, roadside stops on the Yumthang drive are the way to see it.

How many rhododendron species are found in Sikkim

Sikkim is known for a large number of rhododendron species, and the Shingba sanctuary alone is said to hold between about 24 and 40. Counts vary between surveys. The state flower of Sikkim is the noble dendrobium orchid; its state tree is Rhododendron niveum.

Can foreigners visit Shingba sanctuary

Yes, as part of a Lachung–Yumthang trip on a Restricted Area Permit arranged through an approved operator, in a group of at least two. Foreign nationals can usually visit Lachung and Yumthang. Check current status before you travel.

Is Shingba sanctuary open in the monsoon

The sanctuary itself is not closed, but tourist permits for Lachung and Yumthang are often suspended during the monsoon, from June to September, because of landslides. In 2025 permits resumed on 8 September. Check current status before you travel.