Fossil stromatolites at Mamley

Stromatolites are layered mounds built up by mats of tiny algae and bacteria trapping sediment in shallow water. They are among the oldest records of life on Earth. At Mamley, near Namchi, they are preserved in dolomite of the Buxa Formation, which geologists date to the Proterozoic. The Geological Survey of India declared the site a National Geological Monument in 2014, under the name of the stromatolite-bearing dolomite of the Buxa Formation at Mamley.

What you see are pale grey rock surfaces with fine, wavy and dome-shaped bands, like slices through a stack of thin pancakes. They are easy to miss at first, so look closely at the flat rock surfaces and let your eyes adjust to the fine layers. Wikipedia notes that new stromatolites, dated to about 1.5 billion years, were found on the site in 2024. Standing over them puts the 2004 statue on Samdruptse in a rather different time frame.

The park is a short drive from Namchi; ask your taxi driver for Mamley. We have not been able to confirm a fixed entry fee, so treat it as free or nominal and check on arrival. Please do not chip or hammer the rock, climb on fragile beds or take samples; this is a protected national monument. The surfaces are slippery after rain, so wear shoes with grip. Pair it with Samdruptse or Char Dham in the same taxi hire, since on its own it is a short stop.