Photo: Greenchild · CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

OkhreyHeight above mean sea level 2,200 m

village · West and South Sikkim

Sherpa homestays on the road to Barsey's rhododendrons

Best Mar – May · Oct – Nov1–2 nights

Okhrey is a Sherpa village at about 2,200 m in the far south-west of Sikkim, about 10 km above Sombaria. It is the homestay base for the Hilley–Barsey rhododendron walk, 30 minutes up the road. Come for family homestays, Sherpa food, a village monastery and spring flowers. One or two nights, March to May or October to December.

Okhrey is a hill village at about 2,200 m on the road from Sombaria up to Hilley, in the far south-western corner of Sikkim. Many of its families are Sherpa, and their houses, prayer flags and village monastery set the tone. It is not a sightseeing town. People come here for one reason above all: it is the closest place with proper beds and hot meals to Hilley, the start of the walk into Barsey Rhododendron Sanctuary.

That makes Okhrey busiest from March to May, when the rhododendron forests above flower in reds, pinks and whites. Walkers sleep in Okhrey, drive about 30 minutes to Hilley at dawn, walk 4 km to Barsey and back, and return for a hot lunch or a second night. In October to December the village is quiet, the air is clear and the snow peaks to the north often show from the ridges above.

Okhrey is about 130 km from Siliguri, 5–6 hours via Jorethang and Sombaria, so it pairs well with Darjeeling, Rinchenpong or Pelling. For a budget trip it is close to ideal: shared jeeps, full-board homestays and free walks. Book ahead in April, when rooms in the few homestays fill with weekend walkers from Siliguri and Kolkata. Bring warm layers, because nights are cold even in spring. Carry cash too, as there is no ATM in the village.

Don't miss

Highlights of Okhrey

Sherpa family homestays

Stay with a Sherpa family in a simple room, eat in the kitchen by the stove and get trail advice from people who walk it often. Full board usually costs about ₹1,200–2,000 per person per day, indicative, 2026. Book ahead for April weekends.

Gateway to Barsey

Hilley, the road head for Barsey Rhododendron Sanctuary, is about 30 minutes up the road. From there it is a 4 km walk, 1.5–2 hours, to the Guras Kunj hut on the ridge. Okhrey lets you start at dawn without a long drive.

The village monastery

Okhrey's small monastery sits among prayer flags above the houses. It is a quiet place to visit in the early morning or evening, free to enter. Walk clockwise, remove your shoes and ask before taking photos inside.

Rhododendron season

From March to May the forests between Okhrey, Hilley and Barsey flower in red, pink and white. Peak bloom near the ridge at about 3,000 m is usually mid-March to April, depending on the year's weather. Rooms and jeeps are busiest then.

Farm lanes and terraces

Walk out of the village on farm tracks past terraced fields, cattle sheds and chortens. It is an easy hour or two with no fee and few other tourists. Go in the late afternoon, when farmers bring animals home and the light turns warm.

A cheap, quiet base

With shared jeeps via Jorethang, homestay meals included and free walks, Okhrey is one of the cheapest bases in West Sikkim. Outside April weekends you may be the only guests, which means more time with your hosts.

Told in the hills

Sherpa homes on the road to the rhododendrons

The word Sherpa comes from the Sherpa language: shar means east and pa means people, a reference to their roots in eastern Tibet. Over centuries Sherpa families settled in the Solukhumbu area of Nepal, and many later moved east into Darjeeling and Sikkim. The most famous of them, Tenzing Norgay, made Darjeeling his home and reached the summit of Everest with Edmund Hillary in 1953. Okhrey is one of the Sikkim villages where Sherpa families farm the hillsides today.

For most of its life Okhrey was a farming village on a quiet road. Then walkers began coming through on their way to Barsey Rhododendron Sanctuary, and the nearest beds were here. Sherpa families opened their homes, set aside rooms and started cooking for guests. Today the village works as a homestay base in the rhododendron season, and a stay usually means a room in a family house, dinner in the kitchen and advice on the trail from your hosts.

Expect a Buddhist home: prayer flags outside, an altar room inside, perhaps butter lamps in the evening. Food is hearty mountain cooking such as thukpa noodle soup, momos, rice and dal, and salty butter tea if you ask for it. We have not found a written history of Okhrey's homestays with names or dates, so we tell it as it looks today. Ask your hosts how their family came here; that story is better heard than read.

Pinned to the board

Did you know

The name Sherpa comes from the Sherpa words shar (east) and pa (people).

Tenzing Norgay, a Sherpa who lived in Darjeeling, reached the summit of Everest with Edmund Hillary on 29 May 1953.

Barsey (Varsey) Rhododendron Sanctuary, reached via Hilley above Okhrey, covers about 104 km² on the Singalila Range.

Things to do

Four ways to spend a day in Okhrey

Evening Sherpa homestay evening and dinner Okhrey · Included with full-board homestay

45 minutes–1 hour Okhrey village monastery at dusk Okhrey · Free; small offering welcome

5–6 hours door to door Day walk from Okhrey to Barsey via Hilley Okhrey · Car ₹1,200–2,000; entry ₹50–100, indica…

1.5–2 hours Okhrey village and farm lanes walk Okhrey · Free

Getting there

How to reach Okhrey

Shared jeepFrom Siliguri or Darjeeling, take a shared jeep to Jorethang (from Darjeeling ₹150–200 a seat). From Jorethang, jeeps run to Sombaria and some on to Okhrey, about ₹150–250 a seat, indicative, 2026. Most leave before about 1 pm, so start early. Your homestay can often arrange a pickup from Sombaria, about 10 km below. Check current status before you travel.

Reserved carA reserved car from NJP or Bagdogra costs about ₹5,500–7,500 one way for the 130 km, 5–6 hour drive via Melli, Jorethang and Sombaria, indicative, 2026. From Jorethang it is about 2 hours. For the Barsey walk, hire a local car to Hilley and back, roughly ₹1,200–2,000 with waiting time.

Rail / AirNew Jalpaiguri (NJP) station and Bagdogra Airport (IXB), both in Siliguri, are the nearest railhead and airport, 5–6 hours away by road. Foreign nationals need a Sikkim Restricted Area Permit, available online or at the Melli checkpost on this road; check current status before you travel.

Costs in Okhreyindicative, 2026

Shared jeep Jorethang → Okhrey₹150–250 a seat, indicative, 2026
Reserved car NJP/Bagdogra → Okhrey₹5,500–7,500 one way, indicative, 2026
Car Okhrey → Hilley and back₹1,200–2,000 with waiting, indicative, 2026
Homestay with all meals₹1,200–2,000 per person per day, indicative, 2026
Barsey sanctuary entry₹50–100 per person, more for foreigners and cameras, indicative, 2026

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

Money-saving tip

Share the Okhrey–Hilley car with other homestay guests at breakfast; split four ways, the return trip costs a few hundred rupees each.

Where to stay

Sleeping in Okhrey

Okhrey has a small cluster of family homestays and lodges, most run by Sherpa families. Sherpa Lodge is a family-run homestay-lodge and a long-standing base for walkers heading to Barsey. Kyilkhor Inn and Royal Barsey Homestay are other names you will see in the village. Rooms are simple, warm quilts are given, and hot water may come by bucket. Most stays include breakfast and dinner, often lunch too, for about ₹1,200–2,000 per person per day, indicative, 2026. In April, book a week or more ahead, especially for Friday and Saturday nights.

budget

Sherpa Lodge Homestay · Okhrey ₹1,800–3,500 per room night, meals often extra or bundled, indicative

Tour packages

Packages that stop in Okhrey

Nº 77028 · Pelling3N / 4D Okhrey and the Barsey rhododendron walk Okhrey → Barsey Rhododendron Sanctuary Budget fare from
per person, twin₹10,000

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 Okhrey

All of Pelling

Barsey Rhododendron Sanctuary3,000 m

Guras forest on the Singalila Range, a 4 km walk from Hilley

Wildlife sanctuary · best Mar – Apr · Oct – Nov · 1 nights

Rinchenpong and Kaluk1,700 m

A 1730 monastery, a windy ridge and Kangchenjunga at breakfast

Village · best Mar – Apr · Oct – Dec · 1–2 nights

Jorethang320 m

The Rangeet river town where South and West Sikkim change jeeps

River town · best Oct – Mar · 0–1 nights

Uttarey2,000 m

A Limbu border village under the Singalila Ridge

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

Questions people ask

Okhrey: questions answered

Where is Okhrey in Sikkim

Okhrey is a village at about 2,200 m in the far south-west of Sikkim, about 10 km above Sombaria and roughly 30 minutes by road below Hilley, the entry point for Barsey Rhododendron Sanctuary. It is about 130 km from Siliguri, 5–6 hours via Jorethang, and close to the Nepal and West Bengal borders.

How do I reach Okhrey from Siliguri or NJP

Take a shared jeep from Siliguri to Jorethang, then a local jeep to Sombaria or Okhrey, about ₹150–250 a seat for the second leg, indicative, 2026. Leave early, as jeeps from Jorethang thin out after about 1 pm. A reserved car from NJP or Bagdogra costs about ₹5,500–7,500 one way.

Is Okhrey or Hilley better for Barsey

Okhrey has more homestays and warmer, lower nights, and Hilley is only 30 minutes away by car. Hilley is right at the trail head but has little accommodation. For most travellers, sleeping in Okhrey and driving up at dawn is the better and cheaper choice.

What is the best time to visit Okhrey

March to May is best for rhododendrons, with peak bloom near Barsey usually mid-March to April. October to December brings clear skies and snow-peak views but no flowers. January and February are cold, with snow possible higher up. Avoid June to September, when rain and landslides slow the roads.

Do I need a permit for Okhrey and Barsey

Indian nationals need no permit for Okhrey but should carry photo ID; Barsey sanctuary charges an entry fee at Hilley. Foreign nationals need a Sikkim Restricted Area Permit, available online or at the Melli checkpost, and pay a higher sanctuary fee. Check current status before you travel.

How cold is Okhrey

At about 2,200 m, Okhrey is cold at night for most of the year. In March and April nights can drop close to freezing, and December to February brings frost and possible snow on the ridges above. Pack thermals, a warm jacket, a cap and socks, and expect quilts rather than heaters.

Are there ATMs and shops in Okhrey

There is no ATM in Okhrey that we know of, and shops sell only basic snacks and household items. Withdraw cash in Siliguri or Jorethang before you come. UPI works when the network is good, but carry enough cash for your homestay, the car to Hilley and the sanctuary fee.

How many days do I need for Okhrey and Barsey

Two nights is ideal: arrive on day one, walk to Barsey and back on day two, and leave on day three. One night works if you arrive early and walk the next morning. Add a night at Guras Kunj inside the sanctuary if you want sunrise from the ridge.

Can I combine Okhrey with Darjeeling

Yes. Darjeeling to Jorethang is about 30 km and 1.5–2 hours, and Jorethang to Okhrey about 2 hours more, so the two pair easily. A common plan is two nights in Darjeeling, two in Okhrey for Barsey, then on to Rinchenpong or Pelling. Check road conditions in the monsoon.