Buddha Park and Rabong Gompa at first light

Buddha Park, also called Tathagata Tsal, lies about 1 km from Ravangla's bazaar, an easy walk on a quiet road. The statue is 130 feet (about 40 m) high and was made from roughly 60 tonnes of copper using the repoussé method. Work ran from 2006 to 2013, for the 2,550th birth anniversary of the Buddha, and the 14th Dalai Lama consecrated it on 25 March 2013. On a clear day Mount Narsing and the Kangchenjunga range sit behind it.

Inside the base there is a museum with a spiral gallery that tells the Buddha's life in paintings and models. Walk it slowly, clockwise, the way pilgrims do. The park also has a meditation centre and a small lake, Cho Djo, ringed by forest. The grounds belong to the older Rabong Gompa, a pilgrimage site long before the statue, and it is worth stepping into its prayer hall before you leave.

Entry is about ₹50–100 per person, indicative, 2026, so check current status before you travel. Come at opening time: the light is softer, the courtyard is empty and the peaks are more likely to be clear. By late morning cars from Gangtok and Namchi arrive and cloud often builds. There is little shade on the main terrace, so carry water and a hat in spring. Shoes come off inside the gompa and the museum, so wear a pair that slips on and off easily.