Photo: walter callens · CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

TashidingHeight above mean sea level 1,465 m

monastery town · West and South Sikkim

A hilltop monastery between two rivers, home of the Bumchu vase

Best Feb – May · Oct – Nov0–1 nights

Tashiding is a small town below a hilltop monastery at 1,465 m, between the Rathong Chu and the Rangeet. The monastery was founded in 1641 by Ngadak Sempa Chenpo, one of the three lamas who crowned Sikkim's first king. It is about 19 km from Yuksom and 40 km from Pelling, ideal for a half-day trip.

Tashiding is a quiet bazaar town on the road between Legship and Yuksom, and above it, on a hilltop between two rivers, stands one of Sikkim's most sacred monasteries. The Rathong Chu comes down from the Kangchenjunga side and meets the Rangeet below the hill. The monastery sits at about 1,465 m, surrounded by chortens, prayer flags and old trees. The name is usually explained as 'the devoted central glory', and the site is also called Drakkar Tashiding.

Most travellers come for a few hours. You can visit from Yuksom, about 19 km and an hour away, or from Pelling, about 40 km and 1.5–2 hours via Legship. The monastery itself has a main temple, a large field of chortens and long rows of stone slabs carved with the mantra 'Om Mani Padme Hum'. There is no big ticket queue and no shopping arcade. It is a working religious site, and it feels like one.

Once a year Tashiding fills up. On the 14th and 15th days of the first Tibetan month, usually in February or March, the Bumchu festival draws pilgrims from across Sikkim and beyond to see the sacred vase opened and its water read as an omen for the year. If you visit then, book early and expect crowds. At other times, you may have the hilltop almost to yourself, with only monks, pilgrims and the wind in the flags.

Don't miss

Highlights of Tashiding

Tashiding Monastery

Founded in 1641 by Ngadak Sempa Chenpo and enlarged in 1717, Tashiding is one of Sikkim's most sacred Nyingma monasteries. It sits on a hilltop at 1,465 m between the Rathong Chu and the Rangeet. Come in the morning, when prayers are on and the hill is quiet.

The Bumchu festival

On the 14th and 15th days of the first Tibetan month, usually February or March, lamas open the sacred vase and read its water level as an omen for Sikkim's year. Thousands of pilgrims come for the blessed water. In 2026 it fell on 3 March; check current status for future dates.

Mani stones and chortens

Rows of stone slabs carved with 'Om Mani Padme Hum', and a field of chortens of many shapes and sizes, surround the main temple. Walk among them clockwise, slowly, and look for the carving detail. Wikipedia counts 41 chortens at the monastery.

Thongwa Rang Drol chorten

Tradition says that simply seeing this chorten frees a person, which is how it got its name. It was, the story goes, the first structure on the hill, built by monks who saw light from Kangchenjunga shining here. Ask a monk or caretaker to point it out.

A link in the pilgrim circuit

Tashiding is part of West Sikkim's old Buddhist circuit with Yuksom, Dubdi, Pemayangtse and Khecheopalri Lake. It is about 19 km from Yuksom and 40 km from Pelling, so it fits into a Pelling–Yuksom trip with half a day to spare.

Kirateshwar temple at Legship

On the Pelling road at Legship, the Kirateshwar Mahadev Temple stands on the bank of the Rangeet. Hindu tradition says Shiva appeared to Arjuna here as the hunter Kirateshwar. It is a short stop that shows how Hindu and Buddhist sacred sites sit side by side in West Sikkim.

Told in the hills

The vase that tells Sikkim its future

Tashiding was founded in 1641 by Ngadak Sempa Chenpo, one of the three Nyingma lamas who met at Yuksom and crowned Phuntsog Namgyal the first Chogyal in 1642. It was extended and renovated in 1717 during the reign of the third Chogyal, Chakdor Namgyal. Tradition tells that three monks saw a bright light shining on the top of Kangchenjunga, reflected onto this hill, and heard divine music. They built a small chorten there, the Thongwa Rang Drol, which it is said frees anyone who simply sees it.

The monastery is best known for a sacred vase. Tradition holds that Guru Padmasambhava blessed a vase of water gathered from holy places in India and beyond, and that it was later found and placed at Tashiding. Each year, on the 14th and 15th days of the first Tibetan month, lamas open the vase in front of the crowd. According to Wikipedia's account of the Bhumchu festival, if the water is full there will be peace and plenty; if it overflows, disturbance; if it is low, famine.

After the reading, the lamas share a little of the water with devotees, then top up the vase with river water and seal it again for the next year. In 2026 the festival fell on 3 March. For pilgrims it is the most important day of the year here, and people walk up the hill in long lines carrying bottles for the blessed water. Visitors are welcome, but this is a religious rite, not a show, so be respectful.

Pinned to the board

Did you know

The flagstones around Tashiding Monastery were carved with 'Om Mani Padme Hum' by a craftsman named Yanchong Lodil.

Wikipedia lists 41 chortens of different kinds at Tashiding Monastery.

Tashiding Monastery was extended and renovated in 1717 during the reign of the third Chogyal, Chakdor Namgyal.

Things to do

Four ways to spend a day in Tashiding

1–2 days Bumchu sacred-water festival Tashiding · Free; budget for stay and transport, in…

1.5–2 hours Mani stone and chorten circuit Tashiding · Free; donations welcome

1–2 hours Ridge walk above the Rathong Chu and Rangeet Tashiding · Free

45 minutes–1 hour Kirateshwar Mahadev Temple stop at Legship Tashiding · Free; donations welcome

Getting there

How to reach Tashiding

Shared jeepShared jeeps run from Gyalshing to Tashiding for about ₹100–150 a seat, indicative, 2026. Reach Gyalshing first by shared jeep from Pelling (₹50–80), Siliguri (₹400–550) or Gangtok (₹350–500). Departures to Tashiding are limited, so ask at the Gyalshing stand the evening before. Check current status before you travel.

Reserved carTashiding is about 40 km from Pelling via Legship, 1.5–2 hours, and about 19 km from Yuksom, around an hour. A reserved car is the easiest way to combine Tashiding with Yuksom or Pelling in a day. Agree the route, waiting time and fare before you set off; fares are higher than the standard Pelling loops.

Rail / AirThe nearest railhead is New Jalpaiguri (NJP) and the nearest reliable airport is Bagdogra (IXB). From either, the road runs via Melli, Jorethang and Legship, about 5.5–6.5 hours. Most visitors stay in Pelling or Yuksom and visit Tashiding on a day trip. Check road status in the monsoon.

Yuksom to Tashiding

Costs in Tashidingindicative, 2026

Shared jeep Gyalshing → Tashiding₹100–150 a seat
Shared jeep Pelling → Gyalshing₹50–80 a seat
Homestay with meals₹1,200–2,000 per person per day
Thali or momo meal₹150–350

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

Money-saving tip

Visit Tashiding on the way between Yuksom and Pelling rather than as a separate trip from Pelling; adding it to a route you are already driving costs far less than a dedicated return car.

Where to stay

Sleeping in Tashiding

Tashiding has a few simple lodges and homestays around the bazaar, useful if you want to be on the hill for the Bumchu festival or start early. They are basic: clean rooms, shared or simple attached bathrooms, and home-style food. Most travellers base themselves elsewhere. In Yuksom, an hour away, Hotel Yangrigang and family homestays are good budget choices. In Pelling, 1.5–2 hours away, the options run from Hotel Garuda and Norbu Ghang Resort to the Elgin Mount Pandim and the Chumbi Mountain Retreat. For Bumchu, book anything near Tashiding weeks ahead.

Tour packages

Packages that stop in Tashiding

Nº 68041 · Pelling6N / 7D West Sikkim by shared jeep, 6 nights Pelling → Yuksom → Tashiding → Ravangla Budget fare from
per person, twin₹12,000

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 Tashiding

All of Pelling

Yuksom1,780 m

Sikkim's first capital and the start of the Goecha La trail

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

Pelling2,150 m

Kangchenjunga across the valley, a royal ruin and two old monasteries

Hill town · best Mar – May · Oct – Dec · 2–3 nights

Khecheopalri Lake1,700 m

The wish-fulfilling lake where, legend says, birds clear every leaf

Lake · best Mar – May · Oct – Nov · 0–1 nights

Ravangla2,100 m

A 130-foot Buddha, Pang Lhabsol and a ridge-top jeep junction

Hill town · best Mar – May · Oct – Dec · 1–2 nights

Festivals here

Bumchu · Feb–Mar, 14th–15th day of the…

Questions people ask

Tashiding: questions answered

How far is Tashiding from Pelling

Tashiding is about 40 km from Pelling, 1.5–2 hours by road via Legship. By shared jeep, go from Pelling to Gyalshing (₹50–80), then Gyalshing to Tashiding (₹100–150), indicative, 2026. A reserved car is easier for families and lets you add Yuksom, which is about 19 km further on.

How far is Tashiding from Yuksom

Tashiding is about 19 km from Yuksom, around an hour's drive. Many travellers visit Tashiding on the way between Yuksom and Pelling, or as a half-day trip from Yuksom. Shared jeeps on this stretch are few, so a reserved car is the practical choice for most groups; agree the fare first.

Why is Tashiding Monastery important

Tashiding is one of Sikkim's most sacred monasteries. It was founded in 1641 by Ngadak Sempa Chenpo, one of the three lamas who crowned the first Chogyal at Yuksom in 1642, and it hosts the Bumchu festival, when a sacred vase is opened and its water read as an omen for Sikkim's year.

When is the best time to visit Tashiding

October to May is best, with dry roads and clear views. February or March is special if you can match your trip to the Bumchu festival, held on the 14th and 15th days of the first Tibetan month. From June to September, rain and landslides make the roads slow and views limited.

Is there a place to stay in Tashiding

Yes, but options are few and basic: a handful of simple lodges and homestays around the bazaar. They are useful during Bumchu or for an early start. Most travellers stay in Yuksom, an hour away, or Pelling, 1.5–2 hours away, where there is more choice across budgets.

Is Tashiding worth visiting

Yes, for anyone interested in Sikkim's history and Buddhism. The hilltop monastery, its chortens and carved mani stones, and the views over two river valleys make a calm, rewarding half day. It also links the story of Yuksom's coronation to a working monastery founded by one of the three lamas.

Do I need a permit to visit Tashiding

Indian nationals do not need a permit for Tashiding, but should carry photo ID. Foreign nationals need the Sikkim Restricted Area Permit, which covers West Sikkim's main tourist places and is free, valid for 30 days and available online or at the Melli and Rangpo checkposts. Check current status before you travel.

Can you visit Tashiding, Yuksom and Pelling in one day

It is possible but long. Pelling to Yuksom is about 35 km, Yuksom to Tashiding about 19 km, and Tashiding back to Pelling about 40 km via Legship. Allow 9–10 hours with stops. We suggest staying a night in Yuksom and visiting Tashiding the next morning instead.

Are photos allowed at Tashiding Monastery

Photography is usually fine outside, among the chortens and mani stones, but ask before taking pictures inside the temple, where it may not be allowed. Avoid flash, and ask before photographing monks or pilgrims. During Bumchu, be extra careful not to block people or the ceremony with cameras.