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A tall white statue of Shiva with a trident above a cluster of temples and a gateway tower on a hilltop under a blue sky
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Photo: Ankit Darsi · CC BY-SA 4.0
Day planFirst visitTemples & heritagerelaxed

One day in Namchi — the Char Dham, the monastery and Guru Padmasambhava on Samdruptse

A one-day Namchi plan: Siddhesvara Dham's 108-foot Shiva, Namchi Monastery, and the 135-foot Guru Padmasambhava on Samdruptse, all close to the town. Copy it.
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The essential day in Namchi: the two great statues that face each other across the town, Siddhesvara Dham on Solophok and Guru Padmasambhava on Samdruptse, with Namchi Monastery between them. All three are within 14 minutes of the centre on our routing. For the tea garden and Ravangla, see the two-day plan.

Photos: Ankit Darsi (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Prof Ranga Sai (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Amitabha Gupta (CC BY 4.0) — via Wikimedia Commons, resized.

Who this is for

First-time visitors, families and pilgrims, and anyone passing through South Sikkim with one day to spare.

Day by day

Day 1

Two hills and the town between them

3 stops · 28 min on the road

The Shiva of Solophok in the morning, the monastery at midday, Guru Rinpoche in the afternoon light.

  1. 09:00
    Siddhesvara Dham
    monument · 10 min from Namchi · about 1 h 30 min there
    About 10 minutes from the town: the 108-foot Shiva over models of the Char Dham shrines and the twelve Jyotirlingas.
  2. ↓ 11 min by road · 6 km
    11:30
    Namchi Monastery
    temple · 4 min from Namchi · about 45 min there
    The Buddhist monastery of the town, about 4 minutes from the centre. We have no verified opening hours.
  3. ↓ 17 min by road · 9 km
    14:00
    Samdruptse Padmasambhava Statue
    monument · 14 min from Namchi · about 1 h there
    The 135-foot Guru Padmasambhava on Samdruptse hill, completed in February 2004, about 14 minutes from the town.

Getting there

Bagdogra airport is about 156 minutes and New Jalpaiguri about 151 minutes by road on our routing. See how to reach Namchi.

Where to stay

Namchi. We have no verified lodging or prices.

Know before you go

  • Both statues are places of worship; dress modestly and remove shoes where asked.
  • The hills are clearest in the morning; cloud often builds by afternoon.
  • We have no verified opening hours for any of the three; ask in town.

Places on this route

Siddhesvara Dham, Namchi — the Char Dham with its 108-foot Shiva on Solophok hill
Siddhesvara Dham, Namchi — the Char Dham with its 108-foot Shiva on Solophok hill
monument · 10 min from Namchi
Samdruptse, Namchi — the 135-foot statue of Guru Padmasambhava
Samdruptse, Namchi — the 135-foot statue of Guru Padmasambhava
monument · 14 min from Namchi

Going together

No one has started a group going on this plan yet. Start one and other travellers can ask to come along.

Start a groupHow groups work

Other ways to do it

All Namchi itineraries →
Namchi in two days — the two great statues, then the Temi Tea Garden and Ravangla's Buddha
Namchi in two days — the two great statues, then the Temi Tea Garden and Ravangla's Buddha
1 night · 2 days · Couples · Classic
A two-day Namchi plan: Siddhesvara Dham and the Samdruptse statue, then the Temi Tea Garden, Sikkim's only one, and the Buddha Park at Ravangla. Free to copy.
Best Mar–May · Oct–Nov
See the plan →

More places nearby

All of Namchi →
Temi Tea Garden — Sikkim's only tea garden, on the slopes below Tendong
Temi Tea Garden — Sikkim's only tea garden, on the slopes below Tendong
monument · 7.2 km away
Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park, Darjeeling — the high-altitude zoo
Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park, Darjeeling — the high-altitude zoo
park · 14 km away
Himalayan Mountaineering Institute, Darjeeling — the school founded after Everest
Himalayan Mountaineering Institute, Darjeeling — the school founded after Everest
museum · 14 km away
Mahakal Temple, Darjeeling — the Shiva shrine on Observatory Hill
Mahakal Temple, Darjeeling — the Shiva shrine on Observatory Hill
temple · 14 km away
St Andrew's Church, Darjeeling — the town's oldest church
St Andrew's Church, Darjeeling — the town's oldest church
monument · 14 km away
Ravangla town — the pass town with a Tibetan settlement and mountain views
Ravangla town — the pass town with a Tibetan settlement and mountain views
town · 14 km away
Chowrasta, Darjeeling — the town square on the Mall
Chowrasta, Darjeeling — the town square on the Mall
area · 14 km away
Darjeeling Himalayan Railway — the toy train and its loops
Darjeeling Himalayan Railway — the toy train and its loops
monument · 14 km away

Nearby destinations

All destinations →
The seated golden and dark-blue Buddha statue on a stepped, richly painted base against a forested hillside and a cloudy sky
Ravangla
16 km away · 1 itineraries · 3 places
Roofs and hotels of Darjeeling spreading down a steep ridge under distant blue mountain ranges and soft cloud
Darjeeling
18 km away · 8 itineraries · 13 places
A long snow-covered Kanchenjunga ridge in blue morning light above dark forested hills with a few wisps of cloud
Pelling
19 km away · 3 itineraries · 8 places
Pastel-coloured buildings of Gangtok climbing a steep, forested hillside, seen from a viewpoint across the valley
Gangtok
31 km away · 5 itineraries · 11 places
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Questions people ask

Can Namchi be seen in one day?

Yes. Siddhesvara Dham is about 10 minutes from the centre on our routing, Namchi Monastery about 4 minutes and the Samdruptse statue about 14 minutes, so the three fit easily into a day with time to spare. Add the Temi Tea Garden and Ravangla with a second day.

Which is bigger, the Shiva or the Padmasambhava statue?

The Guru Padmasambhava statue on Samdruptse is 135 feet (about 41 m), and the Shiva at Siddhesvara Dham is 108 feet (about 33 m), by Wikipedia's figures. They stand on hills on opposite sides of Namchi and can be seen from each other on a clear day.

Do I need a permit for Namchi?

We have found no published permit rule for Namchi itself. Some other parts of Sikkim, such as Tsomgo Lake and Nathu La, lie in restricted areas that need permits, so check with Sikkim Tourism if your trip goes on to those places.