#richenpong

This hilly town located at a height of 5576 ft is a treasure and boasts of its virgin charm. The beautiful trails, quiet nature, snow-capped peaks and dense forests have inspired many artists and famous creative personalities such as great poet and playwright Lt.Rabindranath Tagore. The village is also renowned for its colonial history and the unobstructed view of Mt. Kanchenjunga is more than you would bargain for. Nature lovers would find this place ideal for vacationing during the hot summers.

If you are visiting this little town of Rinchenpong you will have a lot of interesting places to explore here like stone paved steep trails, old monasteries and traditional Lepcha houses. The most notable is the famous Poison Pokhri a local pond which was poisoned with some poisonous herbs killing half of the British army when they tried to annex the town. The pond still stands poisoned today and is named the Poison Pokhri. Right opposite to this place, few stone staircases will take you through the forest to Rinchenpong Monastery that has the rare statue of Ati Buddhain Yub-Yum position built in 1717. Continuing up further on the steep path you can visit the Reesum Monastery that sits on top of a ridge with panoramic views of the surrounding mountain ranges and rich vegetation. An old Lepcha village house stands at the end of a trail which is now a museum displaying local artifacts. Other major places of attraction include the holy pond Nighdoh, The Varsey Rhododendron Sanctuary, Toto Pani - a hot spring about 20 kms from Rinchenpong, the Shrijanga Temple of the Limbu Tribe which is also a famous picnic spot. A British Heritage Forest Bungalow maintained by Sikkim PWD furnished in wood and stones and located amidst dense green forest is worth visiting. Also, do visit the monastery at Maggi Dara, next to which lies the Rabindra Smriti Van where a marble plaque containing a verse from the poet’s famous composition Gitanjali stands proud.

At Rinchenpong one can engage into various exciting activities such as bird watching, camping, village tourism, spiritual sessions at monasteries, river rafting and short hiking trips. But all these things can be enjoyed only if you plan for a 3-4 days trip and stay here. There are several hotels and resorts here that cater to tourists and are well-equipped with all modern facilities. From exclusive room services to ethnic cultural shows, local guides and trekking trips are arranged by these Rinchenpong hotels. The atmosphere is very calm, comfortable with soft ethnic local music playing and the chanting of hymns at the nearby monasteries will rejuvenate you. You will get a variety of accommodations to choose from, these Rinchenpong hotels offer luxurious grand suites and deluxe cottages with private balconies that have amazing mountain-view to reasonably priced budget hotels and tourist lodges that offer standard quality services with utmost respect and dedication. Rinchenpong hotels are usually in high demand during the high season; therefore it is always wise to book in advance to avoid last minute rush. You can always do a little homework on the hotels by visiting their websites on the web which will surely give you a rough idea about what you are going to experience.