Places to Visit in Sikkim in January

As the famous saying goes, “The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page”, we should all strive to read as many pages as possible of the book.

January is the heavenly month of joy to bask in the glory of ice and snow in the vast expanses of the state of Sikkim. Almost all the part of the state enjoys snow and showcases snowy peaks, frozen lakes and winter forests. The pretty flakes of snow drift across in the air and descend from the skies to settle on the conifers, rooftops and ground transforming it into a white expanse of unending snow. Nature is at its best during the month of January. December and January are the peak months to receive snowfall.

To enjoy snowfall in Sikkim the winter months are ideal as all the high-altitude tourist destinations enjoy snowfall. December to January is the peak time when a lot of places in Sikkim are covered with snow.

Are you interested in a Sikkim adventure? If the answer is yes, explore our tailor-made Sikkim Tour Packages.

Nathu-la Pass and Baba Harbhajan Temple: Most visited tourist attractions of Sikkim

Baba Harbhajan Singh Temple is also known as the Baba Mandir, and as it is situated close to the Nathu-la Pass they can both be clubbed together in one day trip. The temple is dedicated to a mortal but heroic soul, Baba Harbhajan Singh, who faced adversity while on duty in this remote and cold lands and perished. The locals believe in his heroism and his soul is said to roam in the surrounding regions of mountains and hills, valleys and forests. for more than half a decade. This temple is considered a pilgrim sight, and devotees earnestly offer their prayers and seek blessings from Harbhajan Singh. A short film based on the life of Baba Harbhajan Singh “Plus Minus” won the Film Fare Awards of 2018 for the best short film of the year.

A trek till the Nathu-la Pass in January calls for a real thrilling experience. The mountain and its surroundings are extremely cold, so trekking doesn’t get arduous and exhausting due to heat and sun. The snow-clad mountain tops beckon and makes the trek alluring. The beauty of the views all around with very few casual tourist makes it even more remarkable.

Also Read: Places to visit in Sikkim & Things to do in Sikkim

Lachung, Lachen and Yumthang Valley: A complete circle of mountain beauty

These three cities in Sikkim are extremely popular among tourists of all ages and from all corners who come to Sikkim to enjoy natural beauty. These three destinations complement each other and offer some phantasmal attractions to travellers during the month of January. Yumthang is a legendary land for its floral sensation as it enchants tourists with its Valley of Flowers. Lachung has the irresistible beauty of the Khanda Waterfalls while Lachen always enjoys tourist attraction with its mesmerising beauty of the Gurudongmar Lake. January with its coolness and snow offers a different beauty. The frozen valley’s and watching the ice cold glacial waters plunging across the tumbling waterfalls is a sheer thrill.

Suggested Read: Best Time to Visit Sikkim & How to Reach Sikkim

Valley of Flowers – Yumthang

This is a high-altitude flower paradise. During the spring and summer months this valley smiles with thousands of blooming flowers in their full glory. It is astonishing given the fact that even several thousands of meters above sea level, nature gifts so much beauty amidst the difficult terrains of the Himalayan ranges. The joy of beholding such a sight shall never be erased from anyone’s memory.

Khanda Waterfalls – Lachung

Suggested Read: Places to visit in Lachung & Things to do in Lachung

The precincts and the areas all around are covered with white snow in peak winters and definitely during the month of January. Khanda Waterfalls is a major tourist attraction near Lachung and is located on the road to Katao almost halfway to Katao top. From Lachung the distance to Katao is around 25 km and a Khanda waterfall can be reached at 18 km en route. Katao is a major attraction for the tourists travelling to Lachung. It has its allure of being a snow-point to have infinite fun. The water is astonishingly clean, and you can even think of drinking it if you don’t mind the freezing temperatures. But Khanda Waterfalls is very close to the China border and therefore is under army control with restricted or controlled accessibility.

Also Read: Best Time to visit Lachung & How to Reach Lachung

Gurudongmar Lake – Lachen

A fabulous and one of the fifteen highest lakes in the entire world, Gurudongmar Lake is splendid and scenic. The view from here during the cold months of January is breath-taking and it attracts tourists from all across the globe.

Suggested Read: Best Time to visit Lachen & Places to visit in Lachen

Namchi – Quaint Himalayan beauty

This is a quaint town in Sikkim’s West district and leads to a lot of important and beautiful places all along your Sikkim tour. The town boasts of its prominent monasteries, and it was also the capital of Sikkim once upon a time. The small town offers stunning natural beauty and freshness of untainted nature all around.
Namchi enjoys the status of being the capital of the South Sikkim district, and is also known as the cultural capital of the state. The town has seen a sea change in the recent past and has evolved to be one of the must-visit places in Sikkim in January. The tallest statue of Guru Padmasambhava is a major highlight of this town of Namchi and this along with many other temples in the city and in the vicinity makes it a religious hub for most tourists who visit Namchi to seek blessings.

Also Read: Best Time to visit Namchi & Places to visit in Namchi

Shirdi Sai Baba Mandir – Namchi

Shirdi Sai Baba Mandir is a favourite among devotees of all religions in India, and this temple sees a huge number of devotees each year. It was built by the Chief Minister of the state with an aim to boost it as a dedicated pilgrim center for the tourists.

Char Dham Complex – Namchi

The Char Dham complex is humongous and has all the elements that fulfils the Char Dham Yatra as per the Hindu Religion. The four pilgrimage sites, Uttarakhand’s Badrinath, Odisha’s Puri, Tamil Nadu’s Rameshwaram and Gujarat’s Dwarka which are popular among all Hindus as Char Dham can be viewed within the premises. Beautiful replicas of these four shrines, along with 12 jyotirlingas, have been built at the peak of the Solophok Hill in South Sikkim’s Namchi. The compound known as Siddhesvara Dham also has a 108-feet statue of Lord Shiva.

Namchi Rock Garden

This well laid out garden located at a distance of 1 km from Samdrupste Hill and 5 km from Namchi Taxi Stand is the pride of this small hill town. Varied species of plants, flowers and trees keep the visitors spellbound who come from all across the globe. Resting sheds, viewpoints and serene water bodies within its complex make it appear even more beautiful and visitor friendly.

Suggested Read: Things to do in Namchi & How to Reach Namchi

Kanchenjunga Base Camp

This is a high altitude gateway to the mesmeric Khangchendzonga. From a height of 14,000 feet this base camp is an adventurous trail for trek lovers.

Khangchendzonga National Park

Also known as Kanchenjunga Biosphere Reserve, the Khangchendzonga National Park has some outstanding trekking trails. The trails lead to some rare and spellbinding places such as Yuksom, Dzongri, Zemu Glacier and Goechala. It is the largest wildlife reserve in Sikkim and if you are lucky, you can spot the elusive red panda, Himalayan black bear and snow leopard along with some exotic flora. The winter chill of January facilitates sightings of some animals.

Goechala

Goechala rests cozily at a height of 4,940 metres above sea level and is one of the best places to visit in Sikkim. Some of the highest peaks of the Himalayan Ranges can be viewed from this place. The trek to this place offers adventure and thrill. To watch the panoramic views of the peaks covered in white glistening snow will be a treat to your eyes.

Zuluk

Zuluk takes you to a height of 10,000 feet and presents a picturesque small hamlet ensconced by some mighty and rugged Himalayan ranges. Zuluk is located close to the Indo-Tibetan border and one can gloat and boast of the beauty of the endless masses of snow all around near and far. Zuluk is thus one of the most important tourist attractions of Sikkim in January.

Gangtok

Gangtok presents an alluring, vibrant, lively and panoramic scene to the travellers visiting this capital city of Sikkim. Gangtok offers a majestic view of Mt. Kanchenjunga and it is the base for the bunch of trekkers who attempt to explore the Himalayan Ranges. Gangtok remains at its winter best in January. The beauty of the city is increased by the white snowy cover and the winding mountain roads that cut through them in a meandering pattern. Plan a trip to Gangtok in January not to miss out on catching a snowfall.

Also Read: Places to visit in Gangtok & Things to do in Gangtok

Rumtek Monastery

Built in the 12th Century, the Rumtek Monastery is known as the Dharma Chakra Centre. It is a central location for unique murals, golden stupa and hand paintings along with 1001 Gold sculptures belonging to the 16th Karmapa. These precious relics form the highlight of the monastery.

M.G Marg

M.G Marg in Gangtok is the heart of the capital city and without visiting this place your Gangtok trip will remain incomplete. It is a bustling shopping hub for tourists and has assumed the look of a kind of an open mall in the past few decades. The cafés and food joints in the locality are worth a try and the street food, especially the steaming hot momos are a delicacy to drool and pine for and savouring the taste even after the trip.

Suggested Read: Best Time to visit Gangtok & How to Reach Gangtok

Thangu Valley

Thangu Valley is to be spotted on the way to Gurudongmar Lake and it is all about tranquillity and serenity. At a height of 3,962m, the valley remains almost perpetually covered with snow throughout the year. The picturesque wooden houses and the ribbon of Teesta along the borders of the valley and the blanket of snow will be a beautiful moment to capture in Thangu Valley in January.

Ravangla

Ravangla is a quaint village located between the high mountains at a height of 8000 feet from sea level and offers an unmatched view of the surrounding mountain ranges.

• Buddha Park with its 130 feet statue of the Sakyamuni Buddha built from 60 tonnes of copper and some 4 kgs of gold cannot simply go unvisited.
• Ravangla’s two hot springs – Borong and Ralong are an apt solution to all your aches and pains and skin ailments.
• Visit the four sacred caves of Sikkim in the quiet and thickly forested village of Sangmoo village.
• Rayong Sunrise View Point is known for the exquisitely beautiful view of the mountains.
• Temi Tea Garden spanning across 177-hectare land produces fine quality Temi tea leaves that have a great national and international demand.

Also Read: Places to visit in Ravangla & Things to do in Ravangla

Pelling

Pelling remains cold and a treat to visit in January. It has some major tourist attractions of Sikkim that forms a must-visit category for your Sikkim trip. Pelling offers a wide array of choices for visit in January.

Also Read: Places to visit in Pelling & Best Time to visit Pelling

• Khangchendzonga Waterfalls: The waterfall is a hotspot of tourists considering the awe-inspiring view of its gushing chilled water. Rich verdant vegetation all around makes a striking contrast with the white gushing waterfall tumbling down and Khangchendzonga Waterfalls becomes a tourism hotspot.
• Pemayangtse Monastery, which means ‘Perfect Sublime Lotus’ is a popular tourist attraction and is a perfect place to relax and attain nirvana. Located just about 110 km from Gangtok, it was established in 1647 by Lama Lhatsun Chempo, which makes it one of the oldest monasteries of Sikkim.
• Singshore Bridge is a magical place that gives you the opportunity to stay suspended high up in the air and take a serene and picturesque walk across. It is one of the highest and oldest bridges in Sikkim connecting two beautiful hills. It is also the highest bridge in the whole Asian sub-continent.
• Khecheopalri Lake is important and plays a big role in the life of common people. People believe that the lake water when sprinkled on oneself brings all wishes to come to life. Another miraculous phenomenon pervades the lake belief. It is said and noticed that no leaves are ever found floating on the lake waters even though the lake is surrounded by dense forests.
• Rabdentse Ruins puts up an ancient and historically important archaeological site that glorifies the history of Sikkim. The place is a must see for any history lover who wants to know more about the culture and period history of the state.
• Tashiding Monastery is one of the oldest monasteries in Sikkim. It is known for its architecture and the highlight of the monastery is its backdrop of the neighbouring Himalayan peaks.
• Dubdi Monastery is worth a visit when you are in Sikkim in January as it is looked upon as the oldest monastery of Sikkim. Perched on a hilltop, this monastery has breath-taking views of the surrounding forests and a stunning panoramic view of the snow-clad, rugged mountain ranges till the far-off valleys of Pelling. January is the season to get snowfall at the base camp, which makes Yuksom a really popular winter place to visit in Sikkim.
• The allure and charm of Sikkim persists the entire year. Its beauty is legendary and nature has blessed this region abundantly. Surrounded by the iconic Himalayan peaks, Sikkim as a state enjoys a lot of attention worldwide. The beauty of the snow-capped mountains and lakes add a dose of glamour to your trip. Sikkim is a complete package of serene atmosphere, fresh air, lush forests, peace, meditation and calmness. In the month of January, you get a lot of snowfall in Sikkim. So Sikkim is the go-to place if you want to experience the magic of snowfall up close.