Nature · Enchey Monastery
Dawn light at Enchey for photographers
At sunrise the golden cupola, prayer flags and pine trunks of Enchey catch low light, and the ridge is almost empty. A quiet photography session for early risers, with clear rules on what not to shoot.
Photo: Sufe · CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Enchey faces the morning across the ridge, and between October and March the first sun lights the cupola and the upper prayer flags while the courtyard is still in shade. Arrive 20 minutes before sunrise. A standard zoom is enough; a short telephoto helps for details of the carved and painted windows and for the mountains on clear days.
The best frames are outside: the facade with its strings of flags, monks crossing the courtyard with butter lamps, and the line of conifers along the approach road. Shoot from the edges and never block the path of people coming to pray. A tripod is fine outside if you keep it out of the way.
Do not photograph inside the prayer hall without explicit permission, and ask before taking portraits of monks or lay visitors; a polite gesture and a nod is enough. When the light goes flat around 8:30 am, head down for breakfast or carry on to Ganesh Tok. Winter mornings are cold, so bring gloves that let you work the camera.
Good for
Questions travellers ask
Before you book
What time is sunrise in Gangtok?
Roughly 4:50–5:10 am in May and June and about 6:15–6:25 am in December and January, with October and March in between. The ridge hides the sun for a few minutes longer. Check a sunrise app for your date and arrive 20 minutes earlier.
Can I fly a drone at Enchey Monastery?
We advise against it. Gangtok's upper ridge lies close to army areas and government installations, and drone flying in Sikkim needs permission from the authorities. Flying over a working monastery is also disrespectful. Check current status before you travel, and leave the drone at the hotel unless you have written permission.
Is Kangchenjunga visible from Enchey?
On clear mornings, mostly from October to March, the Kangchenjunga range is visible from the ridge near the monastery. Trees block parts of the view, so Ganesh Tok, Hanuman Tok and Tashi View Point give wider panoramas. From April to September cloud usually hides the peaks by mid-morning.
Also in Enchey Monastery
More hours worth planning
Monasteries and shrines
Morning prayers at Enchey
Reach Enchey before the sightseeing taxis and sit at the back of the prayer hall while the monks chant with drums and …
Culture
Watching the Detor Chaam at Enchey
Each winter Enchey's monks perform the Detor Chaam, two days of masked dances in the courtyard before the Tibetan new year. Gangtok …
Nature
Ridge walk from Enchey to Ganesh Tok
Walk the upper ridge road from Enchey to Ganesh Tok, past the TV tower and through conifers, with views over the town …
Price your own route
Tell us dates, people and budget. We send a day-by-day plan with every cost shown. StartNot sure where to start?
We match districts to your month, your budget and the people travelling with you. StartAsk the Gangtok desk
An itemised quote within one working day. No payment to start. StartGet my price
Tell us your dates and your budget
Who is travelling, when, and roughly what you want to spend. The Gangtok desk replies within one working day with a day-by-day plan and an itemised price.
- No payment to start
- Permits handled through registered partners
- Every hotel, car and fee listed