Ranipool is the junction town on the Ranikhola river, 12 km below Gangtok, where NH10, NH717A and the road to Nathu La meet. Two km away, Saramsa Garden, founded in 1922, grew fruit for the Palace, then ipecac for medicine, and is now an orchid garden. A good half-day stop for families.
Nepali nameRanipool (Rani pul)Means: 'Queen's bridge', after the bridge over the Ranikhola; also called Queensbridge locallySource: Wikipedia: Ranipool
Best months
March–May and October–December
Nights we suggest
Half day from Gangtok
From Gangtok
≈ 12–14 km · 30–40 min
Altitude
≈ 900 m
Known for
Orchid garden, ipecac history, science centre, highway junction
Permit
Not needed
About Ranipool and Saramsa Garden
What to know before you go
Ranipool sits on the bank of the Ranikhola, about 12 km and 30 minutes below Gangtok. Every vehicle from the plains to Gangtok, apart from North Sikkim traffic, passes through it: NH10 from Siliguri, NH717A from Pakyong and Kalimpong's side, and NH310, which starts here and climbs through Gangtok to Nathu La. It falls under the Gangtok Municipal Corporation and has the Sikkim Science Centre and several pharmaceutical factories nearby.
Saramsa Garden, also called the Ipecac Garden, lies about 2 km from Ranipool on NH717A towards Pakyong, roughly 14 km from Gangtok. Strictly it is just across the line in Pakyong district, but it is always visited from Gangtok. The Sikkim Forest Department set it up in 1922, and it has been a fruit orchard, a medicinal plantation and, since 1975, an orchidarium and public garden.
Neither place is a destination in itself, but together they make an easy half day, or a stop on arrival or departure day. The garden suits families and plant lovers; the science centre suits children. Ranipool is also a useful place to eat, change vehicles or pick up shared jeeps towards Singtam, Pakyong and Rangpo.
Highlights
What to see and do
Saramsa's orchid house
The orchidarium, created in 1975, holds orchids collected and grown since then, alongside ferns and other tropical and subtropical plants. Spring, from March to May, is the main flowering season, but something is usually in bloom. Allow an hour to walk the paths and glasshouses.
A garden with a history
Saramsa was laid out in 1922 to grow fruit for the British Political Officer and the Palace, then produced ipecac for medicine until 1970. Few visitors know this, and the old fruit trees and terraces still hint at its first life.
Picnic lawns and shade
The garden has lawns, shaded paths and benches, and local families come for picnics on weekends and holidays. It is warmer than Gangtok, which makes it pleasant from November to February. Take your rubbish back with you.
Sikkim Science Centre
Ranipool's science centre has hands-on exhibits and shows aimed at school groups, and it makes a good hour for children on a rainy day. Check opening days before you go, as it closes on some weekdays and holidays.
The road junction
Ranipool is where NH10, NH717A and NH310 meet. Shared jeeps run from here to Singtam, Pakyong, Rangpo and Siliguri, and the market has quick, cheap food. If you are heading to Rumtek, this is where the road turns up the far side of the valley.
The story of Ranipool and Saramsa Garden
From the Palace orchard to the ipecac garden
In 1922 the Sikkim Forest Department laid out a garden on the slopes near Ranipool. Its first purpose was fruit: pineapples, guavas, oranges and lychees were grown here for the British Political Officer and for the Palace in Gangtok, and the garden became the state's centre for introducing new fruit trees. From 1922 to 1954 the Forest Manager treated it as his own project, bringing in plant after plant. Fruit growing continued until about 1940, when the department introduced ipecacuanha, brought from Johor in Malaya. Ipecac root was used to make syrup of ipecac, a powerful emetic once found in medicine cabinets around the world, and the garden is still called the Ipecac Garden. Cultivation stopped in 1970. In 1975, the year Sikkim became an Indian state, the garden was turned into an orchidarium, and most of the plants you see today were introduced between 1975 and 1980. In 2008 it hosted Sikkim's International Flower Show, with about 50,000 visitors on each of its three days.
Source: Wikipedia: Saramsa Garden; Sikkim Forest Department
Little known
Things most visitors never hear
NH310, the road from Gangtok to Nathu La, officially begins at Ranipool, where it leaves NH10 and climbs to the capital.
Source: Wikipedia: Ranipool
Saramsa grew ipecacuanha, a medicinal plant brought from Johor in Malaya, from around 1940 until 1970. That is why the orchid garden is still called the Ipecac Garden.
Source: Wikipedia: Saramsa Garden
Saramsa hosted Sikkim's International Flower Show in 2008, drawing about 50,000 visitors on each of its three days.
Source: Wikipedia: Saramsa Garden
Experiences
Hours worth planning in Ranipool and Saramsa Garden
Shared taxis run frequently between Gangtok and Ranipool for about ₹40–80 a seat, and on to Singtam, Pakyong and Rangpo. For Saramsa, take a jeep towards Pakyong and ask to be dropped at the garden gate, or walk the 2 km from Ranipool.
Private car
A local taxi from Gangtok to Saramsa and back with waiting costs about ₹1,000–1,500. Combining Saramsa with Rumtek, Ranka and Lingdum on a half-day or full-day car costs about ₹2,500–3,500. The drive from MG Marg takes 30–40 minutes.
From Bagdogra / NJP
Ranipool lies on NH10, about 110 km and 4 hours from Bagdogra or NJP, just before Gangtok. Many travellers stop at Saramsa on the way up or down. In the monsoon NH10 often closes, and traffic comes via NH717A through Pakyong, which also passes Saramsa. Check current status before you travel.
Permits in East Sikkim
Indian travellers need no permit for Gangtok, Rumtek, Lingdum, Martam or Sang. Tsomgo Lake and Baba Mandir need a protected-area permit through a registered agent, usually filed the day before with ID and photos. Nathu La is for Indian nationals only, about ₹200 per person, usually Wednesday to Sunday. Cho La opened to domestic tourists in September 2025 on limited, escorted trips. Foreigners need the Sikkim restricted area permit, applied online on the e-FRRO portal, and may visit Tsomgo on a one-day pass in a group of two or more. Sikkim also charges a ₹50 tourist fee at hotels. Check current status before you travel.
Most travellers stay in Gangtok, 30–40 minutes away. The one resort-scale option on this side is Mayfair Spa Resort & Casino at Lower Samdur near Ranipool, with a spa and landscaped grounds, convenient for a quick start down to Bagdogra on departure day. Otherwise, central Gangtok hotels such as Hotel Tibet, The Chumbi Residency or Mintokling Guest House are the usual base.
Ranipool is a small town on the Ranikhola river, about 12 km below Gangtok, at the junction of NH10, NH717A and NH310. It falls under the Gangtok Municipal Corporation. Every road from the plains to Gangtok, except the North Sikkim road, passes through it.
What does Ranipool mean?
Ranipool comes from 'Rani pul', meaning queen's bridge, after the bridge that carries the highway over the Ranikhola. Locals sometimes call it Queensbridge in English. The river's name, Ranikhola, also uses 'rani', queen, with 'khola', the Nepali word for a stream or river.
Is Saramsa Garden open every day?
Saramsa is generally open daily during daytime hours, though timings and fees change and it may close for maintenance. Check current status before you travel. Weekends and holidays are busy with local picnickers; weekday mornings are quietest.
Can we visit Saramsa and Rumtek on the same day?
Yes. Both are reached through Ranipool. A half-day or full-day car from Gangtok can cover Saramsa, Rumtek, Old Rumtek, Ranka and Lingdum for about ₹2,500–3,500. Start with Rumtek in the morning for prayers, and visit Saramsa in the afternoon.
How much does it cost to visit Saramsa Garden?
Entry is cheap, about ₹10–30 per person. A taxi from Gangtok with waiting time costs about ₹1,000–1,500, or about ₹40–80 a seat by shared taxi to Ranipool plus a short walk or jeep ride. Prices are indicative.
Is Saramsa good for a family picnic?
Yes. The garden has lawns, shade and benches, and many local families picnic there on weekends. Carry your own food and water, and take all rubbish away with you. It is warmer than Gangtok, making it pleasant in winter, but humid in summer.
Is Ranipool a good place to stay?
Most travellers stay in Gangtok, which has more choice and evening life. Mayfair Spa Resort & Casino at Lower Samdur, near Ranipool, is the main exception: a resort with spa and grounds, convenient for departure day. Ranipool's own small hotels serve mainly business travellers.
What is the altitude of Ranipool?
Ranipool lies low in the Ranikhola valley, at roughly 900 m, about 750 m below Gangtok. It is noticeably warmer and more humid than the capital, especially from April to September. Saramsa Garden, nearby, has a similar warm climate, which suits its orchids.
Can we get shared jeeps from Ranipool?
Yes. Shared jeeps and taxis from Ranipool run to Gangtok, Singtam, Pakyong, Rangpo, Melli and Siliguri. Gangtok is about ₹40–80 a seat. Long-distance seats to Siliguri are easier to find in Gangtok, where jeeps start, than mid-route at Ranipool.
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