The year at a glance
South Sikkim, now Namchi district, is the lowest and mildest part of the state. Its two main bases are Namchi at about 1,315 m and Ravangla at about 2,100 m, and the gap between them is worth remembering: Ravangla is usually 5 to 7 °C colder. The south gets the same monsoon as the rest of Sikkim, roughly June to September, and its clearest skies come after it, from October to December.
The table gives indicative daytime and night temperatures and our rating for each month. A 2 means the best time, 1 means good with some trade-offs, and 0 means we would steer most travellers elsewhere. Weather varies year to year, so check current status before you travel.
| Month | Namchi, °C | Ravangla, °C | Rating | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 4–15 | 0–10 | 1 | Clear, cold; Maghe Sankranti fair at Jorethang; hot spring season |
| February | 6–17 | 1–11 | 1 | Losar some years; hot springs; first rhododendrons late in the month |
| March | 10–21 | 5–15 | 2 | First flush at Temi, rhododendrons on Tendong, haze builds |
| April | 13–24 | 8–18 | 2 | Flowers, birdsong, tragopans calling on Maenam |
| May | 16–26 | 11–20 | 2 | Warm in Namchi, cool in Ravangla; Saga Dawa some years; showers |
| June | 18–26 | 13–20 | 0 | Monsoon starts; road slips; NH10 closures |
| July | 18–26 | 14–20 | 0 | Heaviest rain; leeches; green and empty |
| August | 18–26 | 14–20 | 0 | Tendong Lho Rum Faat on 8 August; Pang Lhabsol in some years |
| September | 17–25 | 13–19 | 1 | Rain easing late; Pang Lhabsol at Ralang most years |
| October | 14–24 | 9–18 | 2 | Clear views return; Dasain; autumn flush at Temi |
| November | 10–21 | 5–15 | 2 | Clearest month; Tihar; cherry blossom at Temi |
| December | 6–17 | 2–12 | 2 | Crisp, clear; Kagyed dances at Ralang; Losoong |
January and February: cold, clear, quiet
Winter in the south is dry and bright. Namchi days are pleasant in the sun at around 15 °C, though nights fall to about 4 °C; Ravangla has frost most mornings and occasional light snow on Tendong and Maenam in some years. Skies are often clear early, giving long views of the Kangchenjunga range, but afternoon haze is common by February.
This is the hot spring season. From roughly December to February the Rangeet is low and the pools at Borong and Ralang are usable, and local families come to stay for days. Mid-January brings Maghe Sankranti, when a large fair is held on the Rangeet riverbank at Jorethang, with stalls, food and crowds from across the district. Losar, the Tibetan new year, usually falls in February or early March. Hotels are quiet and discounts of 20 to 40 percent are common. Pack proper winter clothing for Ravangla, and ask for a heater.
March to May: tea, flowers and birds
Spring is the second high season and many people's favourite. Temi's first flush is plucked from late March to April, the tree rhododendrons flower red and pink on Tendong and Maenam from March, magnolias bloom white in the upper forests, and the birds are at their most vocal; April and May are when the satyr tragopan calls on Maenam. Days are mild, around 20 °C in Ravangla in May, and it is the most comfortable time for families and seniors who dislike the cold.
The trade-off is haze. Mountain views are less reliable than in autumn, especially after mid-April, and by late May pre-monsoon showers arrive most afternoons. Saga Dawa, the holy month marking the Buddha's birth, enlightenment and passing, falls in May or June, with processions and prayers at monasteries. Book Ravangla rooms ahead for weekends and the school holidays in May.
We turn this into a priced, day-by-day plan for your dates.
June to September: the monsoon
The monsoon reaches Sikkim in June and rains hard through July and August. South Sikkim turns very green, waterfalls appear on every hillside, and the crowds vanish. It also means daily rain, cloud that hides the mountains, leeches on forest paths, and landslides that block roads. NH10, the main road from Siliguri up the Teesta to Melli, closes after slides, and the detour via Kalimpong adds hours. Factory visits at Temi are often paused and the hot springs are under the river.
If you must travel now, keep plans flexible, add a buffer day, and stay on the main roads. There are good cultural reasons to be here: Tendong Lho Rum Faat on 8 August, when the Lepcha honour Tendong Hill, and Pang Lhabsol, the worship of Kangchenjunga as Sikkim's guardian deity, on the 15th day of the seventh Tibetan month, usually late August or September, with masked dances at Ralang. Check current status before you travel.
October to December: the clear season
This is the best time to visit South Sikkim. The monsoon clears through late September and early October, the air is washed and dry, and the Kangchenjunga range is visible from Ravangla, Samdruptse and Tendong most mornings. October brings Dasain (Dashain), the biggest festival for Sikkim's Nepali-speaking families, followed by Tihar, the festival of lights, in late October or November. Families gather, markets fill and some offices close, so book early around these dates.
November is our pick of the year: the clearest skies, the autumn flush at Temi, and wild Himalayan cherry blossom along the tea estate road. Sikkim Tourism has held a tea and cherry blossom festival at Temi in some years. December turns cold but stays clear, and the Kagyed masked dances at Ralang Monastery fall on the 28th and 29th days of the tenth Tibetan month, usually in December, around the time of Losoong, the Sikkimese new year of the Bhutia and Lepcha. Peak prices apply from October to mid-November and over Christmas.
Prices and crowds through the year
Room rates in Namchi and Ravangla follow the visitor calendar more than the weather. The busiest weeks are the Durga Puja and Diwali holidays in October and November, when families from Kolkata and the rest of Bengal fill the hills, and the school summer holidays in May and early June. Christmas and New Year are busy in Ravangla, which draws weekend crowds from Siliguri and Gangtok. In these weeks, view rooms in Ravangla can cost 30 to 50 percent more than in January, and good homestays fill up a month ahead.
The cheapest months are January, February (outside long weekends) and the monsoon. Even then, the main sights are open: Char Dham, Samdruptse, Buddha Park and Ralang work year round, though fog can hide the statues on monsoon mornings. Car hire rates change less than room rates, but drivers prefer not to run long distances at night in the rains. If your dates are fixed to a holiday week, book stays and the car together, early, and keep your plan simple.
Best months by interest
Different trips have different best months. Use this to match your dates to what you want most; where two periods are listed, the first is our preference.
- Mountain views: October to December, then March
- Pilgrim circuit (Char Dham, Samdruptse, Buddha Park, Ralang): October to May
- Temi tea: April for first flush, November for autumn flush and cherry blossom
- Birding: November to May; April and May for calling pheasants
- Borong and Ralang hot springs: December to February
- Families and seniors: October to November, March to April
- Tendong walk: October to December, March to April
- Lowest prices: December to February (excluding Christmas) and the monsoon
Packing by season
In winter, pack a down or fleece jacket, thermals, a woollen cap and gloves, especially for Ravangla. In spring and autumn, layers work best: a fleece, a light jacket, and a rain shell from May. In the monsoon, a proper rain jacket, quick-dry clothes, sandals with grip and leech socks. In every season bring sunscreen and sunglasses, because UV is strong even on cool days, and carry a refillable bottle. Dates of Tibetan-calendar festivals change every year; ask us for the current dates when you plan.
Rules, fees, fares and road status change often. Check current status before you travel.
