Culture · Kabi Lungchok
Gangtok to Phodong day loop by car
Hire a small car for a day loop up the North Sikkim Highway: Tashi View Point, Kabi Lungchok, the Seven Sisters Waterfall, Phodong Monastery and Labrang Monastery, then back to Gangtok. A rooted, permit-free day that costs less than most day tours.
Photo: walter callens · CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Leave Gangtok by 8:30 am. First stop is Tashi View Point for the morning view, if the sky is clear. Next come Kabi Lungchok at about 17 km, the Seven Sisters Waterfall a little further on, and then Phodong Monastery at about 38 km and Labrang Monastery 2 km above it. Distances on this road are short, but the road is winding and slow.
A reserved small car for this loop runs about ₹3,000 to 4,500, indicative, depending on the driver, the season and how long you stay. Entry to the sites is free as far as we know, though monasteries may ask for a small donation. Take food or have lunch at Phodong, which has simple eating places.
No protected area permit is needed for Indian travellers on this stretch. The loop is easy to add at the start or end of a North Sikkim trip. In the monsoon, slides can close the road, so check current status before you travel and allow a margin on the return.
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Questions travellers ask
Before you book
How long does the Gangtok to Phodong loop take?
Allow 6 to 8 hours including stops: about 1.5 hours each way to Phodong at 38 km, plus 30 to 40 minutes each at Kabi Lungchok and the monasteries and a short stop at the waterfall. Leave by 8:30 am to be back before dusk, and longer if the road is slow.
Is the loop possible in the monsoon?
It is possible on dry days, but slides and waterlogged stretches are common from June to September, and the road may close at short notice. We would plan the loop for October to May if you can. In the monsoon, check current status before you travel and keep your schedule flexible.
Do I need a permit for the loop?
No protected area permit is needed for Indian travellers on Gangtok, Kabi Lungchok, Seven Sisters Waterfall, Phodong and Labrang. Foreign nationals need the online Sikkim restricted area permit to be in the state. Rules change, so check current status before you travel.
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