Phodong is a small town about 38 km and 1.5 hours north of Gangtok on the North Sikkim Highway, known for Phodong Monastery, a Karma Kagyu monastery credited to Chogyal Gyurmed Namgyal in 1740, and for Labrang Monastery above it. It lies below the protected areas, so Indian visitors need no permit.
Tibetan namePhodong (also Phodang, Podong)Means: The name is written pho gdong in Tibetan; we have not found a documented meaning, so we do not give oneSource: Wikipedia, Phodong Monastery
Best months
October to May
Nights we suggest
0 to 1
From Gangtok
≈ 38 km · 1.5 h
Altitude
≈ 1,400 m (approximate)
Known for
Phodong Monastery, Labrang, December chaam
Permit
Not needed for Indian visitors; foreigners need the Sikkim restricted area permit
Phodong is a terraced hill town on the North Sikkim Highway, about 38 km from Gangtok and roughly 1.5 hours by car. Wikipedia describes it as famous for Phodong Monastery and for Labrang Monastery, which sits a little higher. The main occupation is farming on terraced slopes, though tourism has added to the economy, and the town has a small bazaar and a State Bank of India branch.
Phodong Monastery belongs to the Karma Kagyu school. The infobox in Wikipedia's article gives 1740 and credits Chogyal Gyurmed Namgyal, with an older monastery having stood here before. Each December its monks perform the chaam masked dance on the 28th and 29th days of the 10th Tibetan month, a date that moves with the lunar calendar. Phodong's chaam leads into the Losoong season.
For visitors, Phodong is the best-known monastery stop on the road north, and it fits easily into a day trip from Gangtok with Kabi Lungchok and Labrang. It is outside the protected areas, so Indian travellers need no protected area permit. Fixed fees and opening hours are not guaranteed. Check current status before you travel.
Highlights
What to see and do
Phodong Monastery
A Karma Kagyu monastery with a prayer hall, old murals and monks' quarters, set above terraced fields. Remove shoes before entering, dress modestly and ask before photographing inside the hall. Visiting hours and any fee are set by the monastery, so check current status.
The December chaam
On the 28th and 29th days of the 10th Tibetan month, monks in masks and brocade perform sacred dances in the courtyard, in the season before Losoong. Arrive early, stay behind the edge of the dance ground and treat it as a ritual.
Labrang Monastery above
Labrang, a Nyingma monastery, is about 2 km above Phodong, with a museum and a bronze statue of Karma Guru. A few minutes' drive from Phodong, it makes a natural second stop.
Terraced slopes
The slopes around Phodong are farmed in terraces, as Wikipedia notes. Walking the lanes above the bazaar shows how people live here, with small fields, cardamom and vegetable plots. Keep to paths and ask before photographing people.
A practical lunch halt
Phodong's small bazaar has simple eating places with tea, momos and rice meals at roughly ₹150 to 250, and a State Bank of India branch. It suits lunch on a day trip from Gangtok, ahead of a return before dusk.
The story of Phodong
A monastery rebuilt by a prince-abbot
Wikipedia's article on Phodong Monastery says that the monastery was built in the early 18th century, on the site of an older one, and its infobox records 1740 and Chogyal Gyurmed Namgyal as founder. The article also mentions the 9th Karmapa, Wangchuk Dorje, who is said to have been invited by the king of Sikkim and to have founded three monasteries: Rumtek, Phodong and Ralang. Dates for these are not consistent across sources, so we give them as the article does and not as settled fact. It adds that the monastery was reconstructed by Sidkeong Tulku Namgyal, recognised as the reincarnation of his uncle Sidkeong Namgyal, who had been abbot here. The article puts the community at about 260 monks and records old murals. The Mangan district administration credits the present monastery to Chogyal Gyurmed Namgyal in the 18th century. For the history of the Karma Kagyu in Sikkim, the Sikkim government's Ecclesiastical Affairs Department is a good further source.
Source: Wikipedia, Phodong Monastery; Sikkim Ecclesiastical Affairs Department
Little known
Things most visitors never hear
Phodong Monastery is one of three monasteries Wikipedia associates with the 9th Karmapa's time in Sikkim, along with Rumtek and Ralang, though the dates given by different sources vary.
Source: Wikipedia, Phodong Monastery
Phodong's annual chaam falls on the 28th and 29th days of the 10th Tibetan month, so its Gregorian date shifts each year, usually in early to mid December.
Source: Wikipedia, Phodong Monastery
Wikipedia records about 260 monks living at Phodong Monastery and a collection of ancient murals, though this figure may be out of date.
Shared jeeps from Gangtok to Mangan pass through Phodong, and some drop here. Fares are roughly ₹250 to 400 a seat, indicative. Services thin out in the afternoon, so ask at the Vajra stand in Gangtok about the return before you commit.
Private car
A reserved small car from Gangtok takes about 1.5 hours for 38 km. A day loop with Kabi Lungchok, the waterfall, Phodong and Labrang is indicatively ₹3,000 to 4,500. The highway can close after monsoon slides.
From Bagdogra / NJP
Go to Gangtok first, 4.5 to 5 hours on NH10 from either, longer via Kalimpong or Algarah when NH10 is closed by slides. Visit Phodong on a day trip from Gangtok or on your way north.
Permits in North Sikkim
Indian travellers need a protected area permit for Lachung, Yumthang, Zero Point, Lachen, Thangu and Gurudongmar, issued only through Sikkim Tourism-registered agents and tied to a registered tourist vehicle; operators require a minimum two-night stay. Dzongu needs its own permit, usually obtained in Mangan. Children under five are not permitted in North Sikkim protected areas. Foreign nationals need the online Sikkim restricted area permit and may visit Lachung, Yumthang and Zero Point on a group permit, but not Gurudongmar; for Lachen and Thangu, ask us. Check current status before you travel.
Most visitors see Phodong in a day from Gangtok and do not stay. If you want a quieter base for the chaam or for the Labrang and Dzongu side, ask us about small lodges and homestays in the Phodong area, whose availability we confirm at the time of booking. Mangan, about 29 km further north, has simple hotels and is the usual halt before the Toong check post. Budget rooms in Gangtok run about ₹1,500 to 3,000.
Phodong is a town in Mangan district (North Sikkim), about 38 km north of Gangtok on the North Sikkim Highway, roughly 1.5 hours by car. It is known for Phodong Monastery and Labrang Monastery, and lies between Kabi Lungchok and Mangan.
What is Phodong Monastery known for?
It is a Karma Kagyu monastery that Wikipedia credits to Chogyal Gyurmed Namgyal in 1740, with an older monastery having stood here before. It is known for its old murals and for its annual chaam masked dance on the 28th and 29th days of the 10th Tibetan month.
Do I need a permit for Phodong?
No protected area permit is needed for Indian visitors, since Phodong is below the Toong check post. Foreign nationals need the online Sikkim restricted area permit, applied for after arriving in India. Rules can change, so check current status before you travel.
How far is Phodong from Gangtok?
About 38 km, which is roughly 1.5 hours by car in normal conditions. Landslides after rain can add hours. NH10 and the North Sikkim Highway can close in the monsoon, so check current status before you travel and leave Gangtok in the morning.
When is the Phodong chaam?
On the 28th and 29th days of the 10th Tibetan month, usually in early to mid December. The Gregorian dates change each year. Confirm with the monastery or with us in November, and check current status before you travel. Come early for a place at the edge of the courtyard.
What is the difference between Phodong and Labrang?
Phodong Monastery is a Karma Kagyu monastery in the town, with a 1740 founding date and the December chaam. Labrang is a Nyingma monastery about 2 km above, built between 1826 and 1843 and known for its museum. Most visitors see both in one outing.
Is there an entry fee at Phodong Monastery?
As far as we know, no fixed ticket is charged, but a donation is customary and photography in the hall may be limited. Arrangements can change, so check current status before you travel. Carry small notes for the donation box.
Can we stay overnight in Phodong?
Small lodges and homestays exist in the area, but we do not have a fixed list and availability varies. Most visitors stay in Gangtok or Mangan. If you want to stay for the chaam, book early, and check current status before you travel.
Is Phodong worth visiting?
Yes, if you want a working monastery without a permit or a long drive. It is a half-day from Gangtok, easy to combine with Kabi Lungchok and Labrang, and especially good in December for the chaam. It is not a place for a long stay.
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