The Seven Sisters Waterfall is a roadside cascade on the North Sikkim Highway in the forest near Kabi Lungchok, roughly 25 to 30 km north of Gangtok and before Phodong. Wikipedia names it as one of the waterfalls in the Kabi area. It is a free 10 to 20 minute stop, needs no permit for Indian visitors and flows strongest in the monsoon.
Best months
October to May for roads; strongest flow June to September
Nights we suggest
0 (a roadside stop)
From Gangtok
≈ 25–30 km · 1–1.25 h (approximate)
Altitude
≈ 1,300 m (approximate)
Known for
Roadside waterfall in Kabi forest
Permit
Not needed for Indian visitors; foreigners need the Sikkim restricted area permit
The Seven Sisters Waterfall falls beside the North Sikkim Highway in the forest around Kabi Lungchok, about 25 to 30 km north of Gangtok by our reckoning, between the Kabi memorial and Phodong. Wikipedia's article on Kabi Lungchok, citing ENVIS Sikkim, mentions a number of waterfalls in the area, one of which is known as the Seven Sister waterfalls. We have not found a published height or flow figure, so we give none.
You see it from the road, usually from a pull-off where drivers stop for photographs and tea. The water comes down in several streams over dark rock, which is presumably how it earned its name, and the spray cools the air. Flow is heaviest during the June to September monsoon and thinner in the dry months from November to March.
It is a stop and not a destination, and it fits naturally in a day loop with Kabi Lungchok and Phodong. It is outside the protected areas, so Indian visitors need no protected area permit. Roadside stops on this highway are exposed to traffic and slides, so keep the visit short and check current status before you travel.
Highlights
What to see and do
A roadside cascade
The water falls in several streams over dark rock beside the highway, within sight of the road. Stop at the pull-off, step out for a few minutes and keep clear of the road edge and the spray, because the rock is slippery.
Monsoon force
From June to September the falls are at their fullest, though slides and spray can make the road hazardous. In the dry months from November to March they are thinner but easier to visit. Check current status before you travel.
Tea and a photo
Drivers on the North Sikkim route often stop here for photographs, and small stalls sometimes serve tea. This is a good place to stretch your legs after the climb out of Gangtok.
Forest all around
The falls sit in the subtropical broad-leaved forest that surrounds Kabi Lungchok. Listen for birds in the early morning and look for ferns and moss on the rock faces. Do not pick plants or disturb wildlife.
Part of a loop
The falls fit between Kabi Lungchok and Phodong, so a single car can cover Tashi View Point, Kabi, the falls, Phodong and Labrang in a day from Gangtok.
The story of Seven Sisters Waterfall
A name on a busy road
We have not found a documented history for the name Seven Sisters Waterfall in Sikkim, and we do not repeat any story about it that lacks a source. What a written source does tell us is where it sits. Wikipedia's article on Kabi Lungchok says that the historical site is in dense forest on the North Sikkim Highway, in an area rich in streams, waterfalls and cultural monuments, and that one of the waterfalls there is known as the Seven Sister waterfalls. The article, citing the ENVIS Centre for Sikkim, lists the forest as subtropical mixed broad-leaved hill forest, with trees such as Nepal alder (Alnus nepalensis), Castanopsis and Toona ciliata. A waterfall in such a forest is fed by small mountain streams, so its volume follows the rains. That is the honest, checkable part, and we leave the rest to locals, who may tell you more. Ask your driver what the name means to him.
Source: Wikipedia, Kabi Lungchok (citing ENVIS Sikkim)
Little known
Things most visitors never hear
Wikipedia's Kabi Lungchok article says there are a number of waterfalls in the Kabi area, and that one of them is known as the Seven Sister waterfalls.
Source: Wikipedia, Kabi Lungchok
The surrounding forest is classified as subtropical mixed broad-leaved hill forest, with Nepal alder, Castanopsis, Macaranga and Toona ciliata among the trees recorded.
Source: Wikipedia, Kabi Lungchok (citing ENVIS Sikkim)
The Kabi area is recorded as home to birds such as the crested serpent eagle, rufous-necked hornbill and Ward's trogon, so quiet mornings near the falls are worth a look and listen.
Source: Wikipedia, Kabi Lungchok (citing ENVIS Sikkim)
Shared jeeps to Mangan pass the falls, and the driver may stop briefly if you ask beforehand, though this is not guaranteed. Fares to Mangan are roughly ₹300 to 450 a seat, indicative. There is no separate service to the falls.
Private car
A reserved small car from Gangtok takes about an hour to reach the falls, depending on traffic and road work. A day loop with Kabi Lungchok and Phodong 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 the falls on a day trip 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.
There are no tourist stays at the falls and we do not plan nights here. Most visitors see them on a day trip or on the way north from Gangtok. For a night near Phodong, ask us about small lodges and homestays, whose availability varies. Mangan, further north, has simple hotels, and Gangtok has the widest choice, with budget rooms around ₹1,500 to 3,000 a night.
From the Gangtok desk
Tips we give friends
Keep the stop to 10 or 20 minutes and park well off the carriageway.
Stay back from the water and wet rock, which is slippery, especially in the monsoon.
Do not cross the road with a camera in hand, as drivers on blind bends cannot see you in time.
Carry a rain jacket and a refillable bottle, and take your litter with you.
Ask your driver about slides ahead before the monsoon drive, and check current status before you travel.
It is beside the North Sikkim Highway in the forest near Kabi Lungchok, roughly 25 to 30 km north of Gangtok by our estimate, before Phodong. Your driver will know the pull-off. We give the distance as approximate, and it takes about an hour from Gangtok.
How tall is the Seven Sisters Waterfall?
We have not found a published height and do not quote one. It is a roadside cascade that falls in several streams over dark rock and is seen from the road. Flow varies strongly with season, and is greatest in the monsoon.
Do I need a permit for the waterfall?
No protected area permit is needed for Indian visitors, since the falls are outside the protected areas. Foreign nationals need the online Sikkim restricted area permit to be in the state. Rules change, so check current status before you travel.
Is there an entry fee?
As far as we know, no. It is a roadside waterfall with a pull-off. Fees can change, so check current status before you travel and ask your driver or hotel in Gangtok.
What is the best time to see the waterfall?
Flow is strongest from June to September, but the monsoon is also when slides close the road. October and November offer a good flow and clearer weather. Winter flow is thinner. Check current status before you travel, in any season.
How long should we stop?
Ten to twenty minutes is enough for a look, a few photographs and a cup of tea. The road edge is narrow, so longer stops add little. A combined stop with Kabi Lungchok adds about 30 minutes.
Is it safe to swim or bathe at the waterfall?
No. We advise against going into the water, since rocks are wet and slippery, flow can rise quickly after rain and the site is beside a working road. Watch from the pull-off and keep children close.
Why is it called Seven Sisters?
We have not found a documented origin for the name, and we do not repeat unsourced stories. Wikipedia's Kabi Lungchok article says only that one of the waterfalls in the area is known as the Seven Sister waterfalls. A local driver may tell you more.
Is the waterfall worth the stop?
Yes, as a short stop on the way to Phodong. It is free, quick and easy, and the sound and spray are a pleasant break from the road. It is not worth a special trip, but it pairs well with Kabi Lungchok.
Every cost shownRooms, car, permits and our fee, itemised
One person to callFrom Bagdogra or NJP until you are back
No payment to startA deposit only when you book
Get my price
Want Seven Sisters Waterfall in your plan?
Tell us your dates, who is travelling and roughly what you want to spend. We reply within one working day with a day-by-day route and an itemised price.
No payment to start
Permits handled through registered partners
Every hotel, car and fee listed
Price my Sikkim trip
Tell us dates, people and budget. You get a day-by-day plan and an itemised price within one working day.
