Tholung Monastery is a Nyingma gompa at about 2,400 m in remote upper Dzongu, inside the buffer zone of Khangchendzonga National Park. It guards sealed boxes of relics and manuscripts, said to have been brought here for safety during the Gorkha invasions, which are shown to pilgrims only at the Kamsel ceremony every three years. Reaching it needs a Dzongu permit, a long drive and a walk.
Best months
October–November, March–April, and Kamsel years
Nights we suggest
2–3 in Dzongu
From Gangtok
≈ 5 h to the road-head, then a walk of several hours
Tholung stands on a forested shelf high above the Rongyong valley, in the upper reaches of Dzongu where the road gives out and paths continue towards the Kangchenjunga massif. Wikipedia describes it as one of the most sacred monasteries in Sikkim. The site was revealed as a holy place by the fourth Lhatsun, Kunzang Jigmed Gyatso, in 1760, and a monastery was built here in 1789 by Pema Dechhen Gyatso. The present building is a later reconstruction.
Its fame rests on what it keeps. During the Gorkha invasions of the late 18th and early 19th centuries, manuscripts, masks, statues and other treasures from monasteries elsewhere in Sikkim were carried to this remote place for safety. They are still stored in more than a dozen sealed boxes under the supervision of the Government of Sikkim, together with a metal chorten said to hold the ashes of an incarnation of Lhatsun Chenpo, the lama who helped found the kingdom's Buddhist tradition.
Tholung is not a casual stop. You need a Dzongu permit, a reliable vehicle to the road-head in upper Dzongu, and the fitness for a walk of several hours on a steep forest trail; road and bridge damage since 2023 has changed access more than once. Most visitors come for the Kamsel, when pilgrims walk up from across Sikkim. At other times the monastery may be locked. Ask us about current access and check current status before you travel.
Highlights
What to see and do
The Kamsel relic display
Every three years the sealed boxes are opened and their contents aired and shown to pilgrims over a few days. It is the one time most people see inside Tholung's treasury. Dates are fixed by the religious authorities and announced in advance; check current status before you travel.
The walk through forest
From the road-head in upper Dzongu a trail climbs through mixed forest of oak, magnolia and rhododendron, crossing streams on wooden bridges. The walk takes several hours each way, depending on where vehicles can reach after the latest monsoon. Go with a local guide.
A monastery that kept Sikkim's past
Tholung's treasures came from other gompas during the Gorkha invasions and were never returned. Standing here, you are at one of the places where Sikkim's Buddhist heritage was quite literally carried to safety. Few visitors make the effort.
Upper Dzongu villages
The approach passes through the upper villages of Dzongu, with cardamom, paddy terraces and Lepcha houses. Spending a night or two in a homestay nearby breaks the journey and gives you time to walk without hurry.
Edge of Khangchendzonga National Park
Tholung lies in the buffer zone of the national park. Birdlife in the forest is rich, and on clear days the slopes above hint at the snow peaks beyond. Stay on trails and carry all rubbish out.
The story of Tholung Monastery
Treasures carried into the forest
In the late 18th century the Gorkha armies of Nepal pushed into western Sikkim, and the kingdom's capital moved east to Tumlong for safety in 1793, as Wikipedia's article on Tumlong records. Monasteries in the path of the fighting faced the loss of their most precious objects. According to the Wikipedia article on Tholung Monastery, manuscripts and relics from other gompas were brought to Tholung, deep in Dzongu and far from any invasion route, and placed there for protection. They never went back. Today they rest in more than a dozen sealed boxes, overseen by the state, and are opened only once every three years in the Kamsel ceremony, when the objects are taken out, aired in the sun and shown to pilgrims before being sealed again. The festival notes in our own Tholung Kamsel page describe the ceremony as overseen by Sikkim's Ecclesiastical Affairs Department, and the 2021 Kamsel was held from 23 to 26 November rather than in spring. Among the treasures is a metal chorten said to hold the ashes of an incarnation of Lhatsun Chenpo.
Source: Wikipedia, Tholung Monastery and Tumlong; Ecclesiastical Affairs Department, Government of Sikkim
Little known
Things most visitors never hear
Tholung follows the Nyingma school, and its site was revealed as sacred by the fourth Lhatsun, Kunzang Jigmed Gyatso, in 1760, nearly thirty years before the first monastery was built.
Source: Wikipedia, Tholung Monastery
The monastery lies in the buffer zone of Khangchendzonga National Park, which UNESCO inscribed in 2016 as India's first mixed natural and cultural World Heritage Site.
Source: Wikipedia, Tholung Monastery and Khangchendzonga National Park
The Kamsel was traditionally held in spring, but dates vary: the 2021 ceremony took place in late November, so always confirm the year's dates.
Drive from Gangtok via Mangan into Upper Dzongu, about 4–5 hours to the furthest point vehicles can reach, which has shifted with road and bridge repairs. Your Dzongu permit must be arranged first. A local 4x4 from Mangan or your homestay is often best for the last stretch.
On foot
From the road-head the walk to Tholung takes several hours each way on a steep forest trail. Most people sleep in an upper Dzongu homestay the night before, walk up early and return the same day, or stay at simple pilgrim accommodation during the Kamsel when it is offered.
From Bagdogra / NJP
Plan a night in Gangtok, then a night in a Dzongu homestay before the walk. From NJP or Bagdogra the drive to Gangtok takes 4.5–5 hours on NH10, longer via Kalimpong or Algarah when NH10 is closed by slides.
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 is no hotel near Tholung. Stay in a Lepcha homestay in upper Dzongu, such as Mayal Lyang at Passingdang or another family we know closer to the road-head, for about ₹1,500–2,500 per person with meals. During the Kamsel, pilgrims sometimes use simple community or monastery shelter; ask us what is available in the year you go. Mangan, across the Teesta, has the nearest hotels, including Hotel Tamarind, but it adds a long drive to an already long day.
Tholung Monastery is in remote upper Dzongu, Mangan district (North Sikkim), at about 2,400 m in the buffer zone of Khangchendzonga National Park. It lies above the Rongyong valley, reached by a long drive from Mangan into upper Dzongu and then a walk of several hours on a forest trail.
Do I need a permit for Tholung Monastery?
Yes. Tholung lies inside Dzongu, so you need a Dzongu permit issued in Mangan, usually arranged by your homestay. Because the monastery is in the national park's buffer zone, ask us whether any extra formality applies in the year you go. Check current status before you travel.
What is the Tholung Kamsel?
The Kamsel, also spelled Kamsil, is the ceremony held once every three years when Tholung's sealed relics are opened, aired in the sun and shown to pilgrims. It is overseen by Sikkim's Ecclesiastical Affairs Department and draws pilgrims from across the state. Dates are announced in advance.
Why are relics kept at Tholung?
According to Wikipedia, manuscripts and relics from other Sikkimese monasteries were brought to remote Tholung for protection during the Gorkha invasions of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. They remain there in sealed boxes supervised by the Government of Sikkim, together with a metal chorten said to hold an incarnation's ashes.
How old is Tholung Monastery?
Wikipedia records that the site was revealed as sacred by the fourth Lhatsun, Kunzang Jigmed Gyatso, in 1760, and that Pema Dechhen Gyatso built a monastery here in 1789. The present building is a later reconstruction. The relics it guards are older still.
How fit do I need to be for Tholung?
Reasonably fit. The walk takes several hours each way on a steep, often wet forest trail, at moderate altitude of about 2,400 m. If you can walk 5–6 hours on hill paths with breaks, you can manage. People with knee, heart or breathing problems should not attempt it.
What is the best time to visit Tholung?
October and November bring dry trails and clear skies, and March and April are pleasant with flowering trees. December to February can be cold and icy higher up, and June to September brings heavy rain, leeches and road damage. In a Kamsel year, plan around the announced dates.
Can foreigners visit Tholung Monastery?
Tholung lies in Dzongu, where rules for foreign nationals have varied over the years. Foreigners first need the online Sikkim restricted area permit and then specific clearance for Dzongu. Please ask us before planning so we can check the current position. Check current status before you travel.
How many days do I need for Tholung?
Plan at least two nights in Dzongu, with the walk on the middle day, plus travel from Gangtok. In a Kamsel year or after monsoon damage, add a buffer night. A three-night Dzongu stay lets you combine Tholung with village walks and time with your hosts.
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