Culture · Aritar

Aritar Gumpa and Ari Bangla heritage walk

A slow walk to Aritar Gumpa, a Kagyu monastery, and the 1895 Ari Bangla dak bungalow nearby, with the trade-road history explained along the way.

Aritar1,400M

Photo: Amitabha Gupta · CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

Start at the lakeside and climb gently to Aritar Gumpa. Wikipedia describes it as a Kagyu monastery with painted murals, manuscripts and icons, considered among the oldest in Sikkim. Treat it as a working place of prayer: remove shoes, keep your voice low and ask permission before taking photographs inside.

From the gumpa, walk on to Ari Bangla, the dak bungalow built in 1895 by Claude White. It is a government rest house, so you may only see it from outside. Look at the sloping roof, the verandah and the position above the lake, chosen so travellers could rest a day's march from Kalimpong.

Around Losar in February or March, families visit the gumpa for prayers and new prayer flags. Visit then only if you are quiet and respectful; it is a family festival, not a show. Dates follow the Tibetan lunar calendar, so check current status before you travel.

Good for

couplesseniorssolophotographers

Questions travellers ask

Before you book

Can tourists enter Aritar Gumpa?

Usually yes during daylight, when someone is there to open it. Dress modestly, remove shoes and ask before photographing murals or monks. There is no fixed fee, but a small donation is appreciated. Hours vary with prayers and festivals, so ask your homestay to check.

Can we stay in Ari Bangla?

It is a government rest house, and bookings are made through the relevant government department, usually for officials and on a priority basis. We do not promise rooms there. For tourists, the better plan is a lakeside homestay and an outside look at the bungalow.

Is the walk steep?

No. It is a gentle climb of 15 to 20 minutes from the lake, on a paved or earthen lane. Seniors can manage it slowly, and drivers can also drop you near the gumpa. Wear shoes with grip because moss makes the stones slippery in wet months.

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