West Sikkim · Road guide
Pelling to Uttarey
Pelling to Uttarey is about 35 km and 1.5–2 hours, down through Dentam and across the Singshore Bridge to a cool village at about 2,000 m on the Singalila Ridge, near the Nepal border.
Photo: Kayal Vizhi · CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Your options
How to make the trip
Shared jeep
2–2.5 h · ≈ ₹150–250 a seat
Shared jeeps run from Gyalshing to Dentam and Uttarey a few times a day, mostly in the morning. Catch one in Gyalshing, 10 km below Pelling, rather than waiting in Pelling. Return jeeps leave Uttarey early in the day. This option suits travellers staying a night in a Uttarey homestay.
Private car
1.5–2 h · ≈ ₹2,500–3,500 one way; ₹3,500–4,500 day trip
A reserved car makes Uttarey and the Singshore Bridge an easy day trip from Pelling, with stops in Dentam valley. The road drops into the Dentam valley and climbs again past the bridge. It is narrow in places; local drivers know where to pass. Leave by 9 am for a relaxed day.
Fares are indicative. Landslides, snow and check-post timings change journeys: check current status before you travel.
On the way
Stops worth the time
- Dentam valley
- Singshore Bridge
- Mainebas waterfall near Uttarey
Walk the Singshore Bridge before noon, when cloud often rises from the gorge.
Questions travellers ask
Pelling to Uttarey: questions
How far is Uttarey from Pelling?
About 35 km, roughly 1.5–2 hours by car, via Dentam and the Singshore Bridge. The district administration gives Uttarey's altitude as about 6,600 ft, roughly 2,000 m, so it is cooler than Pelling. A day trip by reserved car costs indicatively ₹3,500–4,500.
Is the Singshore Bridge on the way to Uttarey?
Yes. The Singshore Bridge spans a deep gorge between Dentam and Uttarey and is the usual stop on this drive. It is about 240 m long and about 100 m above the gorge, and is often called the highest bridge in Sikkim. Cars cross it, and visitors walk out for photographs.
Should I stay overnight in Uttarey?
If you like quiet, yes. Uttarey has family homestays, forest walks to the Mainebas waterfall and a Kagyu monastery, and the forest road towards Chewabhanjang on the Nepal border. A night there turns a long day trip into a relaxed one. Homestays cost indicatively ₹1,200–2,200 per person with meals.
Is the road to Uttarey open all year?
It is open most of the year, but monsoon rain from June to September brings slides, and winter can bring frost or snow near Uttarey in January and February. Drive in daylight with a local driver, and check current status before you travel.
Get my price
Tell us your dates and your budget
Who is travelling, when, and roughly what you want to spend. The Gangtok desk replies within one working day with a day-by-day plan and an itemised price.
- No payment to start
- Permits handled through registered partners
- Every hotel, car and fee listed