Daramdin is a market village at about 950 m in Soreng district, roughly 29 km above Jorethang on the road to Sombaria and Okhrey. Its name comes from the Lepcha word for flat land. Come for the clay-pot tower story and its Stairway to Heaven site, Limbu and Lepcha village homestays and quiet farm walks.
Lepcha nameDalomMeans: a place of rest, or flat landSource: Soreng district administration, soreng.nic.in (Daramdin); Wikipedia: Daramdin
Best months
October–April
Nights we suggest
1
From Gangtok
≈ 115–120 km · 5 h via Jorethang
Altitude
≈ 950 m
Known for
Flat farmland, Lepcha clay-pot tower story, Limbu and Lepcha homestays
Permit
Not needed for Indians; foreigners need Sikkim's RAP (e-FRRO)
About Daramdin
What to know before you go
Daramdin lies in the lower, warmer part of Soreng district, at about 950 m, on the road that climbs from Jorethang through Tharpu to Sombaria, Okhrey and Hilley. The district administration explains the name as coming from the Lepcha word dalom, a place of rest or flat land, and that fits: unusually for this steep country, Daramdin has broad, gently sloping fields of paddy, maize and vegetables around a small bazaar. It is also the seat of one of the district's six blocks.
Wikipedia notes that the area is home mostly to Limbu and Lepcha families, with Pradhan, Chettri, Bhujel and other Nepali-speaking households too. That mix is the reason to stay. Homestays here are simple family houses, and an evening with a Limbu or Lepcha host, eating home food and hearing family history, is closer to the real western Sikkim than any viewpoint. Daramdin has very few visitors, even in the busy months.
Daramdin's best-known story belongs to the Lepcha tradition: villagers who set out to measure the distance to the sky by building a tower of clay pots. The district site tells it in full, and the place linked to it, Swarga Janae Seeri or the Stairway to Heaven, has been under construction since its foundation in 1997. Add the Sri Sathya Sai Sarva Dharma Kendra in the village centre and a farm walk, and one night fills easily.
Highlights
What to see and do
Swarga Janae Seeri, the Stairway to Heaven
A memorial site tied to the Lepcha story of a tower of clay pots built to reach the sky. Wikipedia dates its foundation to 1997, and work has stopped and restarted since, so check current status before you travel. Even unfinished, it is the place to hear the story from local people.
Limbu and Lepcha village homestays
Daramdin's villages are mostly Limbu and Lepcha, with other Nepali-speaking families. Homestays here are simple family houses at about ₹1,200–2,000 per person with meals. Ask your hosts about their food, their festivals and their family histories; that is the real reason to stay.
Farm walks on the flat land
Daramdin's name means flat land, and its fields are easy walking by Sikkim standards. Paddy is transplanted around June and July and harvested in October and November, maize stands tall in summer, and oranges ripen around houses from November. The district site also lists rose farming here.
Sri Sathya Sai Sarva Dharma Kendra
Wikipedia names this centre in the middle of Daramdin as the village's main attraction. Sarva dharma means all faiths. It is a calm place to stop on the way through; dress modestly, remove shoes where asked and follow any timings posted at the gate.
Warm winters in the lower valley
At about 950 m, Daramdin is warmer than Rinchenpong or Okhrey: winter days often reach the high teens °C while the ridges stay cold. That makes it a comfortable stop for families and older travellers from November to February, and a good place to break the climb to Okhrey.
Gateway to Sombaria, Okhrey and Barsey
Daramdin sits on the road from Jorethang to Sombaria, about 7 km below Sombaria, with Okhrey and Hilley beyond. A night here lets you start the climb to the Barsey Rhododendron Sanctuary rested, and see a farming village that most Barsey visitors drive straight past.
The story of Daramdin
The Lepcha tower of clay pots
The Soreng district administration records a story attached to Daramdin from Lepcha tradition. Many centuries ago, it says, the villagers argued about how far their village was from the sky, and decided to find out by building a tower of clay pots, one on top of another. The tower rose higher and higher. When it was nearly at the sky, the man at the top shouted down in Lepcha, "Kok bing yang tal", asking for a pole to strike the sky. The men at the bottom heard only "cheka", which they took to mean destroy the ladder, and asked him to repeat it. They heard the same word again, pulled the tower down, and it fell. The district site adds that pieces of clay pots were found in Daramdin in later years. A memorial on the theme, Swarga Janae Seeri or Stairway to Heaven, had its foundation laid in 1997, according to Wikipedia. We tell the tale as the district does: a village tradition about ambition and misunderstanding, not a dated event.
Source: Soreng district administration, soreng.nic.in (Daramdin; Stair Way to Heaven); Wikipedia: Daramdin
Little known
Things most visitors never hear
The district administration explains Daramdin as coming from the Lepcha word dalom, meaning a place of rest or a flat land, a fitting name for one of the few broad, level farming areas in Soreng district.
Source: soreng.nic.in (Daramdin)
Wikipedia records that the foundation of Swarga Janae Seeri, the Stairway to Heaven memorial tied to the clay-pot tower story, was laid in 1997; work stopped for years and later resumed.
Source: Wikipedia: Daramdin
Daramdin is one of the six administrative blocks of Soreng district, alongside Baiguney, Kaluk, Mangalbarey, Chumbong and Soreng, each run from its own block administrative centre.
Shared jeeps run from Jorethang to Daramdin and Sombaria, about 1–1.5 hours to Daramdin for roughly ₹80–150 a seat. Morning departures are most frequent. From Siliguri, take a shared jeep to Jorethang (about 3.5–4 hours, ₹250–350) and change. Jeeps also link Daramdin with Soreng bazaar.
Private car
Daramdin is about 29 km from Jorethang via Nayabazar and Tharpu, about 15 km from Soreng and 7 km below Sombaria. Okhrey is roughly 20 km further up. A small car from Jorethang costs about ₹1,500–2,000 one way; from Gangtok, about 115–120 km and 5 hours, roughly ₹5,000–6,000.
From Bagdogra / NJP
The district gives about 120 km from Bagdogra to Daramdin, 4–5 hours by car via Sevoke, Melli and Jorethang, about ₹4,500–6,000 for a small car. NH10 along the Teesta closes after monsoon slides, when drivers go via Kalimpong or Darjeeling. Check current status before you travel.
Permits in Soreng
Indian travellers need no special permit anywhere in Soreng district. You pay Sikkim's ₹50 tourist fee, collected by your hotel or homestay and valid 30 days, and an entry ticket at the Hilley checkpost for the Barsey Rhododendron Sanctuary, about ₹50 for Indians. Foreign nationals need Sikkim's Restricted Area Permit, which since 12 January 2026 is applied for online on the e-FRRO portal after arriving in India, with approval in 24–48 hours. Foreigners pay a higher Barsey entry fee. Check current status before you travel.
Daramdin has family homestays rather than hotels. The district administration lists Dzoom Lyang Homestay, Sai Shruti Homestay and Orange Valley Homestay near the Stairway to Heaven site, and Red Chilli Village Resort in the area; confirm they are operating and what is included when you book. Expect ₹1,200–2,000 per person with meals at homestays. For more choice, Soreng town is about 15 km away, and the Sherpa homestays of Okhrey are about 20 km up the road.
From the Gangtok desk
Tips we give friends
Carry cash: Daramdin has small shops but you should draw money in Jorethang or Soreng.
Ask your homestay hosts before photographing family shrines, elders or rituals.
Visit in November or early December to see paddy harvest and oranges ripening at the same time.
Combine Daramdin with Tharpu's Mangardzong site, about 6 km down the road.
Check the current state of work at the Stairway to Heaven site locally before making a special trip.
Yes, for travellers who want a farming village with very few tourists, a Lepcha story with a place attached to it and homestays with Limbu or Lepcha families. There are no big sights or viewpoints. One night works well on the way to Okhrey and Barsey, or as a base for Tharpu and Mangardzong.
Where is Daramdin?
In the south-west of Soreng district, about 29 km above Jorethang on the road to Sombaria, Okhrey and Hilley, and about 15 km from Soreng town. The district site places it at about 27.136 N, 88.172 E. Tharpu is about 6 km below and Sombaria about 7 km above.
What does the name Daramdin mean?
The Soreng district administration says it comes from the Lepcha word dalom, meaning a place of rest or a flat land. That suits the village, which has broad, gently sloping fields, rare in this steep part of Sikkim. Wikipedia gives the same explanation.
How do I reach Daramdin from Siliguri?
By shared jeep, go from Siliguri to Jorethang (about 3.5–4 hours, ₹250–350), then take a jeep to Daramdin (1–1.5 hours, ₹80–150). By car it is about 4–5 hours via Sevoke, Melli and Jorethang. NH10 closes after monsoon slides; check current status before you travel.
What is the altitude of Daramdin?
About 950 m, making it one of the lower and warmer villages in Soreng district. Winter days often reach the high teens °C and nights fall to around 6–8 °C. There is no altitude concern at all, which makes it comfortable for older travellers and small children.
Do I need a permit for Daramdin?
Indian nationals do not need a special permit for Daramdin. Foreign nationals need Sikkim's Restricted Area Permit, applied for online on the e-FRRO portal after arriving in India since January 2026. Sikkim's ₹50 tourist fee is collected by your accommodation. Check current status before you travel.
Which communities live in Daramdin?
Wikipedia notes that Daramdin is mostly Limbu and Lepcha, with Pradhan, Chettri, Bhujel and other Nepali-speaking families too. Across Soreng district, the 2011 census found Nepali the most common first language, followed by Limbu at about 14 percent. Homestays here are a good way to learn about both communities.
When is the best time to visit Daramdin?
October to April, when days are dry and mild. November is especially good, with paddy harvest and oranges ripening. Because it is low, Daramdin gets warm and humid from May, and June to September bring heavy rain, leeches and occasional road blocks.
Can I combine Daramdin with Okhrey and Barsey?
Yes, they are on the same road. Daramdin is about 7 km below Sombaria, and Okhrey about 14 km beyond. A typical plan is one night in Daramdin, then two in Okhrey for the Barsey walk from Hilley. This breaks the long drive from Siliguri and adds a village most visitors miss.
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