Adventure · Buddha Park (Tathagata Tsal)
Walk from Buddha Park towards Ralang
After your visit, walk downhill from Buddha Park along the quiet road towards Ralang Monastery, about 6 km, through village fields and forest with views of Narsing and the Rangeet valley. Send your car ahead to meet you at Ralang.
Photo: Kutsa · CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Ralang Monastery is about 6 km from Ravangla by road. Instead of driving, walk it: the road descends gently through Bhutia and Nepali villages, cardamom groves and patches of forest, with long views across the Rangeet valley to the hills of West Sikkim and, on clear days, the snow peaks above.
Traffic is light outside festival days. Stop to watch farmers in the fields, children on their way home from school, and prayer flags snapping in the wind on the ridges. The walk takes 2–2.5 hours at an easy pace, losing a few hundred metres of height.
Arrange for your driver to meet you at Ralang's new monastery, Palchen Choeling. Visit the monastery, then ask the driver to take you to the old Ralang monastery nearby. Carry water and a snack; there are a few small shops on the way.
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Questions travellers ask
Before you book
How far is Ralang from Buddha Park?
About 6 km by road, roughly 15 minutes by car or 2–2.5 hours on foot downhill. The walk follows the motor road, which is quiet on most days. Watch for vehicles on bends and keep to the edge.
Is the walk to Ralang suitable for children?
Yes, for children used to walking. It is mostly gentle downhill on a road, with no technical sections. Keep children on the inside of bends and take breaks. You can always call the car if anyone tires.
Can we walk back uphill to Ravangla?
You can, but it is a steady 2.5–3 hour climb. Most people walk down and drive back. If you prefer the uphill for exercise, start from Ralang in the morning when it is cool.
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