Culture · Ravangla

A morning walk through the Tibetan settlement

Walk from the market to the Tibetan refugee settlement about a kilometre away: prayer flags, a small monastery, a school and homes built since the 1960s. A quiet, respectful look at a community that shaped modern Ravangla.

Ravangla2,050M

Photo: Karthikeyan.pandian · CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

Ravangla's Tibetan settlement lies about a kilometre from the market. Wikipedia records seven camps spread over 328.5 acres, home to around 1,300 people, with a primary school, two monasteries, offices and a health clinic. It is not a tourist site, but a living community where visitors are welcome to walk respectfully.

Start early, when older residents circle the monastery turning prayer wheels and children walk to school. Visit the monastery if it is open, removing shoes and walking clockwise. Look for small shops selling incense, prayer flags and Tibetan bread, and teahouses serving butter tea and momos.

Please ask before photographing people or homes. A local guide can introduce you and explain the history of the camps; expect about ₹800–1,200 for a morning. Combine the walk with Buddha Park, which is a short drive away, for a half day focused on Ravangla's Buddhist life.

Good for

solocouplesfirst-timers

Questions travellers ask

Before you book

Can tourists visit the Tibetan settlement in Ravangla?

Yes, as respectful guests on public paths. It is a residential community, not an attraction, so keep voices low, ask before photographing people, and do not enter homes or offices unless invited. The monastery is usually open to visitors in daytime.

When was the Ravangla Tibetan settlement founded?

It grew from the arrival of Tibetan refugees after 1959. Exact founding dates for each camp are not well documented in public sources, so we do not give one. Today it has schools, monasteries and a clinic, and is part of Ravangla's everyday life.

Can we buy Tibetan crafts there?

Small shops sell incense, prayer flags, beads and everyday goods. Larger handicraft selections are found in Gangtok. Buying from settlement shops supports local families directly. Prices are modest and fixed; bargaining is not customary.

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