Budget homestay village · Padamchen
Padamchen village homestays
Quiet forest-edge homestays at Padamchen, about 2,200 m, between Lingtam and Zuluk. A good first night on the Silk Route for families who want to climb gently, with mixed forest of the Pangolakha sanctuary around the village.
Photo: Rajani Gairshail · CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Quiet forest-edge homestays at Padamchen, about 2,200 m, between Lingtam and Zuluk. A good first night on the Silk Route for families who want to climb gently, with mixed forest of the Pangolakha sanctuary around the village.
Padamchen sits below Zuluk on the road up from Rongli, and fewer travellers stop here than at Zuluk, which is exactly why we like it. A few families keep guest rooms in wooden and concrete houses, and cook the usual homestay meals of rice, dal, seasonal greens and chicken, with tea whenever you ask.
Use Padamchen as an acclimatisation step: sleeping here at about 2,200 m before Zuluk and Nathang makes the climb easier on children and older travellers. Evenings are cool even in May; winter nights go below freezing. It lies inside the Silk Route permit area, so Indian nationals only, with the permit arranged via Rongli. Check current status before you travel.
Why we book it
What it does well
- A gentler first night before Zuluk and Nathang
- Fewer vehicles and a quieter evening than Zuluk
- Forest walks on the edge of the Pangolakha sanctuary
Questions travellers ask
Questions about Padamchen village homestays
Why stay at Padamchen instead of Zuluk?
Padamchen is about 600 m lower than Zuluk, so it is a gentler first night if you are coming straight from the plains or from Gangtok, and it is quieter because most vehicles drive straight through. You lose nothing in the plan: Thambi View Point is around an hour's drive up the road for sunrise, and Zuluk is on the way.
Do we need a permit to stay at Padamchen?
Yes. Padamchen falls inside the restricted Silk Route area, and Indian nationals need the permit arranged via Rongli, usually through a registered agent or your homestay, with a photo ID and passport photos. Foreigners are not allowed beyond the lower villages. Rules and fees change, so check current status before you travel.
Is food at Padamchen homestays vegetarian-friendly?
Yes. Rice, dal, potato and seasonal vegetables are the base of every homestay meal, and families are used to cooking pure vegetarian food for guests. Tell us ahead if you need no onion and garlic or a Jain meal, as the shop is small and supplies come up from Rongli. Non-vegetarian guests usually get chicken or eggs.
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