Culture · Rabdentse Ruins
Rabdentse history walk with a local guide
Walk the forest path and ruins of Rabdentse with a guide who explains the palace wings, chortens and Namphogang throne, and the Bhutanese and Gorkha wars that shaped the capital's fate.
Photo: Rangan Datta Wiki · CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Without a guide, Rabdentse can look like a pleasant ruin in a forest. With one, the stones turn into a story: the second Chogyal moving his court from Yuksom in 1670, the third Chogyal fleeing to Lhasa when Bhutanese troops arrived around 1700, and the long pressure from the Gorkha kingdom of Nepal that ended with the capital moving east in the 1790s.
The guide will point out the Taphap Chorten at the entrance, the walls of the northern and southern palace wings, the Dab Lhagang prayer hall and the Namphogang stone throne, and the three chortens at the centre. Each has a role in the court's daily and ritual life.
Finish on the terrace that faces Kangchenjunga. On a clear morning you understand why the site was chosen: the view runs from the high peaks down to the Rangeet, and Pemayangtse watches from the ridge behind.
Good for
Questions travellers ask
Before you book
How long does a Rabdentse visit take?
About 1–1.5 hours: 15–20 minutes each way on the forest path and 30–45 minutes at the ruins. With Pemayangtse, plan 3 hours. Most Pelling half-day tours give about an hour, which is enough if you walk steadily.
Is the Rabdentse walk suitable for children?
Yes. The path is mostly level with a few steps and roots, and children enjoy the forest and the open ruins. Keep them off walls and chortens, which are protected. Strollers are not practical. Carry water and snacks, as there are no shops inside.
Why was Rabdentse abandoned?
It was vulnerable to raids from Nepal across the Singalila Ridge. Wikipedia records that the capital moved east to Tumlong in 1793 and that the Gorkha army later destroyed the town. Earlier, around 1700, Bhutanese forces had also occupied Sikkim during a succession dispute.
Also in Rabdentse Ruins
More hours worth planning
Wildlife and birds
Early birding on the Rabdentse forest path
The oak and rhododendron forest around Rabdentse is a gentle, quiet place to look for mid-hill Himalayan birds in the first two …
Nature
Kangchenjunga behind the royal chortens
Photograph the three royal chortens and palace walls of Rabdentse with Kangchenjunga rising behind, a frame that joins Sikkim's history and its …
Adventure
Rabdentse and Pemayangtse loop on foot
A gentle half-day walk from Upper Pelling down to Pemayangtse, through the forest to Rabdentse and back, covering the kingdom's second chapter …
Price your own route
Tell us dates, people and budget. We send a day-by-day plan with every cost shown. StartNot sure where to start?
We match districts to your month, your budget and the people travelling with you. StartAsk the Gangtok desk
An itemised quote within one working day. No payment to start. StartGet 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