Pedong and Aritar Tour

Walk along the ancient Silk route of Jelep La and Nathu La.

Romantic experience of walking along the first three Everest expedition route.

Damsang fort waits to seep you with the evidence of historic Lepcha Bhutia war.

Get the thrill of watching 100-year-old mummy of the religious leader Sabdung Rimpoche.

Calm and quiet mountain village will greet you with its breath taking views of Kanchenjunga.

Fishing and river bed camping near Rishi bridge on Rishi khola.

Enter East Sikkim for boating on Aritar Lake.

bhuniazone team explores and documents Pedong and Aritar:

Rishi meets Mudum khola at the Rishi bridge

Other bhuniazone links:

Pedong Aritar photo album

Sandakphu trek

Sandakphu photo album

Sandakphu video

Kanchenjunga

Everest The Highest

Photo Album: bhuniazone

Trek Earth Gallery

Travel Maps: bhuniazone

Pedong is a small hill town under Kalimpong subdivision of Darjeeling district.

Situated at a distance of 21 Kmtrs. East from Kalimpong on the way to Algarah and Lava at the height of 4,800 ft. Located at 27.15° N 88.6167° E

A treasure island, harbouring many evidences of important history, related to the ethnic and religious evolution of this area.

Wayside flower in Pedong

Pedong from Silent valley

Pedong tourism has developed very recently to promote and develop this area as an attractive spot.

The nomenclature “Pedong” is now inclusive also of its adjacent areas.

Upper and Lower Dalep are just below the main Pedong bazaar.

More downwards Samdong is the area near the Rishi bridge.

Kahyone village having the Lepcha heritage is little ahead the cross hill.

Ancient Silk Route in the 1^st Century

Pedong is a small quiet village on the ancient Silk route that connects Lhasa to India via the Jelep La pass. Nathula is also quiet near.

The route is Pedong, Rhenock, Kupup and Jelep La.

Map of Pedong Tourist spots

bhuniazone team itinerary: 29^th Sept. to 4^th Octob. 2006:

29^th: Kolkata to New Jalpaiguri (NJP). Overnight train journey.

30^th: NJP to Pedong. Maruti Omni. Rs. (1300/-). Route bus, NJP to Kalimpong (Rs. 38/-), Kalimpong to Pedong (Rs. 22/-).

1^st: Pedong to Aritar and back. Reserved (Rs. 1000/-). Route trekker (Rs. 30/-).

2^nd: Pedong site seeing. Reserved Rs. 600/- + Rs. 300/- extra for Lepcha Heritage.

3^rd: Pedong to NJP. Tata Sumo (Rs. 1500/-).

4^th: NJP to Kolkata. Overnight train journey.

Algarah to Pedong curved road

Holy Cross at Cross Hill

Cross Hill: 3 Kmtrs from Pedong bazaar. The priest Augustine Desgodins laid this holy cross as a landmark cairn in 1882 on his way to Tibet thru the Nathula Pass to preach Christianity. However he had to recede as opposed by the orthodox Tibetans at that time.

It is considered to have miraculous powers and a place of Pilgrimage for the local Christian Community

Shahid Park: 2 Kmtrs. from Pedong bazaar and 900 Mtrs of walk from the motorable road. Not yet developed as a decorated park.

This memorial stone has been built in the honour of a local young lad of 20 years working in Indian army. Let Palender Rai, shahid on 10^th June 02 at Thangdhar J & K sector (Kargil war).

This is the highest point of the cross hill and clear panoramic views of Sikkim on the opposite.

Shahid Park

Trek road to Damsang Forte.

Damsang Fort: 6 Km. From Pedong bazaar and 2 Km. walk from the main road. Almost nothing is left in the deep forest except few walls of the ancient fort. Infested by leeches. Nice panoramic view from the hill top.

Damsangdugi was built in 1690 by the Lepchas It was the centre of the long standing feud with the Bhutias. The British captured the forte after the Anglo-Bhutan War of 1864.

This Lepcha Bhutia ethnic war settled to an end when the Lepcha chief Tenkung Tek and the Bhutia chief Khey Bum Sar signed the friendship treaty with their blood on a stone at the Kabi Long stock of North Sikkim.

Tinchuley: 5.700 ft. 1 Km. walk from the road to Ramitey near silent valley. Nice panoramic view of Jelep La and Nathu La area and Kanchenjunga range and the rivers around Pedong. Caution: Tinchuley near Kurseong is a different tourist spot.

Silent Valley: 6 Km. from Pedong bazaar on the way to Ramitey. A small forest area with a grassy land of quietness.

Sillery Gaon: Ideal mountain village on the way side to Ramitey. Must stop and interact with the villagers to get an idea of their life style and of course their hospitality will touch you. Front open unleashed view of Kanchenjunga.

Ramitey top: 6,400 ft. 10 Km. from Pedong bazaar. Jeep road thru the dense forest. Breathtaking panoramic view of the rivers all around and Kancenjunga. Longest view of Tista is available only from here.

Valey Dunga: 6500 ft. A 2 Km. trek to the highest point of this area. Valley = Cock (Big). Dunga = Rock.

Rikisum: 6400 ft. 12 Km. from Pedong bazaar. A viewpoint on a different route on the way from Algarah to Lava.

Way to Ramitey top

Curious Sillery villagers

Pedong Monastery

Pedong Monastery: 1.5 Km from Pedong bazaar. New construction and not yet complete.

The residence of Sangchen monastery’s head lama at present. The mummy of Sabdung Rimpochela, the last head lama of Sangchen monastery has been preserved here. The mummy is displayed for the devotees during 1^st March to 30^th April every year. Incarnated new Lama as a successor to Rimpochela has been located in Bhutan and photo of that young lad is present here.

Photography inside is strictly prohibited.

Sangchen gompa: Situated at a distance of about 300 Mtrs. from Pedong Monastery. It was built in the year of 1706. The valuables of ruined Damsang fort have been preserved here. Many old paintings and fresco works are present.

Lord Buddha’s idol is not present here. Instead the painting and photo of head Rimpochela is worshipped in the front and hidden behind is the idol of the God of piece and Evil destruction.

Photography is allowed here.

Painting inside Sangchen Gompa

Road to Kashyone village

Kashyone village: 8 kms from Pedong bazaar ahead cross hill. Rongpo khola joins Tista behind this village. Cinchona plantation and a little ahead is Ranibon that has been declared as a preserved forest and under development.

Lepcha heritage: A very old Lepcha house is the heritage exhibit and it is under development to decorate with Lepcha culture and utilities.

Photo shows Mr. Sonam Chering Lepcha standing. He is the 8^th generation descendent of his family tree living in the same house. It fixes the construction of this house to1600.

There are few interesting architectural features in this house. The wooden foundation columns have been laid on the rock base, which itself is floating. No nails have been used and the hinge type wooden joints are supporting the house. This house is the only left standing specimen of more than 300 years old Lepcha craftwork.

Lepcha Heritage

Rishi Bridge: 15 Km. from Pedong bazaar. Rishi and Mudum khola unites to form Rishi khola just before the bridge. West Bengal and Sikkim are on either side of the rivers. A romantic natural atmosphere.

Just below the bridge there is an adventure camping site on the riverbed. Fishing, camping and rafting are arranged at this tent site. However rafting is not directly done here but arranged at the 7 Km. stretches from Melli to Untris miles on Tista.

Mr. Sebestian Pradhan (Founder of Pedong Tourism), and a resident of Kashyone village, arranges these sports. Contact Nos: 99327-44407 & 99326-80170.

Rishi bridge connecting WB with Sikkim. Enlarge the photo and the tent camping site will be visible.

Aritar Lake from Aritar top

Aritar Lake: 16 Km from Rishi bridge in East Sikkim. A mind-blowing echo tourism spot to enjoy boating on a mountain lake.

The top point provides an excellent panoramic view of Kanchenjunga on the south-west and Nathu La and Jelep La area towards the north-east.

The Mahiti village at the Aritar top is coming up with a tourist lodge and a guesthouse is about to start on the bank of the Aritar lake.

Love Danra: Another view point at Aritar.

Important information:

Guest Houses at Pedong:

Damsang Guest House at lower Pedong. Ph: 03552-281212 & 94342-48158

Cross Hill Guest House at Lower Pedong: Ph: 9932775401.

Damdi Lodge: Ph: 03552-281418.

Pedong Holiday Resort: Ph: 03552-281275 / 281218.

Important information:

Guest Houses at Aritar:

Aritar Lake resort: at Dalapchen of East Sikkim. 1 Km. from the Lake Ph: 03592-253409 & 9932995706.

Lodge on the bank of the Lake: Daduc Bhutia: Ph: 03592-253025 & 99323-51351

PWD rest house of Sikkim Govt. 2 Km. from the lake.

This is a bhuniazone page

Your queries & feedbacks

bhuniazone links: