Pelling Skywalk and Chenrezig Statue

Where

Sangachoeling ridge, about 2 km above Pelling

Altitude

About 2,200 m (7,200 ft)

Distance

About 2 km from Pelling

Timings

Roughly 9am–5pm or 6pm (reports vary)

Entry fee

About ₹20 for Indians, ₹50 for foreigners (reported; some sources give ₹50–100)

Permit

None

Best time

October–April for mountain views

Time needed

1–1.5 hours

The Pelling Skywalk is a glass-floored walkway on the ridge above Pelling that leads to a giant statue of Chenrezig, the bodhisattva of compassion. On a clear morning Kanchenjunga stands directly behind it. It is the newest of Pelling's sights and now the most photographed.

The statue and the skywalk

• The Chenrezig statue is about 137 ft (42 m) tall, seated on a raised platform. Sources disagree on how it ranks among statues of its kind, so we won't claim a record.
• The skywalk is a short glass walkway leading towards the statue, with a drop to the forest below. Shoe covers are usually handed out to protect the glass.
• The steps up to the statue platform are steep, so take them slowly at this altitude.

Sangachoeling, the older story on the same ridge

The skywalk sits below Sangachoeling Monastery, founded in 1697 by Lhatsun Chempo, one of the three lamas who crowned Sikkim's first king. It is one of the oldest monasteries in Sikkim, with clay statues from the 17th century, and is reached by a steep walk through forest. Very few skywalk visitors go up. If you have an extra hour, it's the better half of the ridge.

How to reach the skywalk

It is about 2 km above Pelling town by road; a taxi takes ten minutes, or you can walk it in about 40 minutes uphill. Pelling itself is 4.5–5 hours from Gangtok or NJP. See our Gangtok to Pelling cab and Sikkim tour packages.

Road distances from OpenStreetMap routing. Drive times are what we see on these mountain roads, not map estimates.

Tickets and timings

• Entry: most reports give about ₹20 for Indians and ₹50 for foreigners. Some recent visitors report higher flat fees, so carry cash.
• Hours: roughly 9am to 5pm or 6pm. Some sources say the glass section closes in heavy rain.
• Last entry is earlier than closing, and in winter the light goes by 4:30pm.

Weather and best time

At 2,200 m Pelling is mild for most of the year and cold in winter mornings. Monsoon cloud hides the mountains from June to September.

Monthly averages for 2015–2024 from ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, at the site's elevation (about 2081 m). Rain and snow are rated relative to this location's own year.

• October–December: the clearest Kanchenjunga views, cold mornings.
• March–April: rhododendrons and magnolias, hazier afternoons.
• June–September: green but cloudy; the glass is slippery.

Things most guides don't tell you

• Go before 9am. Kanchenjunga is clearest at first light and the ridge is quiet until the tour cars arrive from about 10am.
• The glass panel is short. Don't expect a long walk over a canyon; the view behind the statue is the real draw.
• Combine it with Pemayangtse and Rabdentse, both within a few kilometres, for an easy half-day.

Nearby

• Pemayangtse Monastery, a few kilometres along the ridge.
• Khecheopalri Lake, the sacred lake about 25 km away.
• Things to do in Pelling.