Undoubtedly, this is Sikkim’s most famous monastery, and every visitor to Sikkim is likely to visit the Rumtek Monastery, even in a 3-4 day trip to Sikkim. Rumtek Village is 24 km away from Gangtok (Sikkim’s capital), and the monastery is the headquarters of the Black Hat Sect (one of the oldest sects of Tibetan Buddhism).

There are two buildings of Rumtek Monastery, one is relatively newer (built in 1966), and the older Rumtek Monastery was founded in 1740 by the fourth Chogyal of Sikkim. A path leads to a shrine called Golden Stupa, it is a chorten made of silver and gold, and studded with precious stones such as turquoise, amber and coral. It is recommended to attend the morning prayers at Rumtek Monastery.

The Old Rumtek Monastery is around 2 kms away from the newer one, and the path is surrounded by white prayer flags. The exterior of the monastery is in a light shade of blue, and is built in traditional Sikkimese alpine style, with latticed wooden windows.

Presence of armed personnel comes as a rude shock in the heavily guarded complex; there have been disputes over the future Rinpoche of this monastery resulting in a tense situation. There is a wide range of accommodation available in Rumtek; from home-stays, hotels, guesthouses to boutique stays.