Culture and history · Ravangla
Kewzing village homestay and Bon monastery
Spend a night with a Bhutia farming family in Kewzing, a short drive below Ravangla, walk through cardamom and maize fields, and visit Yungdrung Kundrakling, one of Sikkim's few monasteries of the Bon faith. A slower, warmer side of South Sikkim than the big statue on the ridge.
Kewzing is a village of Bhutia families on the slopes below Ravangla, on the road that heads down towards Legship and the Rangeet valley. Several households run homestays with simple rooms, home-cooked food and a lot of local knowledge. Days here follow the farm: maize, vegetables, large cardamom in the shaded gullies, cows and a kitchen garden. Hosts often take guests on short walks to viewpoints, a village chorten or a nearby stream.
Kewzing is also home to Yungdrung Kundrakling, a monastery of the Bon faith. Bon is the old religious tradition of Tibet, which shares much with Tibetan Buddhism but keeps its own lineages and customs. Bon followers walk around shrines and turn prayer wheels anticlockwise, the reverse of Buddhist practice, so watch what local visitors do and follow them. Ask before photographing inside, keep voices low, and leave a small donation.
Dinner in a Kewzing homestay is usually rice, dal, a green such as nettle or mustard leaves, potatoes or squash, pickles and often pork, chicken or churpi dishes; breakfast may be roti, sel roti or Tibetan-style bread with tea. Expect to pay about ₹1,500–2,500 per person with dinner and breakfast, indicative, in cash. A reserved car from Ravangla takes 15–25 minutes; agree the fare first, or ask your host to arrange the pickup.
Cost: Homestay ₹1,500–2,500 pp with meals
Questions people ask
Good to know
How far is Kewzing from Ravangla?
Kewzing is a short drive below Ravangla on the road towards Legship, usually 15–25 minutes by car depending on which part of the village your homestay is in. Shared jeeps heading for Legship pass through, but timings are irregular, so most visitors take a local taxi from Ravangla or ask their homestay host to arrange a pickup.
What is the Bon monastery in Kewzing?
Yungdrung Kundrakling in Kewzing is a monastery of the Bon faith, the old religious tradition of Tibet that runs alongside Tibetan Buddhism with its own lineages, texts and customs. It is one of very few Bon monasteries in Sikkim. Visitors are welcome at reasonable hours; walk around shrines anticlockwise, as Bon followers do, and ask before taking photos.
Are Kewzing homestays good for families?
Yes. Kewzing homestays are run by families, rooms are simple and clean, food is home cooked and mild on request, and there is space for children to walk around the fields. Expect basic bathrooms and hot water that may come by bucket. Rates run about ₹1,500–2,500 per person with dinner and breakfast; confirm what is included when you book.
Also in Ravangla
More things to do
Culture and history · 1.5–2 hoursBuddha Park in the quiet first hourRavangla · Entry roughly ₹50–100 pp; check
Monasteries · Half dayRalang, the old gompa and the new monasteryRavangla · Free · donation welcome; car about ₹1,2…
Treks and walks · 8–9 hours returnDay trek to Maenam Hill above RavanglaRavangla · Guide ₹1,500–2,500 plus sanctuary fee