Monasteries · Yuksom
Steep morning walk up to Dubdi Monastery
Climb about 45 minutes through forest above Yuksom to Dubdi Monastery, built in 1701 under the third Chogyal and often called Sikkim's oldest. A good warm-up before a trek, and a quiet morning for anyone else, with views back over the village.
The path to Dubdi starts at the upper end of the village and climbs steeply through oak and other broadleaf forest, with stone steps in places and prayer flags at the bends. It takes most people about 45 minutes up and 30 minutes down. There is no water or tea stall on the way, so carry a bottle and start early, before the sun reaches the slope. Many trekkers walk up the day before Goecha La to test their legs and their boots.
Dubdi, also written Dubdee, was built in 1701 under the third Chogyal, Chakdor Namgyal, and is often described as the oldest monastery in Sikkim. The name is usually translated as 'the retreat'. It is a small stone building with a sloping roof in a clearing on the ridge, with a few chortens and a house for the caretaker. The hall may be locked outside prayer times; ask in the village before you climb whether anyone will be there to open it.
Even if the hall is shut, the walk is worth it for the setting. You look back over the roofs and fields of Yuksom, the valley of the Rathong Chu and the forested hills that lead towards Khangchendzonga National Park. Sit on the low wall and listen; the only sounds are usually birds and flags. Walk down slowly, because the stone steps are slippery when damp, and have a late breakfast in the bazaar before heading to Norbugang.
Cost: Free · donation welcome
Questions people ask
Good to know
How difficult is the walk to Dubdi Monastery?
It is short but steep: about 45 minutes up and 30 minutes down on a forest path with stone steps. Anyone of average fitness can manage it at a slow pace. Wear shoes with grip and carry water, since there is nothing on the way. Older visitors with knee trouble may find the descent harder than the climb.
Is Dubdi Monastery open every day?
Dubdi is a small, quiet monastery without fixed visitor hours, and the prayer hall is sometimes locked when no monk or caretaker is around. Ask at your lodge or in the bazaar before you climb. Even if it is closed, the courtyard, chortens and views over Yuksom make the walk worthwhile.
Is Dubdi really the oldest monastery in Sikkim?
It is often called the oldest, dated to 1701. Some other sites have earlier founding dates in tradition, such as Tashiding (1641) and Sanga Choeling (1697), so the claim depends on how you count and which buildings survive. What is clear is that Dubdi belongs to the first generations of Sikkim's royal monasteries.
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