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Route · Kalimpong
From Pedong down to the Reshi river, across the West Bengal–Sikkim border and up to Aritar's lake in East Sikkim. About 30 km and 1.5 hours, on roads the old Tibet caravans once used.
| From | To | How | Time | Fare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PEDONG | ARITAR | Reserved car | 1.5 h | ₹2,000–3,000 A C |
| PEDONG | ARITAR | Shared jeep | 2–3 h with changes | ₹150–250 IN LEGS |
From our route pages. Fares change with fuel prices, season and demand: check current status before you travel.
The road drops from Pedong to the Reshi bridge on the border, enters Sikkim, then climbs through Rhenock to Aritar. A Kalimpong-registered car can make the run; ask your driver about Sikkim entry rules for the vehicle. Indian visitors show an ID at the check post. Check current status before you travel.
Possible but slow: a shared jeep from Pedong towards Reshi or Rhenock when one is going, then a local jeep up to Aritar. Services are irregular, so start in the morning. This suits backpackers who are already in Pedong or Sillery Gaon and heading on into Sikkim.
Local tip: Foreign nationals need a Sikkim Restricted Area Permit before they cross; arrange it in advance rather than counting on getting it at the Reshi check post.
Questions people ask
Indian nationals do not need a permit to enter this part of Sikkim, only a photo ID at the check post. Foreign nationals need a Sikkim Restricted Area Permit, which is easier to arrange in advance or at the main entry points than at small posts like Reshi. Rules change, so check current status before you travel.
About 1.5 hours by car for roughly 30 km: down to the Reshi river on the border, then up through Rhenock to Aritar. By shared jeep with changes, expect 2–3 hours. Landslides in the monsoon can add time, so check current status before you travel.
Yes. Pedong and Reshi lead into East Sikkim at Rhenock, the start of the drive to Rongli, Zuluk and the old Silk Route. That stretch needs a separate permit for all visitors, arranged through registered operators. Pedong to Aritar is a good first stop on the way.
Roughly, yes. Mule caravans from Kalimpong came through Pedong and Rhenock and climbed to Jelep La, then into Tibet's Chumbi valley, carrying wool south and goods north until the 1962 war closed the pass. Today's roads follow parts of that line, though not the old mule path itself.
Plan with a local
Where you want to go, how many of you, and roughly what you want to spend a day. A planner who lives in these hills replies within one working day with a route and every rupee written down.