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Route · West & South Sikkim
About 135 km and 5–6 hours from Siliguri or NJP to Pelling, down the Teesta to Melli, along the Rangeet to Jorethang, then up through Legship and Gyalshing. Direct shared jeeps are few; most budget travellers change at Jorethang.
| From | To | How | Time | Fare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SILIGURI | PELLING | Shared jeep | 5.5–7 h with a change | ₹450–600 DIRECT, |
| SILIGURI | PELLING | Reserved car | 5–6 h | ₹5,000–6,500 A C |
| SILIGURI | PELLING | Bus and jeep | 6–7 h | BUS TO JORETHANG |
From our route pages. Fares change with fuel prices, season and demand: check current status before you travel.
A few direct jeeps to Pelling or Gyalshing leave Siliguri in the morning from the SNT bus stand area and nearby jeep stands; ask the day before. The more reliable way is a jeep to Jorethang, which leave through the morning, then a jeep to Pelling or to Gyalshing, from where local jeeps climb the last 10 km. Aim to leave Siliguri by 10 am.
A reserved Alto, Wagon R or similar from NJP, Bagdogra or Siliguri takes four passengers with luggage on the roof. Larger SUVs cost more. Agree the fare, the drop point in Upper Pelling and any waiting charges before you leave, and stop for lunch at Melli or Jorethang.
Sikkim Nationalised Transport and private buses run some services towards Jorethang and Namchi, but timings change often and seats on the onward jeep matter more. This is the cheapest option only if a bus fits your timing; otherwise the shared jeep is quicker and costs little more.
Local tip: If you miss the last jeep from Jorethang, Gyalshing still has later local jeeps up to Pelling than Jorethang does, so get as far as Gyalshing.
Questions people ask
About 5 to 6 hours by reserved car and 5.5 to 7 hours by shared jeep with a change at Jorethang. The road follows the Teesta and Rangeet rivers before climbing to about 2,150 m. Landslides in the monsoon can add hours, so check current status before you travel between June and September.
There are a few, usually leaving in the morning, but seats are limited and timings change. Ask at the SNT bus stand area or the Sikkim jeep stands in Siliguri the day before. If you miss them, take a jeep to Jorethang and change there for Pelling or Gyalshing.
No. Indian citizens do not need a permit for Pelling, Yuksom or South Sikkim; carry photo ID for the Melli checkpost. Foreign nationals need a Sikkim Restricted Area Permit, available online and at entry points. Check current status before you travel, as procedures change.
Melli and Jorethang both have food stalls and simple restaurants, and Jorethang is the natural lunch stop on the shared jeep route. If you start late, Jorethang has budget hotels for a night, and the morning jeeps to Pelling, Gyalshing, Rinchenpong and Yuksom leave from its stand.
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.