budget hotel · Pelling
Hotel Garuda
A long-running budget hotel in Upper Pelling that backpackers have used as a base for years. Plain rooms, a small restaurant, and the Kanchenjunga range visible from the upper floors on a clear morning.
Hotel Garuda sits at the main junction of Upper Pelling, where the shared jeeps to Geyzing, Yuksom and Jorethang stop. That location is the reason many budget travellers end up here: you can step off a jeep, drop your bag and walk to Pemayangtse and the Rabdentse ruins without hiring a car. Rooms are simple, with attached bathrooms; the better ones face north towards the mountains.
Do not expect resort comforts. Expect a family-run hotel that knows trekkers, keeps a small restaurant going and can help you find a seat in a shared jeep or a reserved car for the monastery loop. Room standards differ between floors, so ask to see a room first, and ask about hot water and heating in winter. Prices are indicative and change with the season.
Why we suggest it
- At the Upper Pelling jeep stop, so you can travel without a reserved car
- Walking distance to Pemayangtse, Rabdentse and the Sanga Choeling trail
- Mountain-facing rooms on the upper floors at budget prices
We list rates as indicative ranges. We do not take commission from this property for being listed here. Check current status before you travel.
Questions people ask
Good to know
Does Hotel Garuda have rooms facing Kanchenjunga?
Some of the upper-floor rooms face north towards the Kanchenjunga range, which is the view people come to Pelling for. They cost a little more and go first in October, November and the spring holidays. Ask for a mountain-facing room when you book and confirm it again on arrival, since room allocation can change.
Can I walk to Pemayangtse Monastery from Hotel Garuda?
Yes. Pemayangtse is roughly 2 km below Upper Pelling, about 30 minutes on foot along the road, and the Rabdentse ruins trail starts not far beyond it. Most guests walk down in the morning and take a shared jeep or a local taxi back up, because the return climb is steep.
Is Hotel Garuda good for a winter stay?
It works in winter if you pack warm layers. Pelling drops close to freezing at night in December and January, and budget rooms rely on blankets and heaters rather than central heating. Ask whether a heater is available and whether it costs extra, and check hot water timings before you check in.
Trips that sleep here
On a ticket
Shoestring
West & South Sikkim5 nights · Shared jeeps
Uttarey and Dentam village stay
Pelling · Dentam · Uttarey
₹12,500per personabout ₹2,100 a day
Shoestring
West & South Sikkim5 nights · Shared jeeps
Pelling and Yuksom by shared jeep
Pelling · Yuksom
₹12,000per personabout ₹2,000 a day
Value
West & South Sikkim7 nights · Mixed
Sacred lakes and monasteries of West Sikkim
Pelling · Khecheopalri · Yuksom · Tashiding
₹24,000per personabout ₹3,000 a day
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