Places to Visit in Ravangla- Detailed Travel Guide

Places to Visit in Ravangla- A charming settlement known as Ravangla is perched on a ridge between the Maenam and Tendong hills at an elevation of 7000 feet, overlooking the lush, alpine valley of Sikkim and the beautiful snow-capped Himalayan Range. Located 68 kilometers from the busy town of Gangtok In South Sikkim, Ravangla is a recently discovered offbeat tourism spot. The town of Ravangla, often spelled Ravongla or Rawangla, serves as a starting point for hikes to the Maenam Wildlife Sanctuary. Maenam, which is dense in Himalayan flora and home to a treasure trove of medicinal plants, is a haven for botany enthusiasts. The word Ravangla comes from the Bhutia language, where “Ra” stands for wild sheep, “Vong” for a place to rear them, and “La” for a pass. Ravangla is a pass to go in any direction in Sikkim.

Why You Should Visit Ravangla

The quaint town Ravangla with its unique location amidst the hills of Tendong and Maenam has become the perfect destination for trekking expedition through the thick forest of the Oak, Pine, Rhododendron, Magnolia, and fir trees in South Sikkim. Enclosed by lush tea gardens and thick forested area, Ravangla has become a favored tourist destination on the traveler’s list. Surrounding Lepcha and Bhutia villages of Yangang, Tinkitam, Kewzing, Barfung & Bakhim are the ideal destinations for sightseeing in Ravangla. Ravangla creates an ideal ambiance for hosting a large number of avifauna making it a paradise for bird watchers. Birds like verditer flycatchers, blue-fronted redstarts, grey bushchats, dark-throated thrush, blue whistling thrush, green-backed tit, and white-browed fantails can be easily spotted while visiting the quaint town of Ravangla. The forests around Ravangla have other birds like laughing thrushes, babblers, cuckoos, and hill partridges. The rare satyr tragopan can also be spotted in Ravangla.

Places to Visit in Ravangla

The numerous tourist attractions of Ravangla, including some ancient monasteries, make it a popular location for travelers. An extensive collection of paintings and murals can be found in Ralang monastery, which the 12th Gyaltsab Rinpoche established six kilometers away from Ravangla. The yearly Pang Lhabsol festival is held there as well. The best place to see a spectacular sunrise across the Himalayan range is Rayong Sunrise Point, which is 8 kilometers from Ravangla. The 130-foot-tall statue of Sakyamuni Buddha is one of Sikkim’s most recognizable buildings and is situated at Ravangla at the foothills of the Maenam Mountains. An eco-park called Tathagata Tsal sometimes referred to as the Buddha Park, was built to advertise Ravangla as a major Sikkim pilgrimage destination.

The site offers beautiful views of the mountains and the spiritual ambiance of the location is an added charm to the visitor’s experience. Endowed with the abundance of Mother Nature and pictorial sites with an enthralling view of the Himalayan Range, Ravangla with its unearthly beauty has bewitched travelers from around the globe. There is a pleasure in dwelling in the pathless woods while listening to the chirping of exotic Himalayan birds. On the foothills of Maenam hill, Ravangla with its lush tea gardens, decade-old monasteries, eco-parks, and trekking trails through the dense forest has become the safe haven for tourists who want a laid-back weekend close to the wilderness where nature is in its pristine form.