Rumtek

Rumtek in a hidden east Sikkim valley, has a small village with a pleasant rural environment. The village located just opposite the Gangtok hill presents an illuminated view of the town at night. Some eco-resorts and hotels have grown up in recent years to accommodate special-interest tourists looking for a peaceful rural landscape and experience Sikkim's traditional village life. The surrounded hills and forests in Rumtek offer few good hiking options and bird watching.

The most important and most extensive among all monasteries in Sikkim is Rumtek Monastery. This is also a famous pilgrimage centre in Sikkim. Located 24kms away from Gangtok, Sikkim's capital town, the Monastery is also known as the Dharma Chakra Center. The 16th Karmapa Gyalwa, who came from Tibet to Sikkim during the Chinese invasion, built this Monastery in 1960. Belonging to the Black Hat sect of Kargyugpa Buddhism, which has its origin in Tibet in the 12th Century, The Rumtek Monastery aims to spread Buddha's teachings in this small Himalayan state. The legend has it that while the first Karmapa was meditating in a cave for many years, ten thousand fairies came to him and blessed him. They presented him with their hair, which was woven together to form a black hat. This Hat is kept inside a box in Rumtek Monastery. They believe that if not saved in a secured place, the Hat may fly away. The His Holiness Karmapa uses this auspicious Hat during the ceremony.