About Enchey Monastery
Enchey Monastery sits on a forested hilltop above Gangtok, 3km from the city centre, and it is the monastery in Gangtok that locals actually feel connected to — not just the most photographed. The name means 'solitary temple' in Tibetan, and the site was originally blessed by Lama Druptob Karpo, a Tantric master said to have flown here on tiger-back from Tibet in the 18th century. The current building dates from 1909 and follows the Nyingma tradition. Two hundred monks live and study here. Most visitors come for the Chham festival in December (sometimes January), when monks in full mask-dance costume perform ritual dances in the courtyard for two days — one of the most dramatic religious spectacles in Sikkim. Outside festival season, the monastery is quiet and welcoming. The forest around the complex is intact and the prayer hall has some of the most detailed Nyingma murals I have seen anywhere in the Eastern Himalayas.
Why go to Enchey Monastery
Chham mask dance festival (December)
The annual Chham is one of the most visually extraordinary events in Sikkim — costumed monks in elaborate masks perform ritual dances that last two days. Dates vary by the Tibetan calendar; check annually.
Finest Nyingma murals in Gangtok
The main prayer hall walls are covered in detailed Nyingma thangka-style murals depicting the Wheel of Life, protective deities and scenes from the Guru Padmasambhava cycle. Bring a torch to see the detail.
The significance of Enchey Monastery
Built in 1909 on a site blessed by the flying lama Druptob Karpo; active Nyingma monastery with 200 monks and the Chham festival tradition.
What to see inside
Main Prayer Hall
Nyingma murals covering all four walls — the Wheel of Life, the 8 Manifestations of Guru Padmasambhava and the Dharmapalas. Bring a small torch for the darker sections.
Festival Courtyard
The open courtyard in front of the hall where the Chham mask dances are performed in December. Even empty it gives a sense of scale.
Upper Stupa
A small white chorten above the main hall with views over the forested ridge toward Gangtok.
Etiquette — please read before you go
- Remove footwear at all prayer hall entrances
- Walk clockwise around stupas and prayer walls
- No flash photography inside the hall
- Keep voices low when monks are in prayer
Festivals worth timing your trip around
Chham (Enchey Mask Dance)
28th–29th day, 11th Tibetan month (Dec–Jan)Two-day ritual mask dance performed by monks in elaborate costumes — one of the most dramatic festival experiences in Sikkim.
How to reach Enchey Monastery from Gangtok
Taxi from MG Marg (10 min, ₹200–300). On foot from the upper town it is a 30-minute uphill walk. The road ends at a car park; monastery is a short walk up.
Best time to visit Enchey Monastery
Year-round. For the Chham festival, contact We Care Holidays in advance for exact dates — they shift annually with the Tibetan lunar calendar and typically fall in December or January.
Time of dayMorning (7–9am) for the morning puja, when monks are active in the prayer hall. The forested grounds are pleasant at any time.
Things we always tell our guests about Enchey Monastery
- Remove shoes at the prayer hall entrance and keep voices low inside.
- Photography inside the prayer hall requires permission from the monks — ask first.
- For the Chham festival, arrive early — the courtyard fills fast and the best positions for photography are at the sides.
- The forested area around the monastery is a pleasant short walk — the forest is cooler than the town in summer.
Enchey Monastery — your questions answered
Other places in Gangtok
- MonasteryMountain PassSacred LakeViewpointMarket