Hostels in Sikkim 
Looking for the best hostels in Sikkim? You are in the right place!
On this page, we have listed every city in Sikkim with backpacker hostels and budget-friendly stays. Hostelz.com makes it easy to find your ideal Sikkim hostel by comparing prices across major booking platforms. Save money while backpacking Sikkim and sleep comfortably on a budget.
All Backpacker Hostels in Sikkim
We have got you covered with a complete list of every hostel in Sikkim, across 2 cities! Not all cities have hostels, but many offer alternative budget options like guesthouses and affordable hotels. Use our filters to quickly find cities with hostels or other budget accommodations to simplify your trip planning.
All Sikkim hostels on a map
Alright, you are more the visual type? Planning your trip with a map is always handy.
Therefore, this map shows you all cities with hostels in Sikkim. It will help you to plan your trip. Just zoom in the map and click your destination for more details. Just so you know: If we do not have a hostel in a city, it is likely that there is no hostel in that city.
Our handwritten guide on Backpacking Sikkim
Sikkim, India, is a tiny hill state with snowclad mountains, quaint little villages, natural hot springs, welcoming Buddhist culture, and vibrant temples in Northeast India where Tibetan Buddhism and Hindu culture coexist. It has been named India's cleanest state, and accordingly, plastic and polythene are banned in Sikkim. Until the mid-seventies, the tiny hill state remained an independent nation. Sikkim is also India's first organic state.
Popularly known as the "land of monasteries," Gangtok is the capital city of Sikkim. Many tourists who come to this remote Indian state use Gangtok as their base to explore the region. Rumtek Monastery and Enchey Monastery are often frequented by visitors to Sikkim. In Gangtok, travelers can head to Nathu La and Tsomgo Lake, with their picture-worthy scenic beauty. Another popular activity in Gangtok is to go on a cable-car ride to get a bird's eye view of the hill station. Apart from homestays, there are now backpacker hostels in Sikkim, India (located in Gangtok) for those who travel on a budget. If you are a couple traveling together, staying in a guesthouse instead of a Sikkim, India hostel would work out more cheaply.
North Sikkim is more remote and offers an authentic experience. Lachung is a famous destination in North Sikkim, with gurgling waterfalls and the snowclad Himalayas. There are many quirky homestays now where you can relax and soak up the beauty for a few days. At an elevation of eleven thousand six hundred feet, Yumthang Valley is a must-visit attraction if you are in Sikkim. In spring, the valley is filled to the brim with various types of Rhododendrons.
Lachen is another popular hamlet in North Sikkim. It is also the base for several treks, such as Gurudongmar Lake Trek, Chopta Valley Trek, and the trek to Mt. Kanchenjunga. Pelling in West Sikkim has a number of Buddhist monasteries with impeccable architecture. Although it's relatively off grid compared to other Sikkimese attractions, Yuksom offers several trekking options. It's very unlikely to find Sikkim, India hostels in the state's northernmost regions, but there are many homestays catering to budget travelers and backpackers.
Foreign visitors are required to obtain a permit before visiting Sikkim. Some places, such as Gurudongmar Lake, are not accessible for foreign travelers; even local tourists require an inner-line permit to visit Gurudongmar Lake. To get to this Northeast Indian state, you can fly to Bagdogra in West Bengal, and hop on a taxi to Gangtok. If you prefer boarding the train, there are several trains from Delhi and Kolkata to New Jalpaiguri. From there, bus and taxi services operate to Gangtok.
Handwritten by local expert for Sikkim hostels Zin
Travel Tips for Sikkim - from the Community
Hey fam! Here are a few more tips from the community, from them to you, and you to them. This space is dedicated for travellers to share their best tips on backpacking Sikkim. Have a closer look - the Hostelz community share real hidden gems, insider knowledge and overall impressions of Sikkim. Everyone is welcome to add something useful, funny, unexpected and the "absolutely necessary to know before you go" - share, share and then share a little more!
FAQ on Hostels in Sikkim
There is a lot of travel planning to do. So let us help you once again by putting together the frequently asked questions:
Finding Hostels and Prices
What hostel booking sites are best to use?
There is several hostel booking sites, such as Hostelworld.com, Hostelsclub.com and Booking.com. While every platform has its pros and cons, there is a universal truth you as a traveler should be aware of: Not a single booking site can always offer the best prices.
This is where Hostelz.com comes in. You can compare all major booking portals with one click.
For you as a traveler, Hostelz.com is the best booking site to actually save money.
How much are hostels in Sikkim?
Prices always vary, depending on various factors. Weekends tend to be more expensive, same goes for special holidays. Please also take into account local vaction time.
You can search for exacty hostel prices in Sikkim here on Hostelz.com. Pick your destination and pick a date. The system will track down the prices to give an idea of what budget and prices you can expect.
When to book hostels?
If you want to stay at the best hostels, it is a good idea to have your hostel booked around 1 month before you travel. For the regular hostels, booking one week before should be okay. Yet again, this always depends.
We dedicated a full article to the topic of when to book hostels.
Safety and Packing
Are hostels in Sikkim safe?
Generally speaking, hostels are as safe as you make them. We highly recommend always to bring your own padlock, using the lockers and taking care of your belongings. Make sure you pick a safe hostel, offering lockers and a safe location. Please always pay attention to the reviews; they can give you a great insight on what to expect and safety tips.
What to pack when staying in hostels?
There is a few basics you should always pack when staying in hostels.
There is more actually. We wrote a complete guide with more details. Read our full hostel packing list.