Enchey Monastery is the famous 200-year-old gompa, located in the middle of a forest, to the north of Gangtok. Its impressive prayer hall has colourful murals and thangkas on the walls and several statues of Buddhist deities. Each year the famous masked dance festival is held here in January, and draws many visitors.

Tashi Ding Monastery is 145 km west of Gangtok and was built in 1717. It is believed that the great Guru Padmasambhava meditated here. It surrounded by hundreds of small cortens (stupas), inscribed holy stones, and prayer wheels and flags. The main temple, however, was rebuilt in 1987. This temple draws thousands of pilgrims from all over, especially during the famous Bumchu festival. Bumchu is a pot of sacred water, the contents of which are believed to never dry up.

Rumtek Monastery is the largest monastery in the eastern side of the Himalayas and is the centre for the Kagyupa order of Tibetan Buddhism. The new structure is an exact replica of the old and built by His holiness, the late 16th Gyalwa Karmapa. Seen in direct light, it looks like a sparkling jewel on the hill-side.

Phodong Monastery in north Sikkim is another significant gompa. It is one of the ost beautiful monastaeries of Sikkim and is a recreation of the original 18^th century structure. It is another centre for the masked dance festival in January, and also houses a rich collection of manuscripts on Buddhism.

Pemayangtse Monastery is situated approximately 140 km to the west of Gangtok and is one of the oldest monasteries of Sikkim. It is the base of the ta-sang lamas (one of the purest sects). However, the monastery draws pilgrims from all the sects of Tibetan Buddhism.