Rumtek Monastery (Dharma Chakra Centre)

Perched on a vantage hill facing Gangtok from 24 km away, Rumtek Monastery (Dharma Chakra Centre) is the focal seat-in-exile of the Gyalwang Karmapa, head of the Karma Kagyu lineage. Reconstructed in the 1960s mirroring the ancestral Tsurphu monastery of Tibet, the complex features a breathtaking main prayer hall adorned with brilliant murals, silk thangkas, and a 16-foot Golden Stupa encrusted with diamonds, rubies, and turquoise.