Upper Samdong, near Gangtok, Sikkim
Dhamma Sineru – Sikkim Vipassana Centre
Ten-day silent Vipassana courses in the hills above Gangtok
Details checked on the official site, October 2026 · We never take bookings or commissions
A Vipassana centre in the hills above Gangtok that runs S.N. Goenka-style 10-day silent courses, plus longer courses for old students. Teaching, food and lodging are free, funded by donations from past participants.
Sikkim's Vipassana centre in the S.N. Goenka tradition
Main hall for 120 plus separate small halls for men and women
Free courses funded by donations
Free
donation-based
- Stay
- Meals
- Meditation
10-day course free incl. food and lodging; donations accepted only from past students
Courses here are free or by donation. Never pay an agent or another website to book.
Indicative. Checked on the official site, October 2026.
Before you book
Arrival
Fixed course dates only
Couples
Couples stay separately
Phones
Phones handed in
Food
Vegetarian food
Booking
Apply on their site
Taxes
Not stated: ask the retreat
Great for
- spiritual seekers
- deep practice
- budget travellers
Maybe not for
- Short breaks: the minimum is 11 nights
- Anyone who needs to stay reachable by phone
Good to know before you go
- Courses are taught in Hindi, English and Nepali; check the language before applying
- Registration runs 2–4 pm on Day 1 and the course ends by 7:30 am on Day 11
- Places are few (48 in all), so apply as soon as applications open
Programs & stays
Rooms: Twin-share rooms with attached bath and dormitories; 24 men and 24 women in separate areas
Program names and lengths change. Check the retreat's calendar for current dates.
When to go
Best Mar–May, Oct–Dec. 10-day courses usually start on the 1st or 16th of the month; Oct–Dec and Mar–May are clearest, Jun–Sep is heavy monsoon
- Summer · Mar–May
- Post-monsoon · Oct–Nov
Getting there
Nearest airportBagdogra (IXB), ~4.5–5 hr drive; Pakyong (PYG) is closer but has limited flights
By trainNew Jalpaiguri (NJP), ~4.5–5 hr drive
- ~720 km from Kolkata, best to fly
- ~1,510 km from Delhi NCR, best to fly
- ~2,040 km from Hyderabad, best to fly
- ~2,430 km from Chennai, best to fly
Researched from the retreat's official website and public sources. Details change, so confirm prices, dates and policies with Dhamma Sineru – Sikkim Vipassana Centre before booking.
- Photo: Amitabha Gupta, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Photo: Akshansh Kumar, Unsplash
- Photo: Mohit Khatri, Unsplash
- Photo: Abhinav, Unsplash
Run Dhamma Sineru – Sikkim Vipassana Centre? Claim this listing to correct details and answer questions as the official team.
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