Pelling is the last outpost served by a paved road, coming from Gangtok. In the heart of western Sikkim, it enjoys the view of the huge Kanchenjunga, the third highest mountain in the world (8600 m). 

Annexed to India in the seventies, Sikkim was formerly a kingdom. It is now one of the most sparsely populated States in India, and one of the more ecologically-conscious too. Plastic bags are virtually banned, and people are aware of the risks of overexploiting the land. However, the population has skyrocketed in the last years as a result of increased trade with India, and child poverty is rampant. 

A few institutions care for the education of destituted children, and we all hope that political tensions will not undermine the efforts of the few volunteers who get there. Have more details in our "what you can do" section.