Maenam Wildlife Sanctuary

Maenam Wildlife Sanctuary is a protected forest reserve covering 35.34 sq km on Maenam Hill above Ravangla in Namchi District, Sikkim. Notified in 1987, it extends from about 2,400 to 3,263 metres elevation and preserves temperate oak, rhododendron and magnolia forests. It is known for Himalayan wildlife including red panda, leopard and serow, diverse birds and medicinal plants, and the sacred Bhaley Dhunga cliff viewpoint with panoramic views of Kanchenjunga.

Visitors can expect a forested mountain sanctuary accessed by a steep trek from Ravangla to Maenam Hill top and Bhaley Dhunga. The setting is dense temperate forest with rhododendron and oak, narrow dirt trails, and viewpoints overlooking Ravangla, Namchi and the Kanchenjunga range. There are no built structures inside except forest check posts and trail markers. Activities are nature-based including trekking, birdwatching and photography, with opportunities to see Himalayan flora and fauna along designated trails.

Notified as a Wildlife Sanctuary in 1987 by the Government of Sikkim, covering 35.34 sq km of Maenam Hill in South Sikkim. Established to protect temperate broadleaf and conifer forests and Himalayan fauna including red panda, leopards, serow, goral and diverse pheasants. Bhaley Dhunga within the sanctuary is a long-revered natural rock formation.

Maenam Hill and Bhaley Dhunga are considered sacred by local communities and feature in local folklore. The sanctuary lies in a culturally significant Buddhist region near Ralong, Ravangla and Tashiding monasteries, and is valued for its natural and spiritual landscape and traditional reverence for the mountain.