Ghoom Monastery, or Yiga-Choling Gompa, sits at 2,438 metres near the highest point of the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, making it the highest monastery in the area. It follows the Gelugpa (Yellow Hat) school of Tibetan Buddhism and was founded in 1850 by a Mongolian monk. The interior contains a remarkable collection of old manuscripts, thangka paintings, and the large Maitreya Buddha statue that fills the main prayer hall.
Ghoom is 7 km from Darjeeling and easily reached by shared jeep or taxi. The toy train also stops here — arriving by train and walking back down through the tea gardens to Batasia Loop is a pleasant half-day option. The monastery is quiet outside festival times, and the monks welcome respectful visitors.