Gangtok

Gangtok is a beautiful place to move around. The elegant monasteries, breathtaking views of the Himalayas and the Buddhist festival pulls in toursits to this beautiful hillstation. The pristine beauty of Mt. Kanchenjunga from Gangtok is a memorable experience for the life time. Several monasteries, stupas and orchid sanctuary are the places of worth visiting. This hill station reflects the Tibetan Buddhist culture and houses many relegious educational institutions. Tourists can also observe the lifestyles of the Lepchas and Bhutias tribes here.

Getting There

By Air : The closest airport is located at Bagdodra, 124 kms away from Gangtok.

By Rail : The nearest railway station is the New Jalpaiguri and is 125 from Gangtok.

By Road : Gangtok is connected by road with Siliguri, Darjeeling and other twons within Sikkim.

Related Accommodations

There are plenty of good hotels and other accommodation options in Gangtok. One can pick from luxury and deluxe to standard and economy hotels depending on the budget.

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Did You Know?

• Gangtok is the centre of Tibetan Buddhist culture.
• The world's third tallest peak “Kanchenjunga” can be seen from the east of the city.
• The government of Sikkim earns a lot of revenue from the Playwin lottery centres.
• Gangtok has three cinema halls that features Hindi, Nepali and English language films.
• The national “ All India Radio” is the only radio station in the city.
• The Himalayan Black Bear can be found in Gangtok.
• Hinduism and Buddhism are the two largest religions in Gangtok.
• Football and Cricket are the two most popular sports of Gangtok.

Attractions

Rumtek Monastery

This ancient monastery close to Gangtok has historical significance. It was built in 1717 but could not stand long. It was constructed later by Gyalwa Karmapa in 1960. This largest monastery in Sikkim is known for its architecture depicting the Tibetan influence. Inside the monastery one can see intricate murals, paintings and tankhas.

Orchid Sanctuary

The sactuary is home to unique collection of orchids and one can see around 454 species of orchid here. It is a favourite sight for the nature lovers.

Do Drul Chorten

It is the most famous stupa in Sikkim built by Trulshi Rimpoche, chief of the Nyingma order of Tibetan Buddhism. This major landmark of Gangtok was constructed in 1945. Inside the stupa, visitors can see gold-topped shikhara along with 108 prayer wheels. It also houses two large statues of Guru Rimpoche.

Tashi Ling

The site must be visited as it offers enchanting view of the Kanchenjunga range. The Tashi Ling monastery is also worth visit here which is known for the holy water which has never dried in last 300 years.

Location

Gangtok is perched at an altitude of 1600 mtrs and is the capital of the north eastern state of Sikkim.

Best Time to Visit

To enjoy the pristine beauty of the Himalayan ranges one must plan the trip to Gangtok between October and December. The months of March to May is also worth visit if you want to see the hills with colorful flowers. Monsoons must be avoided as the place is frequented by landslides.