 Gangtok Travel Guide, India
Gangtok, India
Author: Drmarathe (Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported)
Gangtok is the capital and largest town in the state of Sikkim, India. It is located on the eastern part of India, in the Shivalik Hills, which are the eastern part of the Himalayan range. Gangtok is located at an altitude of 1,437 meters (4,715 feet) above sea level. It has a population of around 80,000 people, comprising mostly of Nepalis, Lepchas and Bhutias. Gangtok is the gateway for tourists visiting Sikkim.
Guide to Gangtok Hotels
It's never easy finding the hotel that's just right for your stay. Still, by taking a little time to do your research, you increase your chance of getting a good hotel at the best price. Go through the list of hotels in Gangtok which we've put together, with full description, star rating, address, location map and evaluation. Pick the hotel of your choice and view the rates offered by different booking sites. Yes, we show you prices from different websites, so you don't have to visit them one by one.
More on Gangtok
The town of Gangtok traces its establishment to the construction of the Enchey Monastery there in 1840. Since then, it is a place for Tibetan Buddhist culture, with several monasteries, religious institutes and centres for Tibetan Buddhism.
The ruler of Sikkim made Gangtok the capital in 1894. The town was a stopover point on the trading route between Lhasa and Kolkata.
Sikkim was a monarchy until 1975, when it was abrogated, and Sikkim became the 22nd state of India, with Gangtok as its capital.
Tibetan monks at Rumtek Monastery, Sikkim
Author: Amar (Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 2.5 Generic)
Budget Travel to Gangtok
Foreign visitors need a permit to enter Sikkim. A 15-day permit is issued by the District Magistrate's Office in Darjeeling, tel: (0354) 225 4233. You can also contact the Sikkim Tourism Office in Delhi, tel: (011) 2611 5346 and Kolkata (033) 2281 5328. Check the Sikkim Tourism website for more details.
Most travelers arrive in Gangtok by plane. The airport is at Siliguri, in the Darjeeling district, on the narrow strip of India between Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh. You can take a taxi from the airport to town.
Some visitors arrive by train from Kolkata, a 10-12 hour journey. The railway station is at New Jalpaiguri in Siliguri. From there, you can take a taxi or auto-rickshaw to the Siliguri bus station, and from there, take a state bus to Gangtok, a journey of another 5-6 hours.
Budget Travel within Gangtok
The most convenient form of transport are taxis.
Photo of Sikkim
Crows Lake, Northern Sikkim
Author: Carsten.nebel (Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported)
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Places of Interest in Gangtok
- Enchey Monastery
The most important monastery in Gangtok, with large prayer hall covered with murals and images.
- Namgyal Institute of Tibetology
Center with rare collection of medieval Buddhist scriptures.
- Saramsa Orchidarium
Center with collection of orchid species found in Sikkim.
- Rumtek Monastery
Headquarters of the Kagyupa (Black Hat) Tibetan Buddhist sect.
- Tshangu Lake
Scenic lake at an altitude of 3,780 meter (12,402 feet).
Sights in Sikkim
- Pelling
A fast growing town with excellent views of the Kanchenjunga Range.
- Yuksam
Old capital of Sikkim, where the first Chogyal, or ruler, was crowned in 1641.
- Tashiding Monastery
An important monastery built in 1716 between the Ratong and Rangeet rivers and the Kanchenjunga.
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