Gangtok, at the elevation of 1600 m (5250 ft) above mean sea level, is the capital of Sikkim one of India’s most lovely and frequented hill stations. Situated in the lap of the Himalayas, Gangtok is perfect getaway for the people who want to experience urban life in a Himalayan way! This city is a perfect blend of urbanization and traditional culture. With hills, grand views of the mountains, monasteries, lakes and waterfalls, this city is full of surprises for the visitors. Gangtok also acts as a base for the traveler who want to visit Lachung and Lachen.
Activities
Sightseeing tour: You can go for local sightseeing tour to the various places of interest in nearby areas. The full day tour program can be customized to meet your needs. Some of the places of interest are Enchey Monastery, Rumtek Monastery, Do Drul Chorten, Tashi View Point, Banjhakri Falls, Namgyal Institute of Tibetology, Handloom & Handicrafts market and many more.
Excursion to Tsomgu Lake, Baba Mandir and Nathula: You can go for a day long excursion trip to Tsomgo lake. At the distance of some 40 km (25 mi) from the capital Gangtok this is one of the most beautiful lakes in Sikkim. Located at an elevation of 3,753 m (12,313 ft) above mean sea level, the beauty of this lake is really nice. This lake remains frozen during the winter season. It is considered to be sacred by the Sikkimese people. You can also go for Yak ride & experience India’s one of the highest cable car rides at the Lake premises. Further 16 km ahead you can visit Baba Harbhajan Singh temple- a shrine built in honor of a brave soldier. The Nathula is just 7 km from here. Nathula is famous for Indo-Tibetan border.
*Foreign tourists aren’t allowed to visit Baba Mandir and Nathula as these places are closer to border.
Morning excursion: If you are looking for a place to refresh and rejuvenate yourself, then you must visit Tashi View Point. The place offers you a nice ambiance where you can enjoy the cool breeze and enjoy the beautiful scenery. The main attraction of the view point is at the top where you can get beautiful views of Gangtok city.
Mountain Biking: You can explore in and around of Gangtok city on wheels. Just lace-up your sneakers, wear helmet and seat on a mountain bike – Rumtek monastery, Tashi view point, Ganesh Tok, etc aren’t very far.
Places to Visit: Enchey monastery, Rumtek monastery, Do Drul Chorten, Tashi view point, Banjhakri Falls, Namgyal Institute of Tibetology, The Directorate of Handicrafts and Handloom, Tsomgo Lake, Baba Harbhajan Singh Shrine, Nathula and many more.
Travel Guide
Weather
The general temperature in Gangtok stays cold all time. During summer, mercury hardly crosses 25°C in daytime and during night it stays around 12°C. The average temperature for Gangtok is 15°C during winter. This city never gets snowfall but during winter if you take the road towards the Tsomgu lake you will find snow after 12 km. Gangtok gets good amount of rainfall during monsoon.
Local Words
Generals greetings and words: Welcome greetings: Namas-tey, Yes: Hoon-chha, No: Ney-he, Little bit: Ali-kati, Thank you: Dhan-ya-baad, Road: Raas-taa, Shop/Store: Doo-kaan, Market: Baa-zar, Medicine: Daa-wai.
Food and Drinks: Hot water: Taa-to Paa-ni, Cold Water: Chee-so Paa-ni, Rice: Khaa-naa, Lentils:Daal, Vegetables: Sab-jee,
Emotions: Good (Food): Mee-tho, Not Good (food): Mee-tho chha-e-no, Good (Places, things): Daa-me, Not Good: (Place,things): Daa-me Chha-e-no.
Time: Morning/day: Bee-yan, Evening/night: Bel-ka.
Relationships: Elder-brother: Daa-joo, Brother: Bhaa-e, Elder Sister: Dee-Dee, Sister: Ba-hee-nee.
Getting here
The nearest airport name is Bagdogra airport (IXB). It is well connected with Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore and other metro cities of India.
The nearest railway station name is New Jalpaiguri Junction (NJP). It’s well connected with Delhi, Kolkata and other metro cities of India.
Gangtok is well connected by roads with West Bengal and rest of the India.
Permit
Indian tourists don’t need any permit to visit this place. Foreign tourists need an Inner Line Permit to visit this place but they can get that on arrival at Rongpo check point which is the entry point of Sikkim. It’s a hassle free process and takes only 20 min to complete. One must carry two photocopies of his/her passport with valid visa along with 2 copies of his/her passport size photo while applying. For further query please contact us.
Custom
Sikkim is the second smallest state in India with least population. They have deep respect for each other. While visiting in any religious place please remove your footwear before entering into the main temple. Also it is advisable to wear modest clothes while visiting any religious place. People will happily pose for a picture but please ask them before taking any picture.
*Please note that in a Sikkimese tradition while a guest is leaving they offer Khada (scarf) to their guest as a sign of good luck. If they offer you such then please close your palms together to reply as a thank you gesture.
Safety
Sikkim is India’s one of the few states where the crime rate is very low. Not only towards tourists, people have deep respects for each other also. But for any safety concern, you can share your query with local police station (dial 100 only) or reach to the nearest tourist information center.
Health
You won’t find any mosquitoes here in Gangtok. Due to alpine climate tourist generally doesn’t get sick. But if you are allergic to plants and pollen then take precaution. The local hotels and restaurants serve safe drinking water but if you are not sure then you can buy packaged drinking water almost at every settlement.