Gangtok
Gangtok is a bustling, friendly hill station, and the capital of the Himalayan state of Sikkim. The name Gangtok is derived from the Tibetan word for 'hillside,' and the city has a population of around 100,000 (2012) being a mixture of indigenous Sikkimese and people of Nepalese and Tibetan ancestry.
Understand
Gangtok is popular place with tourists heading on treks, although the facilities do not reflect the number of international visitors. However, efforts are being made by the government to improve the conditions. Gangtok is one of the cleanest cities in India and is well organised and beautifully maintained.
Gangtok resembles the Bhutanese capital, Thimphu. Mostly devoid of large shops, this place is a nice break away from typical city lives. The city is a fascinating place to spend a few nights, the winding side alleys hide some unexpected gems, and the main street (MG Marg) is pedestrianized and a pleasant place to take a stroll.
The city sleeps by 21:00 mostly, except for a few pubs which are open till 23:00.
The best season to visit Gangtok is Jan-March.
Get in
By plane
- 1 Pakyong Airport (PYG IATA) (35 km south in the town of Pakyong). It was opened 2018 and is the first airport in Sikkim. SpiceJet is the only airline serving the airport as of March 2023 and Delhi-Pakyong flights will resume from 26 March 2023.
Bagdogra Airport (IXB IATA) is farther away, roughly 14 km from Siliguri and 120 km from Gangtok, but offers more flight connections. It is served by direct flights from Kolkata and New Delhi. From the Bagdogra airport you have a number of options to reach Gangtok:
- Hire a taxi - a lovely highway passing through beautiful scenery, waterfall and mountains will take you there.
- Pick up a shared taxi or bus from Siliguri Bus Station, located on Hill Cart Road. Around ₹400 for the four hour journey.
- Sikkim Helicopter Service (STDC Helicopter), ☏ +91 3592-203960. A helicopter flies once a day from Bagdogra to Gangtok, departing around 14:30 and taking 35 minutes. The return flight departs Gangtok at 11:00 in the morning. Pre-booking required, as it carries only 8 passengers. ₹3,500 per person, paid by bank transfer.
By train
The nearest train station to Gangtok is New Jalpaiguri in Siliguri which has direct connections to New Delhi, Kolkata, and other major cities in India. It is a 10- to 12-hour journey from Kolkata.
Once you arrive in New Jalpaiguri, you can either hire a taxi from the station itself or take an auto-rickshaw to the Siliguri bus stand. From there, you have the option of travelling to Gangtok by state bus, roughly a 5- to 6-hour journey.
By road
The roads in the area are all winding mountain roads in poor condition. The average travel speed between Gangtok and other cities is around 30 km/h.
Shared jeeps connect Gangtok to Siliguri, Darjeeling, Kalimpong, and other mountain locales. Jeeps leave when full and are filled up by priority order so the price is generally fixed.
Jeeps to Namchi, a nearby tourist destination with many holy sites, costs around ₹110 and takes about 3 hours. Jeeps to Kalimpong cost ₹120 and are available from Deorali (or Mainline) Bus Stand, distance of around 80 km and time around 3.5 hours.
Fare of the shared taxis is generally fixed, around ₹400 to Gangtok from Siliguri. Drivers might try to charge high so check for the fare with other taxis before taking one.
Get around
By taxi
Tourists are of paramount importance to the economy and so rules have been enacted to prevent them from being cheated. Taxi fares are mostly fixed.
Taxis are the dominant form of transportation due to Gangtok's hilly and steep roads. There are standard charges within the main areas: at least ₹100 for private service and ₹20 for shared. Taxis are available from designated taxi stands.
By road
It may be available from the private taxi stand a few minutes downhill from MG Marg. However, most of these will be shared jeeps that are one-way so it would be prudent to inquire ahead of time.
See
Gangtok provides beautiful views of the surrounding valleys and hills. There are also several viewpoints near the city with views of Kanchenjunga ranges.
- Dodrupchen Monastery. A monastery in the Nyingma tradition, famous for its large chorten. When in residence, Dodrupchen Rinpoche receives devotees to offer blessings from around 20:00 to 21:30.
- Do-drul Chorten (Deorali district at the bottom of Gangtok). a Buddhist stupa complex constructed in 1945.
- 1 Enchey Monastery. A 200-year-old monastery in the Nyingma tradition of Tibetan Buddhism, located above Gangtok, just off the road to Lake Tsomgo.
- Flower show (1818 m), Ridge Park Complex. 10:00-17:00. Near the White-Hall, flower show is at its best during the flowering season which is mid March to end of May in spring and October to mid December in autumn. The annual Cymbidium Orchid Show is from mid-March to mid-April. ₹10.
- Guru Lhakhang, Deorali Bazar (around 500 metres below the taxi stand, directly opp to Gurudwara on the main road). A Nyingma monastery famous for its large Guru Rinpoche statue and 100,000 smaller statues. A larger version of the Guru Rinpoche statue was supposed to have been constructed in Tibet to protect it from invasion, but the authorities neglected to follow the advise of a high lama, and a smaller statue was built. HH Dalai Lama regretted this oversight, and to compensate had a number of statues built throughout the Himalayas. Those at Guru Lhakhang were created as a result of this command.
- Kanchenjunga Tourist Complex (nearby Ranka Monastery). A combination hotel and family amusement park.
- Lake Tsomgo. A popular and scenic lake around 40 km from Gangtok at an elevation of 3,780 m. Make sure to see Hanuman Tok and Ganesh Tok along the way, monasteries with views of Kangchenjunga.
- 2 Namgyal Institute of Tibetology, Deorali, tibetologyinfo@gmail.com. M-Sa 10:00-16:00. A museum and library dedicated to Tibetan culture, language and history. It was inaugurated by the 14th Dalai Lama in 1957.
- Ranka Monastery (20 km from Gangtok). Ranka Monastery is newer and quieter but also very beautiful.
- Mahatma Gandhi Marg (MG Marg). A pedestrian only avenue which forms the main shopping district. Near the main entrance of MG Marg is the tourist information office and a taxi stand, the final destination of many taxis from other parts of the city.
- 3 Rumtek Monastery (15 km from Gangtok). One of the most famous things to see near Gangtok.
- 4 Tsuklakhang Palace, Secretariat Rd, Vishal Gaon. The palatial monastery of Sikkim's former royal family.
Do
A few minutes walk down the hill from Do-Drul Chorten is the Namgyal Institute of Tibetology, a small but informative museum providing a general introduction of Tibetan Buddhism using authentic artifacts such as thankas and statues. Entrance fee is ₹10. About 5 minutes from the museum is the Gangtok Ropeway (or Damodar Ropeway), a cable car which connects Deorali to a hill above Gangtok. One way or round trip cost is ₹80, with a children's discount.
- Banjhakri Falls. This waterfall has an entrance fee of ₹30 for two people and parking fee of ₹20. The site is developed with pathways and bridges around streams leading up the waterfall, decorated with sculptures. The waterfalls are accessible and soft enough to swim in. There is also a restaurant and gift shop.
Buy
Aside from the local handicraft, Sikkim is famous for its fruit processing and tea. Passion fruit squash, alpine cheese, Temi Tea & Maha Gurudev Tea are some of the local products.
- Curio Craft Gallery, Paljor Stadium Road (Entrance next to Hotel Mayur, just above the main hospital), ☏ +91 3592 220-551, +91 99333 22333. M-Sa 08:00-13:00, 14:30-20:00. One of the better quality handicraft stores in town. Excellent selection of Buddhist artwork. Fair prices for quality work.
- Rachna Books, Jeewan Theeng Marg (about a 10-minute walk north from the main bazaar; on the first floor upstairs of a cafe), ☏ +91 3592 204-336. By far the best bookshop in the city. The store has a great collection of Asian English Translations and books about North-East India. Check the Instagram account for book events and other cultural events. The cafe downstairs serves delicious Ramen, Corndog and sandwiches.
- Souveneir, MG Marg. Good place to buy prayer wheels, flags and other handicraft. Little expensive.
- The Wayside Gardens & Nurseries Pvt. Ltd. (1060 m), Sixth Mile, Tadong (Near Sikkim University), ☏ +91 9832060555. 09:00-16:00. Well known House of exotic plants including Orchids. Azaleas and Cattleya hybrid orchids, besides range of Citrus, are their specialities. A must visit place for any plant lover. Visits by prior appointment. Conducted tour in the well spread out garden for groups conducted by travel agents and interactions about Himalayan flora with Sr. Pradhan, authority on Himalayan flora and environment, over cup of tea on payment of nominal fee, possible. Free.
Eat
There are many great and cheap places to eat in Gangtok. In fact Gangtok is the best place if you want to try the Sikkimese, Nepali and Bhutanese dishes. Along with that you will also get North Indian, South Indian and vegetarian places, but they are few in number. Most of the restaurants are located near Mg Marg. Moreover, today one can easily use Zomato to know the menu and food options in some of the restaurants, but keep in mind that not all restaurants are listed there.
- Agarwal's, MG Marg. Serves South Indian and North Indian snacks and sweets. Good place to have breakfast. There are two outlets, one on MG Marg and other on the way near the taxi stand. Dosas are not so good.
- House of Bamboo, MG Marg. Authentic Tibetan and Indo-Chinese fusion cuisine. The beef/pork chilli, the momos and the tea momos are recommended. The beef chilli is not so good.
- Potala, 1st Floor, Sypraj Plaza, Opposite Denzong Cinema Hall, Lal Bazaar. 12:00 to 21:00. This place has excellent Sikkimese and Tibetan food. You might find yourself to be the only tourist/ non-local at any time of the day. Good selection of thenthuk, thukpa, faley, momos, chowmein, meat dry fry, rice plates, etc offered with beef, pork or chicken. Vegetarians may have some difficulties. A big bottle of beer starts from ₹90. Definitely try their pork thenthuk and pork momos. ₹100 to ₹150.
- Parivar's, on MG Marg down a short flight of stairs, good food and is popular with locals.
- Porky's, Deorali (10 mins from central Gangtok). Amazing sizzlers and momos.
- Quick Bite, and numerous other sweet shops along MG Marg, serve up everything from samosas to momos.
- The Roll House, tucked on the side of a stairway between MG Marg and the main market, serves up Veg Momos & hot chapatis (Roll)with various fillings (paneer, egg, veggies). This place is always packed with both tourists and locals.
- Zongri Cafe (Tibet Road) : Just a five minutes walk from MG Marg, Zongri offers Thai Pad rice, Ramen, Pizza, Burgers and Bakery stuff.
- Happy Town Pizzeria (MG Marg) : Great authentic Pizza.
- Thalung (Mahatma Gandhi Marg, about 3/4 of the walk away from the Tourist Information Center to the far end of the central pedestrian promenade, on the right side). A cultural relic not to be missed, this fast food outlet located in a wooden hut (perhaps the last traditional building surviving in the remodelled central area) serves a rigorous menu consisting of 2 items: beef momos (Tibetan dumplings) and beef noodle soup. The food is devoid of spices and salt. Chili paste, soy sauce and salt are provided as condiments. The building is somewhat skewed and may present safety hazards, but it appears to have survived generations of customers, and the upper floor offers an agreeable view. An antique portrait of Dalai Lama XIV is displayed at front counter. Visit this one before it has been replaced by another McDonald's.
Drink
Coffee
There are a number of cafes in MG Marg (Road).
- Baker's Cafe, MG Marg. Was the first cafe in the city to sell cappuccino and latte. A wide selection of Western-style pastries.
- Cafe Culture, Ground Floor, Hotel Pandim, Secretariat Road (Below Royal Palace), ☏ +91 9832615236. At the ridge which is an ideal location for walk and best view of the mountain, the cafe offers fresh Himalayan cuisine like phale (local bread), shiafale (local bread filled with meat and deep fried), momos and grilled sandwiches.
- Cafe Tibet. On the way up towards the Zero point, left side. Run by a Tibetan, serves very good coffee although the food is just decent.
Alcohol
- Downtown Multi-cuisine Restaurant and Bar (Downtown), MG Marg (on MG Road, Opposite SBI Bank, about 2/3 of the way from Titanic Park). Until 23:00 most nights. On Saturdays until the police come. They have a couple of guitars, a saxophone etc if you feel like playing. Don't be surprised if the whole pub starts singing along. The best time to go is Saturday or Sunday nights, when it is jam packed with both locals and visitors. Saturday night is Karaoke night with songs ranging from Bollywood classics, Napali and English rock, and modern Hindi tunes. The owner Dheeraj Gurung is an amazing host. ₹150 to ₹300.
- Pub 25, MG Road, Gangtok. Until 23:00. An upscale pub in the heart of MG Road. Great drinks, tasty food (especially the Malai Tikka and sauteed mushrooms), and an amazing ambiance. The price is higher than other pubs on the street, but worth it.
- Taste of Tibet, MG Marg. Serves Tibetan food, thupkas, gyathuk and thentuk. Includes a bar.
- Wa Chipa Organic Restaurant (Wa Chipa), 2nd Floor Star Hall (on the extreme end of New Market towards Namnang; it is in the building with the big Buddha face painted on it). 11:00-23:00. This place is a cheap local hangout. In addition to the popular Hit and Dansberg beers, are traditional Nepali and Sikkimese drinks such as Nigar, Raksi, Chhang, Tongba, and various fruit and flower wines/spirits. They may run out of food, but when available includes various meat sekwas (traditional barbeque), wachipa and momos. ₹100-200.
Sleep
Budget
- 1 Modern Central Lodge, MG Marg (at the corner of MG Marg and the main road, near the Tourist Information Centre), ☏ +91-3592-231631, modernresidencysikkim@gmail.com. A decent place for budget travellers and a good base in the centre of town. Rooms are basic, with old furniture, but that is to be expected for the price. Do bring earplugs as the road-facing rooms are very noisy at night. The building is next to the busiest road in town, and windows cannot be fully closed. ₹900.
- Green Hotel, Mahatama Gandhi Road, ☏ +9779851121210. ₹200-500.
- Hotel Nirvana, Namang Road, ☏ +91 63914473. TV, carpeted rooms. ₹700-1500.
- Hotel Palbheu, ☏ +91 98323 48837 (cell). A nice place for budget tourists and just above the popular MG Marg. Fair rooms and nice good food. Wise to book in per person per day format inclusive of fooding & lodging. It also organizes tours throughout Sikkim.
- Hotel Pandim, ☏ +91 3592 207540, +91 98320 80172 (Cell), hotelpandim@gmail.com. A family-run guest house with the best location, just above the Mall Road and below the Royal Palace offering the best mountain view. Also has a nice cafe called Cafe Culture offering fresh Himalayan cuisine.
- 2 Hotel Sonali International, Nh-31/a, "Baluwakhani" (Opp- B S N L & C P W D Office), ☏ +91 33 2552 3432, +91 33 2584 0080, +91 98302 87429 (Cell), sonalihotel07@yahoo.com. A nice place for budget tourists and a good base to meet other travellers - in the main town near the Tourist Information Centre. It also organizes tours throughout Sikkim.
- Hotel Susantaawas (beside mall), ☏ +91 9051 115 228. ₹800-1200.
Mid-range
- Bamboo Grove Retreat, Bamboo Grove, Kazi Road. A boutique 2-star hotel. Theme: Sikkimese design with modern amenities. Available: car parking, peaceful environment, Internet, mountain view from rooms, mountain biking, bar & restaurant.
- Hotel Delamare, Church Road. Warm, elegant decor and excellent service. From ₹1,200 per night.
- Hotel Golden nest & Hotel Hill View Near mall, ₹600-1500.
- Hotel Rigwa International Libing Complex, M.G.Marg & Nam Nam Crossing, above Star Cinema Hall.
- Hotel Tibet, Paljor Stadium Road. Clean and comfortable rooms with an excellent restaurant. ₹1500-2500.
- Sonam Delek, Tibet Road. Good value. The standard room (₹1100) is spartan; the super-deluxe (₹2200) is well-furnished and has an excellent view of the hillside. All facilities are well maintained. The staff's knowledge of English is poor, but you can get by.
Splurge
- Hotel GreenDave, MG Road. Check-in: 12:00, check-out: 12:00. TV, carpeted rooms. Staff very kind and helpful. ₹4200-5000.
- Mayfair Gangtok Spa Resort & Casino, ☏ +91 3592 250 888-999, Gangtok@mayfairhotels.com. Five-star deluxe resort, spread over 15 acres of lush forest, some of the villas with temperature controlled dip pools.
- 3 The Nor-Khill, Paljore Stadium Rd, ☏ +91 3592 200 170, reservations@elginhotels.com. Unit of Elgin Hotels and Resorts. Colonial decor and luxury at its best. From ₹6000.
- 4 Teen Taley Eco Garden Resort, Rumtek, Gangtok, ☏ +91 9832052995, info@sikkimresort.com. Situated near the Rumtek Monastery about 20 km from the town. Spread over 6 acres with its own garden and organic farming. 12 rooms spread over 5 cottages. 4 suite rooms and 8 deluxe cottages, with ethnic Nepali style.
Stay safe
Gangtok is generally safe. However, the standard rules of safety like being alert with strangers and not hanging out in deserted places are applicable to everyone.
If you are travelling alone then it is advisable to take a hotel in Gangtok itself and not in a remote area.
The roads in Gangtok are not intact, and sometimes the main highway remains closed due to frequent landslides.
Respect
No plastic bags can be sold or used in Gangtok.
Spitting, littering or smoking in public areas of Sikkim is a punishable offence and can incur a large fine. Streets in Sikkim have bins for garbage and spitting.
Connect
Since the introduction of 4G, the Internet connectivity has tremendously improved. Jio and Airtel provided good internet speed on wireless as well as Broadband. Zongri, Bike & Cafe and Rachna Books provide free WiFi.
Go next
By bus
Private and Sikkim Nationalized Transport (SNT) buses are available for intercity travelling. For Tashiding, Yuksom and Pelling, buses depart from 07:00 and 12:30 from SNT bus stop. Hourly services are also available for some places like Jorethang, Namchi, Ravangla and Geyzing.