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Gangtok Tour & Travel Guide

Nestled in the lap of eastern Himalayas, Gangtok is like the paradise of east. This quaint city is blessed with abundance of natural beauty. The city has a huge Tibetan cultural influence. Prayer flags fluttering, monks adorning beautiful monasteries, and warm amicable people make the holidaying experience in Gangtok all the more enjoyable. If you want to spend time amidst nature, Gangtok is a great destination. It is like a picture postcard with whispy clouds, majestic mountains, and meandering streams. You can unwind and relax, go for shopping, or just enjoy sightseeing at numerous monasteries and stupas. The city is steeped in history, has a rich culture and heritage, yet has adapted to modern ways in a seamless way. Gangtok has something for all kinds of travelers – history lovers, peace seekers, photographers, and shoppers. It is a great place for adventure sports lovers. You can enjoy river rafting in Teesta River, hiking along photogenic trails, or go trekking.

Gangtok
Population

100,000

Top Sites

Everest Viewpoint, Gangtok Monastery, Gangtok Zoo, Gangtok Botanical Garden, Gangtok Museum

Temprature
Summer
April to June

22°C to 28°C

Monsoon
July to Sep

20°C to 26°C

Winter
Oct to Feb

14°C to 22°C

An Insight into Gangtok Tourism

A Paradise for Relaxed Wanderers

Situated in the eastern Himalayan range, Gangtok is at 1,650 m (5,410 ft.) above mean sea level. This bustling hill station of Sikkim is the capital of the state and a popular tourist destination of east India. Gangtok got its name from the Tibetan word for 'hillside,' and the city is extremely attractive, pleasantly beautiful, boisterous and captivating. This place, when the weather is clear, can give you a spellbinding view of Mt. Kanchenjunga. The picturesque hill station nestled in mountains amidst clouds is also paradise for trekkers and serves as the starting point for trekking to the Himalayan mountain ranges. The prismatic beauty and the beautiful labyrinth of narrow roads through the mountains are breathtaking. Gangtok is urbanized yet rooted to its culture, so often referred as a bit of paradise of the northeast. Abundant natural beauty of Gangtok brings forth various natural attractions for tourists to rejoice.

Much like the rest of Sikkim, not much is documented about the early history of Gangtok. The 1st ever records date back to the construction of hermitic Gangtok monastery i.e., in 1716. However, Gangtok was a small hill-top village until the construction of the Enchey Monastery in 1840. Later as the popularity of the Monastery spread far & wide, Gangtok became a pilgrimage center. This place became the capital of the left over Sikkim. Sikkim was re-constructed after an English conquest in the mid-19th century.

It was in 1894, when Sikkim monarch Thutob Namgyal, under the British rule, shifted the capital from Tumlong to Gangtok, thus making Gangtok important. Following this, new grand palace and other state buildings were constructed in the new capital. Later when Tibetans were defeated by the British, Gangtok was a prime stopover for traders, trading in between Tibet and British India towards the end of 19th century. Following India's independence, Sikkim became a state with Gangtok as its capital.

Gangtok is blessed with abundant natural beauty and its natural attractions allure tourists from all over the world. Some popular sightseeing places here include the Tsomgo Lake, Ban Jhakri falls, Tashi viewpoint, Enchey Monastery, Ganesh Tok, Do Drul Chorten Rumtek Monastery, Baba Harbhajan Singh temple, Hanuman Tok, Nathula Pass, Kanchendzonga and Zoological National Park.

This place is a delight for adventure lovers who can enjoy rafting in Teesta River and enjoy one of the best white water rafting spot in North East India. This zone is a paradise for hikers & trekkers, as well. And if you are one of those relaxed wanderers, you are at paradise!

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