Gangtok
Discover 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. 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.
What to Experience in Gangtok
Taste of Gangtok...
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. 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. 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. 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. 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.
Essential Information
Getting There
Multiple OptionsBagdogra Airport (IXB) in Siliguri is farther away, roughly 120 km from Gangtok, but offers more flight connections. It is served by direct flights from Kolkata and Delhi. From the Bagdogra airport you have a number of options to reach Gangtok: 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. 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 terrain vehicles connect Gangtok to Siliguri, Darjeeling, Kalimpong, and other mountain locales....
Getting Around & Staying
Getting Around
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. 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. Gangtok provides beautiful views of the surrounding valleys and hills. There are also several viewpoints near the city with views of Kanchenjunga ranges. 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.
Where to Stay
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. 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. 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. 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.
Money & Budget
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. 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. Gangtok is generally safe.
Safety Information
Safety Overview
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. 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. 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. 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.
Glimpses of Gangtok
a colorful building with a lot of windows on top of it
A beautiful monastery in Gangtok, Sikkim. Peaceful and serene
a crowded street with many people
Tsomgo Lake in January
Mall road in Gangtok
"Cityscape dreams under the Himalayan night sky🏔️🌌 "
a town with many buildings
aerial view of city buildings during daytime
Tsongo Lake, Gangtok
Tsomgo Chho lake at Sikkim
a colorful building with a lot of windows on top of it
A beautiful monastery in Gangtok, Sikkim. Peaceful and serene
a crowded street with many people