Pelling, Tashi Viewpoint, Tsomgo Lake, Ravangla, Nathula Pass, Lachung, Yumthang Valley, Mount Katao, Enchey Monastery. Namgyal Institute of Tibetology, Do Drul Chorten, and Zero Point are the best places to visit in Gangtok. The best time to visit Gangtok is in March, April, and May as the weather is cool and pleasant. The nearest airport to Gangtok is Bagdogra Airport. The nearest railway station to Gangtok is New Jalpaiguri in West Bengal. Gangtok is famous for its natural beauty, monasteries, temples, and waterfalls.
Gangtok is the capital city of the northeast state of Sikkim located at an elevation of 1650 meters in India. It is a land of monasteries as there is a number of Buddhist monasteries it houses. Gangtok emerged as the largest Buddhist pilgrimage center in India. The world-famous Rumtek monastery is very near Gangtok.
21 Best Places To Visit In Gangtok
- Pelling
Pelling is a town in the northwestern state of Sikkim located at an elevation of 599 feet from sea level. Pelling is famous for Pemayangtse Monastery and is a major tourist attraction. Pelling also offers to maintain biking, rock climbing, meditation, education study, and other activities. It has a beautiful scenic view of Kanchenjunga. It is the second biggest tourist attraction in Sikkim after Gangtok. The temperature of Pelling is pleasant. The distance of Pelling from Gangtok is 129 km. The distance of Pelling from Darjeeling is 74km.
2. Tashi View Point
Tashi viewpoint is a place to witness the beautiful surrounding of mountain Kanchenjunga, valleys, mountain Sinilochu, and Gangtok. It is located at Tashi village at an elevation of 6000 feet from sea level. The Tashi viewpoint was built by the King of Sikkim, Tashi Tangyal in 1963. The distance between Tashi’s viewpoint and Gangtok is 8 km. The best time to visit the Tashi viewpoint is from March to June.
3. Tsomgo Lake
Tsomgo Lake is a glacier lake located at an elevation of 3753 meters in the East Sikkim district of Gangtok. It is also known as Changgu Lake or Tsomgo Lake. The distance of Tsomgo Lake from Gangtok is 40 km. The lake is always frozen during the winter season. The weather from November to January is very chilled. The average minimum and maximum temperature of the month of May is 3 Degrees Celsius to 25 Degrees Celsius. To visit the Tsomgo Lake permission is required. The depth of the lake is 15 meters.
4. Ravangla
Ravangla is a town located at an elevation of 8000 feet in the Southern District of Sikkim. It is famous for its beautiful view of the greater Himalayan Ranges. The top attraction in Ravangla is Buddhist Park, Bon Monastery, Rolang Monastery, Hot Spring, and Samudruptse Hill. The weather in Ravangla from December to January is quite severe. The temperature during winter is 3 Degrees Celsius to 10 Degrees Celsius. The distance of Ravangla from Siliguri is 115.6 km, and from Gangtok is 63 km. The distance of Ravangla from Pelling is 44.8 km.
5. Nathula Pass
Nathula Pass is a mountain pass in the Dongkya Range of the Himalayas. Nathula Pass connects the Sikkim state of India to the Tibet Autonomous Region of China. It is one of the three open trading borders between India and China. The pass is located at an elevation of 4310 meters. The weather from December to February is very cooled and the temperature ranges between -20 Degree Celsius to 0 Degree Celsius. The temperature in March and April is slightly higher between -10 Degrees Celsius to 10 Degrees Celsius. The weather of the summer season from May to October is pleasant and the temperature ranges between 15 to 20 Degree Celsius.
6. Lachung
Lachung is a mountain village in northeast Sikkim close to Tibet the Autonomous Region of China. It is divided into two parts by the Lachung River. The Lachung Valley is known for beautiful waterfalls, pine forests, apple orchids, hot springs, and valleys. It is located at an elevation of 2700 meters. The top tourist attractions in Lachung are Yumthang, Yume Samdong, Naga Waterfalls, Bhim Nala Falls, and monasteries. The temperature of Lachung for the months of November, December, and January is between -5 to 15 Degrees Celsius. The temperature in the winter season for the month of April to June is 5 to 20 Degrees Celsius and pleasant.
7. Yumthang Valley
Yumthang Valley is a flower sanctuary with a river, Hot spring, Yok, grazing pasture on rolling meadows, and flowers surrounded by Himalayan mountains. It is a paradise on the earth full of natural wonder. It is located northeast of Sikkim at an elevation of 3700 meters. The summer season is the season of flowers. The months of December, January, and February are without flowers. The distance between Yumthang Valley and Gangtok is 140 km.
8. Mount Katao
9. Mount Katao
Mount Katao is a hiking area located 144 km from Gangtok and 28 km from Lachung. It is the most spectacular place in Lachung. It is at an elevation of 15000 feet. The temperature at Lachung is cooled throughout the year. In the winter season, Mount Katao experiences heavy snowfall, and most of the road to this area is blocked. The distance between Mount Katao and Zero Point is 76 km. To visit Mount Katao special permit is required.
10. Enchey Monastery
Enchey Monastery is a Buddhist Temple in Gangtok, Sikkim. It was established in 1909. It is a 200-year-old temple located 3 km northeast of Gangtok. It is related to the Nyingma order of Vajrayana Buddhism of Tibet. The Enchey monastery was built by Lama Druptab Kapro. This monastery is built in the shape of a Chinese Pagoda. The small hamlet around the monastery is a religious center in Sikkim. It is a heritage structure built in stone masonry with a 500 mm thick wall.
11. Namgyal Institute Of Tibetology
Namgyal Institute of Tibetology is a Tibet museum located at Deorali in Gangtok, Sikkim. It was named after the 11th Chogyal of Sikkim, Sir Tashi Namgyal. It was established in 1958. The Institute offers admission to the Sowa – Rigpa MA course in Buddhist and Tibetan studies. The Sowa – Rigpa Faculty is related to the research on the history, religion, language, art, and culture of the Tibetan people.
12. Do Drul Chorten
Do Drul Chorten is a Buddhist Stupa located in the Gangtok state of Sikkim. The stupa was built by Trulshik Rinpoche, the head Nyingma Order of Tibetan Buddhism. There is one main stupa and another 6 or 7 small stupas around the main stupa. The Do Drul Chorten was built in 1946. The time of the stupa is 8 am to 6 pm. It is located a short distance from the Namgyal Institute of Tibetology.
13. Ganesh Tok
Ganesh Tok is a small Hindu temple located at Jawaharlal Nehru Road, Sangava, Gangtok. The temple is dedicated to Lord Ganesh. It was built in 1952 and 53. The café at the Ganesh temple offers drinks and light bites. It offers a panoramic view of snow-capped Kanchenjunga Mountain and Gangtok town. The distance between Ganesh Tok and Gangtok is 7 km away. It is at an elevation of 6500 meters from sea level.
14. Hanuman Tok
Hanuman Temple is a Hindu temple complex in Sikkim. The temple is dedicated to the lord Hanuman. It is located at an elevation of 7200 feet from sea level. The temple is established in 1952. The temple is famous for its beautiful viewing area. The distance of the Hanuman temple from Gangtok is 7km.
15.Ban Jhakri Waterfall
Ban Jhakri Waterfall is a natural waterfall sourced from the spring at a higher elevation. The height of the waterfall is 100 feet. It is one of the recreation centers and top tourist attractions in Gangtok. It is 7 km from Gangtok. It is very close to Ranka Monastery.
16 M G Road
M G Road is the main pedestrian Road located in the heart of Gangtok City. This road is always busy with shopping during the day and night. The main activities on the M G Road are eateries, handcrafted items, and local items Bazaar. This is the best place to spend an evening for enjoyment and relaxation.
17. Gangtok Ropeway
Gangtok Ropeway is the mountain cable car between Deorali Bazaar and Tashiling Secretariat in Gangtok. The length of the cable car is 935 meters long. The lowest station is Deorali near the Institute of Tibetology a walkable distance from M G Road. It offers a beautiful view of the Kanchenjunga snow peak. The time of the ropeway is 9.30 am to 4.30 pm.
Tsuglakhang Monastery and Temple
Tsuglakhang Monastery is a Royal Chapel located in Sikkim. It was built for the family of the Royal family member of Sikkim. It is located at the end of the Ridge in Gangtok. The Royal Chapel was built in 1896. It is one of the famous monasteries in Gangtok. All visitors visit this monastery. Include this monastery in your itinerary.
18. Zero Point
Zero Point is situated at an elevation of 15300 feet in the north district of Sikkim. This place is called Zero Point because there is no motorable road beyond this place. Visitors are not allowed after this place because of its proximity to the Chinese border. To visit Zero Point special permit is required. The weather at zero point is very chilled and you will be smitten by the sheer majesty of north Sikkim. The distance of Zero Point from Yumthang Valley is 23 km.
19. Baba Harbhajan Singh Temple
Baba Harbhajan Singh temple is a Hindu temple and memorial built to honor the Indian Soldier Saint Baba Harbhajan Singh. It is located in East Sikkim between Nathula Pass and Jelepla Pass at an elevation of 13123 feet. The distance of Baba Harbhajan Singh temple from Gangtok is 52 km. The temperature at this place is chilled and also has oxygen deficiency. It is better not to stay there for a longer duration.
20. Ranka Monastery
Ranka Monastery is also known as Pal Karma Zurmang Shedup Choker Lingdum Monastery. It is a Buddhist monastery located in Lingdum, Sikkim. The monastery was completed in 1999. The distance of Ranka Monastery from Gangtok is 20 km. It follows the Zurmang Kagyud lineage of Buddhism.
21. Ridge Park Or Flower Exhibition Center
Ridge Park is a flower exhibition center and flower garden located at Arithang in Sikkim. It is a top tourist attraction in Sikkim. The flowers from different parts of Sikkim are placed at this place. The time of the park is 10 am to 5 pm.
Weather In Gangtok
March, April, and May is the best time to visit Gangtok as the temperature is cool and pleasant. The temperature during these months ranges from 20 to 25 Degree celsius. The hottest month is Gangtok with the minimum and maximum temperature ranges from 23 to 27 degrees Celsius. The winter season in Gangtok is from November to February and the temperature is very low and cold. The temperature varies between 3 to 10 Degrees Celsius and snowfall time. It is better not to visit Gangtok during the winter season. The monsoon season is from July to September and Gangtok experiences heavy rain and not a good time to visit Gangtok.
How To Reach Gangtok
The nearest airport to Gangtok is Bagdogra Airport in Siliguri, West Bengal, India. The distance between Baldora Airport and Gangtok by road is 125 km and requires 4 hours. The nearest railway station to Gangtok is New Jalpaiguri in West Bengal. New Jalpaiguri is connected to all major railway routes in India. There are buses and taxis from New Jalpaiguri to Gangtok. The distance between New Jalpaiguri and Gangtok is 148 km.
I hope this article will be useful to you for planning a trip to Gangtok
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