A beautiful hill resort in the lap of the snowcapped peaks of the Kanchendzonga is Gangtok the capital of East Sikkim and Sikkim as a state. At an altitude of about 5600 feet, this little town, which is also the capital of Sikkim, is blessed with breathtaking tourist.
Gangtok is the perfect destination for tourist in search of enchantment, tranquility, trekking or any other adventure. It is a mystic land of stupas, monastery, temples and endless intriguing rituals / festivals. It is situated at an elevation of 1,780 meters / 5,480 feet and is the most often visited spot of India for its floristic composition, rare Orchids and butterflies.
A mild temperate climate throughout the year it integrates different cultures and religion making it a wonderful destination, where age – old traditions and customs exist along with the new ancient Buddhist monuments and bustling commercial centers.
It is a centre of Buddhist learning and culture, the most famous Buddhist site in the city being the Namgyal institute of Tibetology, Enchey Monastery and Rumtek Monastery. A wide variety of rare orchids are often featured in flower shows around the city and the town is the center of activity for tourist attractions.Gangtok is well connected to all the tourist spot of Sikkim by Road. Ravangla, Pelling, Lachung, Lachen, Yuksom can be visited from here.
Gurudongmar Lake, Yumthang, Baba Mandir, Tsomgo Lake are assessable from Gangtok. Starting in the year 2008, international flower show is held here in Saramsa garden and are basically Orchid based flowers. Namgyal research Institute and the Rumtek monastery is the most visited site of the tourist.. Lachen Package, Lachung – Lachen Packages, Mangan Packages with Lachen and Lachung are all arranged from Gangtok.
Yumthang, Gurudongmar Lake, Yumeysamdong visit are in North Sikkim. These north Sikkim packages are made with Hotel stay, Food, Vehicle for transfer and sightseeing. Army permit are part of the package without any extra cost.
Communication / Connectivity
Airways – Gangtok to Bagdogra Airport (IXB) is approximately 130 kilometers and is 3 to 4 hours drive by national highway 31 A. Pelling , Mangan, Jorethang, Rhenock, Ravangla, Namchi are well connected with Bagdogra Airport. The drive is all 3 – 4 hours drive. Helicopter Service from Gangtok takes approximately 30 minutes to reach Bagdogra. Sikkim Tourism Development Corporation operates chopper service daily at 11:00 AM from Gangtok to Bagdogra and at 2:00 PM from Bagdogra to Gangtok. It is a five seated chopper with limited baggage. Chopper can be chartered in Sikkim if booked well in advance.
Railways – Nearest major Railway station is New Jalpaiguri (NJP). Sikkim has no railway system but planning for a transit system is on the card. The nearest major railway station is New Jalpaiguri (NJP), Siliguri Junction and Siliguri Town Station and is assessable from all the major town / cities of Sikkim. NJP is well linked up with the rest of the country with frequent trains. There are three railway stations nearer to Sikkim Bengal borders but the frequency of trains are less.
Roadways – The network of roads in Sikkim are good compared to its difficult terrain. Gangtok is approximately 130 kilometers from New Jalpaiguri Station (NJP) / Bagdogra Airport (IXB). Tourist destinations like Pelling, Gangtok, Jorethang, Namchi, etc are well served by buses of Sikkim Nationalized Transport (SNT). Chungthang is 95 kilometers, Lachen and Lachung is nearly 120 kilometers from Gangtok and requires special permit. Kalimpong, Darjeeling, Dooars, (Phuentsholling) Bhutan, (Kakarvitta) Nepal is connected by road.