Gangtok, located in the Sikkim province of India, is slotted in between Nepal, Bhutan, and Tibet. It’s truly a gorgeous area of the country and there is some amazing scenery. Sikkim has a majority Nepali population, so when you’re there you’ll feel more like you are in Nepal than in India.
The easiest way to get to Gangtok is by taking the Indian train to NJP (which stands for New Jalpaiguri) and then catching a jeep from NJP or Siliguri straight to Gangtok. The journey normally takes about 4 hours and you’ll drive along a winding mountain road. The views are spectacular when you’re on your way to Gangtok, rising into the Himalaya mountains.
Though I thought just being there and breathing the fresh air was one of the best reasons to visit Gangtok, there are a few things to do in and around town. The MG Marg walking street is the central area of town where you can walk around, go shopping for nearly anything you’d like and eat at a variety of restaurants. Taste of Tibet is an excellent restaurant that’s located right along MG Marg and in this Gangtok travel guide, I would highly recommend you eat there when you visit. The Tibetan food dishes are wonderful especially their momos and shapale meat pies. You can also take the Gangtok Ropeway, a cable car that runs from the top of the hill to the bottom of the hill covering a distance of a kilometer. The ride is honestly a little on the scary side, suspended high above buildings and along the side of the mountain.
Once you get to the bottom of the hill you can then visit the Do-Drul Chorten, a Buddhist Tibetan temple where you can walk around. After visiting the temple it’s then just a 10 minute walk back to the bottom of the Gangtok Ropeway where you’ll be able to catch a ride back up to the center of the town.
There’s actually not all that many specific attractions right in Gangtok, but there are many other things to do around the area of Sikkim. When I was there I didn’t have a chance to visit the Ranka Monastery, a Buddhist Temple that’s located about a 45 minute jeep drive away from Gangtok. It was a pleasant day trip and they served some seriously delicious local Sikkimese Tibetan food. If you visit northern India, Gangtok is a worthwhile stop, you’ll surely enjoy it!
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