Situated on a hill, surrounded by dense forests and decorated with the backdrop of Mount Kanchenjunga, Gangtok is the capital city of Sikkim. It is a unique combination of tradition and modernity.
Some places are beautiful and at some places you feel beautiful. Gangtok is one of those places. There is so much purity and freshness in Sikkim’s air that you feel joyful the very moment you inhale it.
Also checkout our Complete Guide on Sikkim : ALL YOU NEED TO PLAN YOUR TRIP TO SIKKIM
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Our accommodation in Gangtok
Being capital city of Sikkim, Gangtok has a variety of accommodation options for travellers of every budget.
We stayed in Hotel Pearl Retreat in Gangtok. It is a 3 star luxury property with backdrop of Himalayas, away from the hustle bustle of the town but still within walking distance from MG Marg, the most vibrant place of Gangtok. It is well equipped with all the modern amenities.
The restaurant here serves vegetarian food. The variety and taste of food is sure to keep you coming back here during your stay in Gangtok.
We stayed in Gangtok for 3 days in total. No matter how tired we were or how low the temperature was outside, the rooms of this hotel are so cozy that we felt like home here and had the best sleep.
Also, the view of Gangtok and Himalayas from the terrace of the hotel is a no miss.
It costs around INR 2500 – INR 4000 depending on the season. Book the room online well in advance.
Places to eat in Gangtok
Gangtok is the hub of cafes and you can find most of the cuisines here. The cafes that we explored during our stay in Gangtok are :-
Nimtho, MG Marg
Nimtho is famous for its Nepali, Sikkimese and Tibetan food. Not only its food but also its interior decor tells a lot about the traditions of Sikkim and its people.
We ordered a Vegetarian Sikkimese Thali and it was such a sumptuous meal.
Reshika Restaurant
A local food joint near Tashi View point is famous for its Thupka and Momos.
We ordered Thupka with some local wine. Both these tasted heavenly.
The Coffee Shop Restaurant, MG Marg
The Coffee Shop Restaurant is a nice place to enjoy your coffee and chill. Their coffee both hot and cold taste superb. We also ordered Pizza and it was crisp, loaded with veggies & cheese and tasted just perfect.
Shuffle Momos, MG Marg
Shuffle Momos is one of the finest places to have momos. Not just the taste but the variety of momos is sure to turn one into a momo lover. Their Momos are light and flavorful.
The décor is fantastic and the place maintains high standard of hygiene and cleanliness.
And if you are a history buff, there is an add-on for you; the walls here are painted to tell the history and stories related to Momos.
Hotel Tashi Delek
Hotel Tashi Delek is another famous restaurant in Gangtok that serve tempting food of various cuisines. Its garden restaurant has a vibe of its own and here you can enjoy mouth smacking meals with heart touching views.
We ordered a vegetarian Sizzler and loved it to the bits. Also,their cocktails are worth trying.
Rasoi Blue Sheep Restaurant, MG marg
It is a North Indian veg restaurant. The ambience is nice, the food is delicious and rates are reasonable.
Places to visit in Gangtok
Drinking fresh water directly from the water streams and strolling in the vibrant MG Marg is what we liked the most about Gangtok.
There are a lot of places to visit in Gangtok, the one that we found the best as per our liking are :-
Banjhakri Falls and Energy Park
Banjhakri Falls is a 30 m high natural waterfall in a forested area. The park displays the Sikkimese architecture and their traditional beliefs. The park is called Energy park because it exhibits and uses non conventional sources of energy like solar.
Around 7 km from Gangtok, Banjhakri Falls is a good way to start your Gangtok Trip. It might be touristy but we found it worth visiting. Taking a round of the park, standing near to the waterfall, listening to birds and knowing the stories of traditional Sikkimese people felt good.
Its ticket costs around INR 50 /-.
Tashi View Point
Tashi View Point is a nice place to see mesmerizing views of Mount Kanchenjunga, some other surrounding mountain ranges and green villages of Sikkim. On a clear sky day, one can witness the changing colors of the peaks during sunset and sunrise.
When we visited, the sky was not very clear and we got to see the view of Mount Kanchenjunga just for a few seconds but the greenery all around made us stare at the view for quite some time. Wearing Sikkimese dress and singing songs while a local was playing Guitar was the highlight of that day for us.
There is a tea/coffee, snacks and souvenir shop in its premises. A lady here rents traditional dresses for just INR 50 which you can wear and have photographs clicked.
Ganesh Tok
Ganesh Tok a small Ganesh Temple, which is famous for the views of Mount Kanchenjunga and Gangtok Town which you can see from a glass viewing lounge and a circular balcony. Sit in the balcony for some time, the cool breeze and the views will leave you mesmerized.
Lhasa Waterfall
It’s a small natural waterfall with giant rocks and colorful prayer flags in the surrounding.
The highlight of this place for us was a shop, just outside the waterfall where we tried a local drink of Sikkim, Chhang which is a millet beer. And oh man, it taste amazing.
As told by our driver, there is zip lining as well here. But it was not operational when we visited.
Hanuman Tok
Hanuman Tok is a temple dedicated to Lord Hanuman and is maintained by Indian Army. The serenity and tranquility that this place offers due to the surrounding views of Mount Kanchenjunga, hills, lush green forests and Gangtok is unmatched. It is believed that Lord Hanuman while carrying the Sanjeevani herbs from Himalayas to Sri Lanka, stopped here for a while.
There is a terrace from where one can enjoy the beauty of the place.
Gangtok Ropeway
Gangtok Ropeway is a 15-20 minutes round trip to get the panoramic aerial views of Gangtok and its surroundings.
We got a few amazing aerial shots of Gangtok from the ropeway. We loved this hilly town with lush greenery even more from the top.
Located at Deorali Market, it costs around INR 100 for a two way ticket.
MG Marg
Its the mall road of Sikkim having cafes, restaurants, pubs, souvenir and other shops. It is where locals and tourist go for leisure walks. MG Marg with clean paved pathway and lighting has a Europeans street style and look. It glitters when lights are turned on at night. No Vehicles are allowed at this 1 km stretch of road.
For us, it’s our favorite place in Gangtok where we loved spending our evenings during our stay there in Gangtok.
Thakurbari Temple MG Marg
Located at the MG Marg, Thakubari is a Hindu temple. Also, it is one of the oldest temples of Gangtok.
We were strolling in MG Marg when we saw a temple with colorful and artistic architecture glittering in the lights.
We are glad we visited as it is even more beautiful closely.
Monasteries in Gangtok
There are a number of Monasteries in Gangtok and each one of them leaves one in awe with their architecture, serenity and surroundings. Rumtek Monastry, Gonjang Monastery, Chorten Monastery and Lingdum Monastery are some of the most famous ones.
We could not visit any of these as Monasteries were closed in Gangtok due to Pandemic.
Taxi cost of covering these locations is INR 2000-3000 depending on the season.
Other than these there is a Zoo, Plant Conservatory, Bagthang Waterfall etc. that you can visit.
Offbeat Places to visit around Gangtok
Listing below some of the places that are slightly away from Gangtok but you can manage to visit them and come back to Gangtok the same day.
Tsomgo Lake/ Changgu Lake
Tsomgo/ Changgu is a glacial lake around 40 km from Gangtok. The landscape of rugged mountains with Changgu lake in between is a treat to the eyes. In winter the lake remains frozen which further adds to the beauty of the place.
One thing that we recommend here is Tsomgo Lake Ropeway that takes you upto 15000 feet. From the upper station of the ropeway, the panoramic view of the mount Kanchenjunga on one side and Changgu lake surrounded by mountains on the other side (on a clear day) is sure to blow one’s mind.
Baba Mandir
A few years back, a soldier Baba Harbajan Singh died while on duty near Nathula Pass. It is believed that the soul of Baba Harbajan Singh still protects the nation at the border. In his respect and memory, a shrine was built.
The surrounding of this temple together with the tales of Baba ji makes it a place worth the visit. Army manages the temple and the surrounding area. Also, there is a canteen that serves amazing Vada Pao among other things.
Nathula pass
It is a beautiful mountain pass which connects Sikkim to China. It is one of the highest motor-able roads in the world. A permit is required to visit Nathula Pass.
We did not visit Nathula pass as it was closed when we visited.
Booking taxi for sightseeing in Gangtok
Many of the places are far away from the main town. The most convenient option is to book a taxi.
We booked Ramesh Bhaiya’s taxi. If you want to book the same contact him @+91-980018516.
The rate of the taxi depends on the tour one is willing to take. They usually distinguish the tour based on the number of points you want to see.
Sharing taxis are also available for locations like Tsomgo lake, Baba Mandir and Nathula pass. Either ask the place of your stay or a local travel agency for information regarding booking of sharing taxi.
You can also contact Raj Tours and Travel @+91-7679826661, a local travel agency in Sikkim with whom we went to North Sikkim.
Hope this guide is helpful in planning your trip to Gangtok.