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A Rendezvous With
Gangtok |
Gangtok is the capital of tiny Himalayan state of Sikkim. Sikkim is
located just above India's chicken neck area of West Bengal and is at an
altitude of 1600 meters above sea level. Sandwiched in between Nepal and
Bhutan, Sikkim shares its boundary with China besides Nepal and Bhutan. The
snow clad mountains, rich flora, serene Buddhist monasteries and beautiful
people catapult this small town to great heights in the field of tourism.
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Things You Can Do
In Gangtok |
» Sightseeing : Gangtok is a city where you
will get to see numerous ancient and modern Monasteries, which are of sheer
beauty. Set amidst the majestic mountains and hills along with few lakes at
some places Gangtok has numerous places of interest for the tourists.
» Shopping : The main purchasable items of the place
are local handloom and handicraft products with a strong Tibetan influence.
Shops are mainly located in Old market, New Market and Lal market areas.
» Adventure Sports : If you love adventure, then
Gangtok will never disappoint you. You can indulge in trekking, nature walk
and several other adventurous activities while touring Gangtok.
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Sightseeing in
Gangtok |
» Do Drul Chorten : Do Drul Chorten is
regarded as the most important 'stupa' of Sikkim. It was built in 1945 by
Trulshi Rimpoche, head of the Nyingma order of Tibetan Buddhism. The stupa
has sacred gold-topped shikhara with 108 prayer wheels. There are two huge
statues of Trulshi Rimpoche in the place. It is visited in large numbers by
followers of the religion.
» Tashi Ling : The Tashi Ling is another important
site to visit in Gangtok. Tashi Ling monastery is best known for its
'Bumchu' (Sacred Pot). This pot contains holy water, which has never run dry
for the last 300 years. The place also provides a spectacular view of the
Kanchenjunga ranges.
» Namgyal Institute : The Namgyal Institute was
built in the year 1958 to promote research in Mahayana Buddhism and Tibetan
language and traditions. This institute has been built in traditional style
and has the world's largest collection of books and rare manuscripts on
Mahayana Buddhism. The institute also houses relics of monks, samples of
Lepcha scripts, masks and sacred objects like Kapali.
» Orchid Sanctuary : The Orchid Sanctuary is one of
its kind in Sikkim. The sanctuary is famous for its rare and extensive
collection of orchids. Although variations are made depending on the season,
the wide spread orchid sanctuary has almost 454 species of orchids. The
place is a must-see for nature lovers.
» Deer Park : Officially known as the Rustamji Park,
adjacent to the new secretariat, this park is home to good numbers of Red
Panda and the Himalayan Bear. A very big statue of Lord Buddha has also been
kept in the park premises in front of which a butter lamp burns
continuously. The park also provides great views of nearby hills.
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Excursions from
Gangtok |
Some
of the best places for excursion near Gangtok are Tsomgo lake, Fambong La
wildlife sanctuary and Nathula pass. Tsomgo lake is considered sacred by the
local people. The entire lake freezes during winters. The wild life
sanctuary of Fambong has some rare animal varieties that are found in
Himalayan region and can survive in high altitudes. Nathula is the highest
motorable road in the world and is richly covered by Alpine flora. It is
located at an altitude of 14, 200 feet.
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Most Ideal Time To
Visit |
Gangtok is basically a cold place with temperatures in winter
reaching the freezing point. The winter temperatures are in the range of 0
degrees to 18 degrees. Summers are mild and pleasant with temperatures in
the range of 13 degrees to 28 degrees. Rainfall takes place during the
May-October period. The best time to visit Gangtok is during March-May and
October-December period.
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Getting There |
» By Air : The Bagdogra airport at a
distance of 124 kms from Gangtok is the nearest airport. However, daily
helicopter services have been introduced from Bagdogra airport to Gangtok.
The helicopter connects with flights from Delhi and Kolkata, and leaves for
Gangtok daily. The helicopter leaves between 1 P.M and 3 P.M and prices have
been fixed at Rs. 1500. The service takes approximately 30 minutes to reach
the capital of Sikkim. Taxi services are also available in the airport to
transport tourists to Gangtok.
» By Trains : The nearest railhead is Siliguri (New
Jalpaiguri) at a distance of 148 kms. All trains coming from different parts
of India to Guwahati halt at the station.
» By Road : Regular bus services are available from
Siliguri (110 km) to Gangtok. Siliguri links Gangtok to rest of the country.
There are also bus services from Darjeeling (90 km) and Kalimpong (70 km).
From Siliguri one starts for Gangtok on NH 31 and then branches off to NH 31
A from Sevoke, 20 km from Siliguri. The condition of the roads are generally
good and pass through picturesque locations.
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Anchoring In
Gangtok |
The
most important thing to note is that foreign tourists require an Inner Line
Permit to visit Sikkim. The permit can be obtained from the Ministry of Home
Affairs in New Delhi or Government of Sikkim. Permits are valid for 15 days.
To visit interior areas, Protected Area Permits may also be obtained.
In Gangtok, un-metered taxis are the best way of to move around in the
town. However, the rates between points are fixed by the district
administration and it is compulsory for taxis to carry rate charts. Shared
taxis within Gangtok and taxis for excursion to nearby areas are also
available.
Gangtok is known for its serene ambience and hospitable people. But as most
of the people speak only the local language, there might be problems in
communicating with people. To ensure a hassle free trip to Gangtok, you can
always book with us. We are experienced tour operators conducting tours to
Gangtok for the past many years. We offer all the facilities including
luxury cab services and stay in best hotels of the place.
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Accommodation |
Gangtok offers a wide variety of accommodation. Budget hotels,
mid-range and top-end hotels are all available in Gangtok. In order to
attract tourists throughout the year, most hotels offer heavy discounts
during the lean season.
gangtok india
