Gangtok Packages – Buddhist pilgrim centre

Situated in the Shivalik Hills, Gangtok is a land of Buddhist monasteries. The town, lying at an altitude of 4740 ft, is an important Buddhist Pilgrimage centre. Gangtok, capital of Sikkim, has a number of monasteries and stupas besides a large number of gompas, parks and gardens. The construction of Enchey Monastery in the latter part of the 19th century brought Gangtok into religious prominence among the Buddhists. Some major attractions in and around Gangtok are Enchey Monastery’Labrang Monastery, Tasuk - la- khang (Palace Monastery), Rumtek Monastery, Tashiding Monastery, Pemayangtse Monastery, Nathu La Pass, Tsomgo Lake, Ganesh Tok and Hanuman Tok . The city offers beautiful views of the deep valleys. Kanchenjunga, the third highest peak in the world, can be seen from here. Pelling, nearby Gangtok, is a popular sight-seeing destination for the tourists. Eco-tourism has picked up in Gangtok during the past few years with tourists going in for trekking, rafting and mountaineering. Since Gangtok has variance in altitude, it has wide varieties of flora, fauna and avifauna. Nature lovers can also head for The Deer Park, Fambong La Wildlife Sanctuary and Kyongnosla Alpine Sanctuary. Gangtok also has Himalayan Zoological Park and Jawaharlal Nehru Botanical Garden. One of the major attractions for tourists in Gangtok is the annual International Flower Festival. This festival is organised in the month of April to May. Some of the popularly celebrated local festivals are Losum and Losar. Most communities take part in these festivals. The economy of Gangtok mainly depends on tourism because a major part of local population is employed in this sector.

Majority of the people in the town are Buddhists, Chinese, Tibetans and Hindus. Gangtok does not have its own airport. The nearest airport is at Siliguri (in West Bengal), which is 124 km from the town. However, the Sikkim Tourism Development Corporation operates daily helicopter service from Siliguri to Gangtok. Gangtok also does not have a railway station. The nearest railway station is at New Jalpaiguri, which is about 150 km from Gangtok. But Gangtok is well connected with other parts of the country through an all-weather highway. Cars, shared jeeps, and private and state government-run buses are available in plenty to take the visitors to Gangtok from Siliguri and New Jalpaiguri. Gangtok experiences a pleasant climate virtually throughout the year. The temperature never goes beyond 25 degree centigrade. This makes the town a hot destination for tourists. Gangtok offers a variety of accommodation options which range from deluxe and luxury hotels to budget hotels and mid-range hotels. Travellers, who want to explore the interiors and surroundings of Gangtok, can opt for tailor made Gangtok packages. Tour operators will plan Gangtok packages and provide transport to see the important tourist destinations.