Gangtok
State capital
Gangtok, the capital of Sikkim, is one of the cleanest and most cheerful hill cities in India — a tidy ridge-top town of the pedestrianised MG Marg promenade, cafes, monasteries and cable-car views, with Kanchenjunga rising on the horizon on a clear morning. It is the administrative, commercial and tourism hub from which almost every Sikkim trip begins.
The city offers monasteries (Rumtek and Enchey), the Namgyal Institute of Tibetology, flower shows and viewpoints, and is the launch point for the classic day trip east to Tsomgo Lake and the historic Nathu La pass on the old Silk Route. As the capital of India's first fully organic state, it sets the tone for Sikkim's clean, green identity.
What it's known for
- The capital and tourism hub of Sikkim
- One of the cleanest, most orderly cities in India
- The base for Tsomgo Lake and the Nathu La pass
- The capital of India's first fully organic state
What to see in & around Gangtok
See & do
- MG Marg, the cable car and the city viewpoints
- Rumtek and Enchey monasteries and the Tibetology institute
- Tsomgo (Changu) Lake and, with a permit, Nathu La
- Kanchenjunga on the horizon on clear mornings
Getting there
About 4–5 hours by road from Bagdogra airport / New Jalpaiguri railhead; a helicopter runs some days. No permit to enter Sikkim; Tsomgo/Nathu La need a border-area permit.