Gangtok is the capital city of Sikkim. At around 5,500 feet it is a pleasant hill station. It resembles the hill station of Ooty in some aspects but much cleaner than the southern one.
In our trip to Sikkim, we had a day to spare before we headed to northern part of Sikkim. There are some good place to visit in Gangtok.
Hanuman Tok
At 7,200 feet it is one of the highest point in Gangtok. A slight detour on Gangtok Nathula road is needed to reach this place. There is a small temple dedicated to Hanuman which is maintained by Indian Army. One can view Kanchenjunga if weather is clear. April is not a great time for views as the haze normally obstructs the view during the day.
Ganesh Tok
Place near to Ganesh Tok. The viewpoint provides nice views of Gangtok.
At Ganesh Tok, the traditional dresses are rented out. Tanu and Chaya decided to wear it for photo op!! Here is the photo of Tanu.
Tashi view point
Another beautiful view point that provides a great view of Kanchenjunga on a clear day. All we could were the nearby hills as the haze did not provide a view of the snow capped mountains.
There was a falls nearby called “Lhasa falls” and also a small botanical garden. The water in the falls was very nice while I managed to take a snap of Grey Bushchat at Botanical garden.
Banjhkari falls
This is a beautiful waterfalls on the way to Lingdum monastery. We had to walk a short distance to reach the base of the waterfall. It was a good place to get into water and relax.
Paragliding is a popular adventure activity here. There are many adventure companies who have set up their base near this area.
Lingdum monastery (Ranka Monastery)
There are two main monasteries near Gangtok. Rumtek and Lingdum monastery. Rumtek is a old monastery and requires a climb while Lingdum is a new one.
This is the view of Gangtok seen on the way to Lingdum monastery.
MG Marg
Like many towns and cities, MG road is the most happening place in Gangtok. Since only pedestrians are allowed on this street, it gives a nice experience. It is a upmarket place with all modern building and branded shops. There are good restaurants where we tried few local stuff!! A nice place to hangout in the evening.
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