HILL STATION
AT
GANGTOK
Gangtok is located at an
altitude of 5,410 ft in East-Sikkim. This is one place which many
tourists like to combine along with a visit to Darjeeling. In fact the combined
trip of Darjeeling-Gangtok is a common recipe when people think about visiting
this part of the country.
Gangtok
is the capital of the northern Indian state of Sikkim.This beautiful land is well-known as the land of monasteries. It has
large area bounded by lush green forests located on the Shivalik Hills.
Gangtok being an eminent Buddhist pilgrimage center in India as well as
an ideal hill station for leisure travellers encircling some high altitude
lakes and mountain passes is well connected by road to other mighty hill
stations as well as nearby cities.
Nestled in the
clouds and surrounded by the plush greenery, deep valleys and scenic view of
Khangchendzonga (Kanchenjunga),the beautiful hill town is a business,
political, cultural, education and tourism hub of the state where a good number
of tourists(both business and leisure tourists) come throughout the year.
There are also numerous attractions in &
around Gangtok to visit. Some of the wonderful and popular tourist places to
visit in & around Gangtok are the
following. Rumtek Monestery,Himalayan Zoological park,Nathula,Ganesh
tok, Tosmgo lake, Temi tea garden, Hanuman Tok, Banjhakri falls, Ropeway.
By Air
The
airport nearest to Gangtok is about 124 kilometres away in Bagdogra, West
Bengal. From the airport, you can hire a shared taxi or a private vehicle that
will get you to Gangtok in a matter of two hours. From Bagdogra, you can also
take a TSA helicopter to get to Gangtok in just 20 minutes.
By Train
The
nearest railway station to Gangtok is about 148 kilometres away in New
Jalpaiguri in Siliguri. The station is well-connected to major cities like
Kolkata and New Delhi. From New Jalpaiguri you can take a taxi to Gangtok or go
to Siliguri Bus Station and catch a state-run bus to Gangtok, which will take
you about 5-6 hours.
By Road
The road routes from
Bagdogra, NJP and Siliguri all meet the Sevoke Road which leads to the National
Highway NH31A. Tourists rolling in nearby places like
Siliguri, Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Kolkata prefer to drive to Gangtok. The
roads are well-maintained, except in a few places.
