A tapestry of terrace fields, coniferous forests, Buddhist monasteries and mountain magic - Gangtok literally means 'the top of the hill'.
Gangtok Tours and The capital city of Sikkim, a tiny Himalayan state, Gangtok is a delightful tour destination. Set at an altitude of 5,600 meters above the sea level, Gangtok offers an exotic platform from where you enjoy uninterrupted views of snow-clad Himalayan peaks.
Drained by mountain rivers like Tista and Toulong, Gangtok is a fascinating forest world dotted with gompas that stand on green elevations with Buddhist flags fluttering over their domes.
Trek through Rhododendron forests, wild orchids and dense mountain forests; meet rare wildlife and let mountain birds entertain you with sweet musical strains on tours to Gangtok with India City Tours in the Gangtok Tours.
History
There isn't much information on the ancient history of Gangtok. The earliest documents that mention the existence of Gangtok can be traced back to the year 1716.
Gangtok Tours and Gangtok was just a tiny rural hamlet that gradually developed over the years. The Enchey Monastery is perhaps the first monastery that was built in Gangtok, Sikkim, India.
Tourist Attractions
Inspite of the fact that Gangtok is a very tiny city, there are no dearth of tourist attractions in this beatific paradise.
Begin your Gangtok tours with an exploratory sojourn to Tsuk La Khang Monastery i.e. a fascinating two-storied structure.
Gangtok Tours and Visit the Institute of Tibetology that is a repository of antique objects such as manuscripts written in gold on tree barks, old thankas, tantric documents et al.
Gezing
Tours to Gangtok Sikkim and The road from Legship leaves the river and ascends high up above the village for 15 km to Gezing. On Friday, villagers from outlying regions bring their produce into town and a colourful and busy market dominates the main square. Travellers cheques can be exchanged at the Central Bank of India, down a lane behind the town square.
Jorethang
Set in the forested Rangeet Valley, the pleasant market town of Jorethang lies 30 km north of Darjeeling. Across the river in West Bengal is Naya Bazaar.
Pelling
Tours to Gangtok Sikkim and Pelling is perched high on a ridge, 2.5 km from Pemayangtse Gompa, and is rapidly developing into a Bengali hill resort. There are great views north to Kanchenjunga and also to the south when the weather is clear. The town has a post office, but no foreign exchange facilities. In Lower Pelling, the Cottage Industries Training Centre sells pullovers, hats and scarves.
Khechepari Lake
Pronounced 'catch a perry', and sometimes spelt Khechepari, Khecheopairi or Khechupherei, this place is a popular objective for trekkers. The sacred lake lies in a depression surrounded by prayer, flags and forested hills. Resist the temptation to swim, as it's a holy place. If you feel like a dip, you can swim in the river downhill from Felling en route to the lake. Take care!
By the lakeshore is the small Lepcha village of Tsojo, and about 1.5 km above the lake is the Khecheopari Gompa.
There is a trekkers ' hut and a Rest House at the lake. The trekkers' hut is grimy and dark - not very salubrious. A bed at the Rest House will cost around Rs 80. There are several chai (tea) shops at the lake. It gets very cold here at night, so bring warm gear with you.
By road the lake is about 27 km from Felling; the hiking trail is shorter, but much steeper, and will take about 4'/2 hours.
From Khecheopari it is possible to continue on foot to Yuksom. The short cut is confusing, so ask for advice whenever you meet anyone en route. It should take three hours to get between the lake and Yuksom.
There's one bus daily between Felling and Khecheopari, leaving Felling at 3 pm (two hours), and returning at 7 am.
Phodong
Phodong Gompa, north of Gangtok along a winding but largely tarmac road, belongs to the same order (Kagyupa) as Rumtek, but is much smaller and less ornate than that gompa. After the 16th Karmapa fled from Tibet and before he established himself in Rumtek in 1959, Phodong was the most important of Sikkim`s three Kagyupa gompas (the third is Ralang Gompa). The gompa sits high up above the main road to Mangan and there are tremendous views down into the valley below.
Phodong is a fairly recent structure, although the original gompa here was founded, like Rumtek, in 1740. The gompa has a community of about 60 monks, many of them born in India after the Chinese occupation of Tibet. They`re very friendly and are happy to show you around in the Tours to Gangtok Sikkim.
