Why visit Gangtok
Townapedia lists 8 museums and landmarks, 4 parks and trails, 50 places to eat, 32 places to stay and 8 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Banjhakri falls and park, Namgyal Institute of Tibetology and Paljor Stadium.
Weather in Gangtok
Forecast from MET Norway (CC BY 4.0). Full forecast
About Gangtok
Gangtok (Sikkimese: [ɡaŋt̪ʰòk]) is the capital and the most populous city of the Indian state of Sikkim. The seat of eponymous district, Gangtok is in the eastern Himalayan range, at an elevation of 1,650 m (5,410 ft). The city's population of 100,000 consists of the three Sikkimese ethnicities: the Bhutias, Lepchas, Indian Gorkhas as well as plainsmen from other states of India. Within the higher peaks of the Himalayas and with a year-round mild temperate climate, Gangtok is at the centre of Sikkim's tourism industry.
From the Wikipedia article Gangtok (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Travel tips from other travellers: Gangtok on Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Things to do8
Banjhakri falls and park
Waterfall · 2.9 km
Recreation centre and tourist attraction near Gangtok, Sikkim, India
Museums and landmarks8
Do-drul Chorten
Monument and historic site · Tibetan Buddhism · 1.6 km
Parks, trails and playgrounds4
Restaurants and cafes50
38 more on the map.
History
Like the rest of Sikkim, not much is known about the early history of Gangtok. The earliest records date from the construction of the hermitic Gangtok monastery in 1716. Gangtok remained a small hamlet until the construction of the Enchey Monastery in 1840 made it a pilgrimage centre. It became the capital of what was left of Sikkim after its English conquest in the mid-19th century in response to a hostage crisis. After the defeat of the Tibetans by the British, Gangtok became a major stopover in the trade between Tibet and British India at the end of the 19th century. Most of the roads and the telegraph in the area were built during this time.
From the History section of Gangtok on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay32
Backpacker's Den Hostel
Motel and hotel · 2.2 km
Dhupidara, Behind High Secondary. School
Churches and places of worship24
Shopping14
Gas and EV charging5
Schools, colleges and libraries9
Healthcare17
Map of Gangtok
171 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Getting there and nearby towns
Pakyong Airport (PYG) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 11 km away.
- Singtam 15 km southwest, about 15 min by car
- Rhenok 17 km south, about 17 min by car
- Rangpo 18 km southwest, about 18 min by car
- Mangan 22 km northwest, about 22 min by car
- Namchi 30 km southwest, about 30 min by car
- Kālimpong 32 km south, about 32 min by car
- Gyalshing 35 km west, about 35 min by car
- Jorethang 38 km southwest, about 38 min by car
- Dārjiling 47 km southwest, about 47 min by car
- Siliguri 71 km south, about 1 h 15 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB.
Reviews, tips and questions
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Sources and licences
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, coordinates, regions and time zone
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Sikkim Gangtok, Kailas98, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Sypraj Plaza in Downtown Gangtok, Subhrajyoti07, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Gangtok City Night View, Subhrajyoti07, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Main Gate of the Sikkim Secretariat Building in Gangtok,2, Rajani Gairshail, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Lal Bazar, Gangtok, Laluttam, CC BY-SA 4.0
- A street dog snapped at M.G.Marg Gangtok, Subhrajyoti07, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Secretariat Building of Sikkim in Gangtok,4, Rajani Gairshail, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Secretariat Building of Sikkim in Gangtok,3, Rajani Gairshail, CC BY-SA 4.0
- National Informatics Centre (NIC) , Gangtok,1, Rajani Gairshail, CC BY-SA 4.0
- National Informatics Centre (NIC) , Gangtok,2, Rajani Gairshail, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Traditional wooden houses in Gangtok, Sikkim, Rajani Gairshail, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Secretariat Building of Sikkim in Gangtok,1, Rajani Gairshail, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Statue of B. R. Ambedkar at the Sikkim Legislative Assembly Building in Gangtok,, Rajani Gairshail, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Sikkim Legislative Assembly Building in Gangtok,4, Rajani Gairshail, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Sikkim Legislative Assembly Building in Gangtok,2, Rajani Gairshail, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Entrance Gate of Monastery, Gangtok, Rajani Gairshail, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Main Gate of the Sikkim Secretariat Building in Gangtok,3, Rajani Gairshail, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Entrance Gate of Gompa Palace (Tsuklakhang, Chogyal Palace), Gangtok, Sikkim, Sikkim,5, Rajani Gairshail, CC BY-SA 4.0
- View from Ropeway Shaft, Gangtok, Subhrajyoti07, CC BY-SA 4.0
- M.G. Marg, Gangtok 02, Bernard Gagnon, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Gangtok 101, Shahriar Amin Fahim247, CC BY-SA 4.0
- M.G. Marg, Gangtok 01, Bernard Gagnon, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Statue of Mahatma Gandhi in Gangtok, Bernard Gagnon, CC BY-SA 4.0
- View of Gangtok City from Crown Prince Tenzing Kunzang Namgyal Walkway, Subhrajyoti07, CC BY-SA 4.0
- A Hillside Forest Fire in Namnang Bhir, Gangtok Sikkim, Cho21, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Singtam-Chungthang Road, Gangtok 02, Bernard Gagnon, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Singtam-Chungthang Road, Gangtok 01, Bernard Gagnon, CC BY-SA 4.0
- View of Gangtok city from Ropeway, Subhrajyoti07, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Gangtok City Outing, Vkvivek94, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Gangtok City, Vkvivek94, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Fire Station of Gangtok, Bernard Gagnon, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Ban Jhakri Falls - Gangtok, Indrajit Das, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Hanuman Tok temple in Sikkim 16, Pinakpani, CC BY 4.0
- Paljor Stadium, Gangtok, Prajakta, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Lingdum Zurmang Kharwang Gonpa or Ranka Monastery in East Sikkim 14, Anjan Kumar Kundu, CC BY 4.0
- Do-drul Chorten Stupa, Gangtok, Sikkim, Subhrajyoti07, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Namgyal Institute of Tibetology Front Panorama, Subhrajyoti07, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Reflection of Do-drul Chorten on the walls of butter lamp house 01, Anjan Kumar Kundu, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Reflection of Do-drul Chorten on the walls of butter lamp house 02, Anjan Kumar Kundu, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Mg - panoramio, 10thsept, CC BY 3.0
- A structure near the Banjhakri Falls, Gangtok - 2, Kuldeepburjbhalaike, CC BY-SA 4.0
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Page built November 2, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.