There is a plethora of spots to visit, the moment you arrive at Gangtok, the capital city of Sikkim. While you can head to the north, east, west and south districts of Sikkim, there is nothing more enjoyable than a convenient and pleasurable day trip from Gangtok. You can start in the morning and finish all the sightseeing spots before the sun sets when you arrange a day trip from Gangtok.
Top 14 Places to visit in Gangtok
Gonjang Monstery
This beautiful Gonjang monastery you can visit during the day trip from Gangtok. The complex of the monastery also houses the residence of the monks and courtyard from where you can enjoy the brilliance of the hills and the mountains in the surroundings of the capital city. The nearby location to this spot is Tashi Viewpoint.
Banjakhri Water Fall Park
This is one of the locations that stays in the day trip itinerary of every tourist around Gangtok. You spend around one and a half hours to enjoy the beauty of the lake and the surrounding areas. It is the highest water fall in Gangtok and you can reach there within thirty to forty five minutes.
Plant Conservatory
This is a relatively new day trip destination that opened in 2015 where you will come across a wide variety of creepers, rare species of plants and trees along with beautiful rocks, bridges and ponds. The verdant greenery in the surroundings and the pristine beauty of the hills around make this place ideal for day trip.
Ganesh Tok
The temple of Lord Ganesha is located at the top of the hill. You have to climb a lot of stairs to visit this destination. The Ganesh Tok is must in places to visit in Gangtok list. Although the pace stays a bit crowded, it is extremely well-maintained. You can also buy local souvenir from a shop located at this summit.
Tashi Viewpoint
This viewpoint is a must in your ‘places to visit in Gangtok’ list. Tashi viewpoint is ideal for a day trip and revered from viewing the sunrise and the sunset, apart from this, you can get a glimpse of the beauty of the Kanchenjunga from this location. Try to visit the place on a clear day to enjoy the view and small eateries in the surroundings are good for having breakfast and evening tea.
Hanuman Tok
The day trip destination is maintained by the Indian Army and visited by the devotees as it is believed that Lord Hanuman took rest here for some time while bringing the Sanjivani herb from the mountains.
Gangtok Ropeway
No doubt, this is an ideal adventurous trip for the tourists wishing to get a glance of Gangtok from the top. Enjoy the panoramic view from Deorali market to Tashiding covering a distance of about 1 kilometer. So this place is a must for your places to visit in Gangtok list.
Saramsa Garden
The destination is located at about 14 km from Gangtok and includes a vast stretch of landscaped garden. It is ideal for leisure and picnic and originally created by the Forest Department of Sikkim to grow fruits for the erstwhile royal family of Namgyal during the British era. A not-to-be-missed from places to visit in Gangtok.
Tsuk La Khang Monastery
This palatial monastery is located at Gangtok and is part of the day trip destinations. It is a center for Buddhist prayers and also houses some of the scriptures of this religion.
Namgyal Institute of Tibetology
This museum and center for scholarly research is housed in the traditional Tibetan style and boasts of its wondrous collection of articles all of which are related to Vajrayana Buddhism. It is also known for the promotion of cultural research. This place is situated close to the city center and is a short walk from the Chorten Stupa.
Enchey Monastery
About 200 years old, this monastery is one of those destinations located close to the main city of Gangtok. It is located on the hilltop and was blessed by a renowned saint who was known to possess flying powers.
Handicraft Center
The building belongs to the Directorate of Handicraft and Handloom and has a museum and sales emporium showcasing different products of handicraft and artwork created by craftsmen and artisans.
Flower Exhibition Center
This place is located at a distance for about a kilometer from the city center and creates a heavenly appearance where flowers from different parts of this state are clubbed together in one place.
Ranka or Lingdum Monastery
This place is situated atop a hill and takes about forty five minutes from Gangtok.
Expectations of the tourists
For a day trip from Gangtok, you have to book a car or a local taxi depending on the number of people traveling and your budget. While the small cars or taxis can accommodate about four people, the larger vehicles are suitable for seven persons. However, if you prefer to book your trip through the tour operators. The bookings can be completed online even before you reach the city of Gangtok.
While the standard rates will apply for the day tour, you can try to fine tune the visit exclude or include a few places to change to choose the spots you want to visit and pay according to the trip. You can tie up with the tour operators from the hotel hire cabs or cars from MG Marg. The rates are also likely to vary during the high and low season. For certain destinations, you have to obtain permit from the Sikkim Tourism Office located at MG Marg while a tour operator can help you get the permit if you are planning to book a trip through them. The permit is to be obtained a day in advance.
Changing the usual route
Several tourists prefer detouring from the usual spots that are covered under day trips from Gangtok. If you are keen to visit those destinations as well, make sure the destinations do not become redundant. The best option to arrange such a trip is to travel from one to another in a taxi after negotiating the rate with the driver. Literally, there are hundreds of tour operators in plying their vehicles in the city of Gangtok.
The operators recognized by the Government of Sikkim can do a good job as they are reputed. However, there are a few operators acting as mediators to the main operator who may not be as reliable, so beware of the agencies at the street side trying to sell you the trips. Enjoy these day trip sights from Gangtok and harbor the memories for lifetime.
Synopsis:
The moment you enter Gangtok, you will be blown away with the beauty of this place. Not just the basic nature’s beauty, but this place has so many mesmerizing tourist attraction spots to visit too. You can always have Banjakhri Water Fall Park, Gonjang Monstery, Plant Conservatory, Ganesh Tok, Tashi Viewpoint and Hanuman Tok, as some of the basic points to cover. Furthermore, you can even address Gangtok Ropeway, Saramsa Garden, Tsuk La Khang Monastery and Namgyal Institute of Tibetology in the list. Then you have Enchey Monastery, Handicraft Center, Flower Exhibition Center and Ranka or Lingdum Monastery for a quick trip over here.
You may also like to read our selection of the places for your tour to North Sikkim