Gangtok Sikkim Travel Guide: MG Marg, Monasteries & Day Trips

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Gangtok, Sikkim, is the Himalayan hill capital where our 2013 India journey suddenly felt like another world. This evergreen Gangtok guide covers the pedestrianised MG Marg, Enchey Monastery, local food, nearby Sikkim excursions and getting there from Bagdogra or NJP, followed by the original travel journal and photographs.

For the practical side, the Gangtok District government’s visitor guide introduces MG Marg, the town’s attractions and the mountain setting. Foreign visitors should check the official Sikkim entry permit rules before visiting; higher-altitude destinations such as Tsomgo Lake have separate permits. The Bagdogra to Gangtok and NJP transport guide covers the journey to town, while our Himalayan food guide explores what we ate.

Our First Impressions of Gangtok: A Himalayan Utopia in 2013

“We don’t like travelling down there. It’s dangerous. The police are corrupt. They see our faces and pull us over.” “Really? Why do they pull you over?” “To take money”, “So what happens if you don’t give them money?”, “We have to go to court meaning travelling back down there… we don’t like travelling down there.” “Sounds terrible…”, “There’s also a lot of sex crime…” “Okay.”

A quick conversation with a local Gangtok taxi driver on return travel to West Bengal. I think it highlights the contrast between India and the somewhat separated state of Sikkim. Gangtok and Sikkim like hidden utopias cut off from the realities of India’s social problems. A happy place. Wealthy and clean. “You’re a very honest man!”, “Thanks.

Everyone from Sikkim is honest”. Amazing… In travel I rarely find places where there’s no worries of being ripped off, scammed or taken advantage of. Gangtok and Sikkim now one of these few. Everyone I meet are like potential best friends. Having spent previous days in Kolkata the contrast is phenomenal.

Woman with umbrella on the streets of Gangtok Sikkim — A rainy street scene in Gangtok.

Traffic on the streets of Gangtok after dark — Gangtok traffic at night.

Lights on the hillsides around Gangtok at night — Lights scattered across the Himalayan hills at night.

Gangtok Culture and Daily Life: Familiar Yet Unfamiliar

For its remote, mountainous location; Gangtok to me was surprisingly familiar. Main street shopping, school kids loitering, a city centre lined with Chinese and Indian restaurants. Not so different than the UK. Subway Sandwich and Dominos Pizza Delivery. Newspaper reports of scuffles in the local nightclub. For being so far from home I don’t often feel so close. At the same time there is an odd mix of the unfamiliar. Gangtok and Sikkim are uniquely multicultural with an ethnic Nepali majority and dabbles of Bhutan, Tibetan (Bhutia) and Indian Bengal.

Porters carrying goods through Gangtok streets — Porters carrying goods through Gangtok.

People on the streets of multicultural Gangtok — Street life and people in Gangtok.

Buddhist figure photographed in Gangtok Sikkim — One of the many distinctive faces of Gangtok.

MG Marg Gangtok: The Pedestrianised City Centre and Markets

The New Market area of M.G Marg (Mahatma Gandhi Market) is Gangtok’s pedestrianised city centre. Central of Gangtok local life where residents shop, eat and socialise. Steep stepped lanes adjoining the market lead to other central areas of Lal Market or Old Market. Gangtok is small and simple to navigate. The central taxi stand is also located near the entrance of the pedestrian area (on the main road passing through the city).

MG Marg remains one of Gangtok’s best-known central landmarks and is described as a vehicle-free shopping and gathering street in the official district guide. It makes a convenient starting point for exploring the town on foot and finding places to eat.

Pedestrianised MG Marg shopping street in central Gangtok — MG Marg, the pedestrian heart of Gangtok.

Lal Market area in Gangtok Sikkim — Exploring the market streets near MG Marg.

Dogs on the stepped back streets of Gangtok — Climbing the quieter lanes behind Gangtok’s main street.

Enchey Monastery: Prayer Wheels and Tibetan Buddhism in Gangtok

This is Gangtok’s local Tibetan Buddhist monastery. A monastery I find unique and different to the more famous of Sikkim. While others act as remote sanctuaries away from urban life; Enchey Monastery embraces it as a trickle of merit makers come and go from the compound. Spinning prayer wheels along the way. Here for our full Enchey Monastery story and video.

Fanfan under colourful prayer flags at Enchey Monastery Gangtok — Fanfan beneath the prayer flags at Enchey Monastery.

Young monks studying at Enchey Monastery Gangtok — Young monks during their lessons at Enchey Monastery.

Buddhist monks at Enchey Monastery Gangtok Sikkim — Buddhist monks at Enchey Monastery.

Sikkim Day Trips from Gangtok: Tsomgo Lake, Rumtek and Temi Tea Gardens

Most tourists travel to Gangtok for the Sikkim mountain views. Views which we failed to find in September (low season). If you plan on snapping Kangchenjunga’s snowy peaks (the world’s 3rd highest mountain), clearer weather is often associated with the post-monsoon and spring seasons, although the mountains are never guaranteed. There was no snow during our visit but a whole lot of cloud (perfect if you love cloud).

We did take in a few excursions. Rumtek Monastery and Pal Zurmang Kagyud Monastery during a more local tour of Sikkim. The extensive tour was to Changu (Tsomgo) Lake where the drive there was in fact more exciting; controlled landslides and unique local life amongst the highlights. The third tour was an overnight stay at the Temi Tea Gardens and the tea factory tour. We stayed at Cherry Resort during this original trip.

Important for visitors: Tsomgo Lake is in a restricted area. The Gangtok District visitor information says permits are required for all visitors and foreign nationals must travel in a group of at least two. The official Sikkim Tourism protected-area permit page explains additional requirements and authorised arrangements. Check road closures and weather before planning the excursion.

Temi Tea Garden plantations in Sikkim Himalayas — The tea gardens of Temi in Sikkim.

Landslide on a mountain road in Sikkim — A landslide encountered during our Sikkim excursions.

Tsomgo Changu Lake near Gangtok Sikkim — Tsomgo Lake, also called Changu Lake.

How to Reach Gangtok from Bagdogra Airport or New Jalpaiguri (NJP)

A permit was necessary to enter Sikkim on our 2013 trip, and we picked ours up at the border. That was our experience at the time; current foreign-visitor permits should be checked in advance through Sikkim Tourism. We travelled from Bagdogra Airport after a cheap flight from Kolkata (our Bagdogra to Gangtok road journey).

Our older notes recorded a taxi fare from Bagdogra Airport to Gangtok of 1,200 rupees and a return fare of 1,400 rupees, but another account from the same trip recorded different vehicle rates. Rather than presenting those inconsistent 2013 amounts as current advice, check the official transport information and agree the fare before travelling. As the taxi-driver conversation at the start suggests, our experience of the journey was as memorable as the destination.