“A ship in a harbor is safe, but it not what ships are built for.”
John A.
We visited Gangtok in January 2018. A family friend and his family accompanied us in the entire trip.
We visited the following places:
1. Nathula Pass till Tsomgo Lake: An important pass on the crossroads of the Indo-China border, Nathula Pass forms a part of an offshoot of the Old Silk Road. We couldn’t reach till the Chinese border in Nathula Pass due to bad weather conditions. This was my first experience with Snow Fall, within India.. Quite a memorable one…Really enjoyed each and every moment of that day.
Temperatures at Nathula can be dramatically different from Gangtok. So it is good to plan accordingly, wear inner thermals and carry additional warm clothes (jackets) which you can use later. Carry woollen gloves and caps. Buying these items at the Nathula pass might be costly. There are options to take these items (heavy jackets and shoes) for rent from the shops available en route (like the the ones below)
How to reach Nathula Pass from Gangtok: Nathula Pass is located 54 km east of Gangtok, the capital of Sikkim. The only way to reach the pass is through road from Gangtok. Sturdy vehicles such as Innova, Bolero, and Scorpio are available for rent from Gangtok. You can also share a cab till Nathula Pass with other tourists. The road from Gangtok to Nathula Pass is steep and slippery. It is decently maintained, except in a few places.
How to get Nathula Pass permit: A permit can be obtained by applying to the Tourism and Civil Aviation Department. You can apply through a registered travel agency. I had booked ‘Dokham Tours’ (service and dealings were good and impressive). The agency will take care of your permits. A photo ID proof and two passport size photographs are required for the same. Seems only specific number of vehicles are given permission every day. Dont forget to take your ID card along with you on the travel date.
Tsomgo River, enroute Nathula Pass : Also known as the Changu Lake, this place offers an idyllic scenery and is a travellers’ delight. The lake reflects different colours with different seasons and get frozen during the winter months. And dont miss the Tsomgo Rope way, its worth the money. It gives a wonderful panoramic view of the lake and the mountains all around.
2. Gangtok Ropeway: We boarded the Ropeway at Deorali just to see a panoramic view of Gangtok. Two kms ride (to and fro) passes through the main area of Gangtok and takes about 10 minutes to complete. Those interested in photography may find it interesting and exciting to shoot the view from the height and from various angles. The front and back ends of the cable car has one sliding glass window to take pictures without any hindrances.
3. Rumtek Monastery: It is located 24 kilometres (15 mi) from Gangtok, at an altitude of about 1,500 metres (4,900 ft).
4. M G Road: MG Road has to be the most happening place in Gangtok. The place has everything a tourist requires – hotels, good restaurants catering to all tastes, shopping’s, ATMs, Tourist Office.
5. Banjhakri Water Falls: It is a natural water fall sourced from springs at higher elevation. There is also a park nearby where you will find lot of man made monuments.There are restaurants available in this region.
6. Do Drul Chorten Stupa: The chorten is a short climb away from Namgyal Institute of Technology. Don’t be discouraged by the steep slope from the parking to the stupa: it is not as taxing as it looks.
7. Himalayan Zoological Park: It is certainly a place for wildlife lovers in Sikkim. The Park has been established, to preserve the wildlife, without disturbing the creatures and keeping them in their natural habitat. Located in Bulbuley, Himalayan Zoological Park is at a distance of 3 km from Gangtok (at an altitude of 1,780 metres) You will have to walk a lot to cover the entire place. One of the main attractions here, is the Himalayan Thar.
