Very Rough City Guide – Gangtok

The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched – Helen Keller

Gangtok is the capital of the small state Sikkim which is nestled on the Himalayas.

With a rich culture and natural beauty, Sikkim has been blossoming in all sectors, majorly tourism. The State Chief Minister has done a great job to develop existing tourist destination and build new destinations to add a new dimension to Indian Tourism Industry.

Today we talk to the Himalayan boy Dipesh, to know more about this small but beautiful capital city.

From July 2017, Dipesh is on a solo journey across the country. To follow him on his travels visit his blog The Himalayan Traveler.

Sai: How do you sum up Gangtok?

Dipesh: Gangtok can be defined as a new age Indian city with booming youth population. A city where the locals and government. work hand in hand to keep the city clean, green and beautiful.

A city that can bring you peace with its beautiful monasteries and scenic beauty, can comfort you with its luxurious hotels and can thrill you with its casinos.

What are the must do things in Gangtok?

Visit the rope-way which takes you across the city gives you a beautiful view.

If you are a foodie try to out the aloo chura(trust me it is delicious).

If you have an extra night visit the pubs on M.G Marg.

What if someone has only one day to explore Gangtok….

Start your day by visiting Hanuman Tok, a beautiful small temple on the hill maintained by Indian Army. This place would provide you the best view of the scenic valley with Kanchenzonga Mountain on the backdrop.

Head down to Rumtek Monastery and on the way have a nice Sikkimise breakfast on the way at Tadong, A hours drive will take you to Rumtek and the monastery there is breathtaking and grand with its glory.

After about an hour of stay, you could visit another Monastery Enchey which is one of the oldest in India and was built by the Tibetans for the King of Sikkim.

Visit the Bakthang (Banjhakri Falls) which is the biggest waterfall of Sikkim.

Come back to the city and head for some authentic lunch at 9’ine Native Cuisine and head to Flower Festival, where you can find some amazing flowers as International flower festival is held here.

After that visit the best part of the city M.G Road, stop at the Bakers Cafe for a cup of coffee alongside the amazing view of the city. Shop around the amazing stores o then M.G Marg. For hosiery items Visit UMA Stores at lower M.G Marg.

Finally, the perfect end, fill up your pockets to try your luck in the luxury casinos(preferably Mahjong Casino, Mayfair).

This guide would give you the most amazing day in the city.

Where can someone find the perfect meal in the city?

There is not much of the good North Indian food but you can have some really good English breakfast and Italian food at Bakers Cafe.

And for authentic food try out 9’ine mentioned above.

What is the best thing about Gangtok?

The best thing about Gangtok is beauty of the city and the efforts of the citizen & government to maintain it.



The city is extremely clean, the law & order is strictly maintained, smoking in public is strictly prohibited and there are dedicated smoking zones.

What is the worst?

As a local, I would say there are too many tourists in the season time which create a lot of chaos.

As it is a hill station the roads are narrower which causes traffic jams even though the traffic regulations in the city are good.

A little-known fact about Gangtok….

People of Gangtok can predict the future of their state. A special ceremony is held in Tashiding Monastery in Gangtok.

What is your favorite spot in Gangtok?

My favorite spot in the city is Nam-Nam viewpoint also known as the suicide spot, love spot and what not. But the view from this place is amazing as it’s covered with colored prayer flags which adds a touch of serenity to its beauty.

That’s it for now folks. To know more about Dipesh, visit his blog or follow him on Twitter @thehimalayanboy.