4 Days Gangtok (PKG-02)

The journey

Day by day

Gangtok at an unhurried pace: a full day in and around the town, and a full day up at Tsomgo Lake.

The Tista, on the road up

We meet you at Bagdogra Airport or New Jalpaiguri station and head north. The road follows the Tista almost the whole way — river on one side, terraced hillside on the other — and climbs steadily out of the plains into Sikkim.

You'll reach Gangtok in the late afternoon. After check-in the evening is yours; M.G. Marg is pedestrianised, lined with cafés, and a ten-minute walk from most hotels in town.

124 KM · 4 HRS · GANGTOK 1,650 M
A hillside temple in Gangtok

A full day around the town and the ridge above it: Banjhakri Falls and Bakthang Waterfall, Tashi View Point for the range on a clear morning, Gonjang Monastery, and the two hilltop shrines at Ganesh Tok and Hanuman Tok.

The afternoon covers the Flower Exhibition Centre, the Ropeway across the valley, the Namgyal Institute of Tibetology — one of the best collections of Tibetan manuscripts and thangkas anywhere — and Do Drul Chorten, ringed by its prayer wheels.

FULL DAY · 10 STOPS · IN AND AROUND TOWN
Tsomgo Lake · 3,753 m

An early start east towards the Nathu La road. Tsomgo sits at 3,753 m, an oval glacial lake about a kilometre long that freezes over in winter and changes colour with the season. We continue to Baba Mandir, then turn back down the same road.

This is the highest you'll go on most of our routes, and it is felt — take it slowly for the first hour up there and drink more water than you think you need. Nathu La can be added if permits are available; ask us at least two days ahead.

55 KM EACH WAY · 3,753 M · PERMIT REQUIRED
Prayer flags on the high road east of Gangtok

Check out after breakfast and back down the Tista to Bagdogra or NJP. Tell us your flight or train time the evening before and we will set the departure with real margin — the road is good but it is a mountain road, and it does not like being hurried.

124 KM · 4 HRS · ALLOW MARGIN