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The red, white and yellow main hall of Enchey Monastery with a palm tree and tall conifers behind it on a sunny day
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Photo: Pinakpani · CC BY 4.0
Day planFirst visitTemples & heritagebalanced

One day in Gangtok — monasteries, the royal chapel and the ridge

A one-day Gangtok plan: the Do-drul Chorten, the Tibetology museum, the royal Tsuklakhang, Enchey Monastery, Hanuman Tok and an evening on Mahatma Gandhi Marg.
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A day that keeps to Gangtok itself and needs no permit. It starts with the Do-drul Chorten and the Namgyal Institute of Tibetology, visits the Tsuklakhang, climbs to Enchey Monastery and Hanuman Tok, and ends on Mahatma Gandhi Marg. For Rumtek and a second day, see the two-day plan; for the high lake and the pass, the Nathu La day.

Photos: Pinakpani (CC BY 4.0) · Amitabha Gupta (CC BY 4.0) · Mahabalaindia (CC BY-SA 4.0) — via Wikimedia Commons, resized.

Who this is for

First-time visitors and anyone with a day in Gangtok, in any season; the clearest mornings are in spring and autumn.

Day by day

Day 1

The stupa, the museum, the royal chapel and the ridge

6 stops · 41 min on the road

Gangtok's own sights in a loop, with the long views left for the end of the day.

  1. 09:00
    Do-drul Chorten
    temple · 14 min from Gangtok · about 30 min there
    The white stupa of 1945–46 with its 108 prayer wheels, a short drive from the centre.
  2. ↓ a short walk
    10:00
    Namgyal Institute of Tibetology
    museum · 13 min from Gangtok · about 45 min there
    The Tibet museum, about 500 m below the stupa.
  3. ↓ 6 min by road · 3 km
    11:30
    Tsuklakhang Monastery
    temple · 8 min from Gangtok · about 30 min there
    The royal chapel of Sikkim's Chogyals, in the old palace area.
  4. ↓ 8 min by road · 4 km
    13:30
    Enchey Monastery
    temple · 13 min from Gangtok · about 45 min there
    The ridge monastery of 1909, with its prayer-wheel walkway.
  5. ↓ 8 min by road · 4 km
    15:00
    Hanuman Tok
    temple · 20 min from Gangtok · about 30 min there
    The army-kept temple on the ridge, for the view towards Kanchenjunga on a clear day.
  6. ↓ 18 min by road · 7 km
    16:30
    Mahatma Gandhi Marg
    area · 10 min from Gangtok · about 1 h there
    The town's main promenade and market street, for the evening.

Getting there

The nearest working airport is Bagdogra in West Bengal, about 126 km away, and the nearest main station is New Jalpaiguri. See how to reach Gangtok for the arrival table.

Where to stay

Stay in Gangtok; the town is on a ridge, so a room near Mahatma Gandhi Marg saves driving. We have no verified lodging or prices.

Know before you go

  • We have no verified opening hours or entry rules for the monasteries and museum; ask locally, and dress modestly in places of worship.
  • Wikipedia says fog often envelops Gangtok in the monsoon and winter, so put the ridge on the clearest morning you have.
  • Taxis are the most widely available transport in town, by Wikipedia's account; agree the fare for the day before you set out.

Places on this route

Tsuklakhang Monastery, Gangtok — the royal chapel of the Chogyals
Tsuklakhang Monastery, Gangtok — the royal chapel of the Chogyals
temple · 8 min from Gangtok
Namgyal Institute of Tibetology, Gangtok — the Tibet museum and library
Namgyal Institute of Tibetology, Gangtok — the Tibet museum and library
museum · 13 min from Gangtok
Enchey Monastery, Gangtok — the "solitary monastery" on the ridge
Enchey Monastery, Gangtok — the "solitary monastery" on the ridge
temple · 13 min from Gangtok
Do-drul Chorten, Gangtok — the white stupa with 108 prayer wheels
Do-drul Chorten, Gangtok — the white stupa with 108 prayer wheels
temple · 14 min from Gangtok
Hanuman Tok, Gangtok — the army-kept temple on the ridge
Hanuman Tok, Gangtok — the army-kept temple on the ridge
temple · 20 min from Gangtok

Going together

No one has started a group going on this plan yet. Start one and other travellers can ask to come along.

Start a groupHow groups work

Other ways to do it

All Gangtok itineraries →
Two days in Gangtok — the town, Banjhakri Falls and Rumtek Monastery
Two days in Gangtok — the town, Banjhakri Falls and Rumtek Monastery
1 night · 2 days · First visit · Classic
A two-day Gangtok plan: the Do-drul Chorten, the Tibetology museum, the Tsuklakhang and Banjhakri Falls, then Rumtek Monastery, Lingdum and Saramsa Garden.
Best Mar–May · Oct–Nov
See the plan →
Tsomgo Lake and Nathu La from Gangtok — a permit day on the high road
Tsomgo Lake and Nathu La from Gangtok — a permit day on the high road
Day plan · First visit · Road trip
A day on the Nathu La road from Gangtok: Tsomgo Lake at 3,753 m and the border pass, with the permit rule for Indian visitors, road times and the season to go.
Best Apr–May · Oct–Nov
See the plan →

More places nearby

All of Gangtok →
Banjhakri Falls and Energy Park, Gangtok — a waterfall and the forest healer
Banjhakri Falls and Energy Park, Gangtok — a waterfall and the forest healer
waterfall · 2.5 km away
Rumtek Monastery — the Dharma Chakra Centre near Gangtok
Rumtek Monastery — the Dharma Chakra Centre near Gangtok
temple · 5.1 km away
Kabi Lungchok — the stones of the Lepcha–Bhutia blood brotherhood
Kabi Lungchok — the stones of the Lepcha–Bhutia blood brotherhood
monument · 5.9 km away
Phodong Monastery and Labrang — two old monasteries on the North Sikkim road
Phodong Monastery and Labrang — two old monasteries on the North Sikkim road
temple · 8.5 km away
Tsomgo Lake (Changu) — the high glacial lake on the Nathu La road
Tsomgo Lake (Changu) — the high glacial lake on the Nathu La road
lake · 13 km away
Nathu La — the border pass east of Gangtok, and who may visit
Nathu La — the border pass east of Gangtok, and who may visit
pass · 20 km away

Nearby destinations

All destinations →
The town of Almora spread across a terraced ridge under a blue sky with clouds
Almora
912 km away · 2 itineraries · 4 places
Rows of boats with red cushioned seats moored on Nainital Lake, with forested hills across the water
Nainital
925 km away · 2 itineraries · 5 places
A wide panorama of forested ridges below a long line of snow-capped Himalayan peaks seen from Ranikhet
Ranikhet
934 km away · 2 itineraries · 3 places
Joshimath's houses spread down a steep mountain slope above a deep valley, with high ridges and blue sky beyond
Joshimath
951 km away · 2 itineraries · 4 places
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Questions people ask

What can you see in Gangtok in one day?

The Do-drul Chorten, the Namgyal Institute of Tibetology, the Tsuklakhang royal chapel, Enchey Monastery and Hanuman Tok, then an evening walk on Mahatma Gandhi Marg. The stops lie 8 to 20 minutes from the centre on our routing, so the day is comfortable with a car. Rumtek and the lake need their own days.

Do you need a permit for this plan?

No; the stops are all in and around the town, and none of them lies in the restricted border zone. Tsomgo Lake and Nathu La do need permits, and the Nathu La day plan covers them. We have no verified opening hours for the monasteries, so ask locally and dress modestly.

When is the best time for this plan?

Spring and autumn, which Wikipedia describes as generally sunny and mild, with the clearest mornings for the ridge. The monsoon, June to September, brings heavy rain and fog and often landslides. Winter is cool, and snow in the town is rare. Check the weather the night before and start early.