Gangtok, the capital city of Sikkim, is a modern hill town located at an altitude of 5500 feet. Hotels, restaurants, cafeterias, shopping malls, countless shops — all in one bustling city. There are also casinos at the May-Fair and Royal Plaza hotels. The whole city can be seen from the sky by climbing the ropeway again. If you want to see Gangtok in a good way, you have to keep it in your hand for two days. On the first day, rent a car and visit Tashi View Point, Hanuman Talk, Ganesh Talk, Rumtek Cave, Ranka Cave, Orchid House, Chogyal Rajbari, Banjhakari Jharna, Institute of Tibetology. If you have a little more time on hand and are interested in visiting, you can visit the Fambang-Lo Sanctuary and the Himalayan Zoological Park (Red Panda, Black Bear, Snow-Leopard Free Zone).

The second day should be set aside for a visit to the popular Changu-Nathula-Baba Mandir. Changu Lake (12,400 feet) is only 36 km from Gangtok. This lake of blue water is white for most of the year, i.e. covered with ice. The Indo-China border is at Nathula, another 18 km from Changu. On the other side of the barbed wire fence can be seen the Chinese house, the Chinese army patrolling. Nathula’s height is 14450 feet. On the way back, go down the four-kilometer (from Nathula-gate) downhill road to see the new Baba Mandir. The memorial is named after Harbhajan Singh of the Punjab Regiment who died in the accident. Fauji believes that Harbhajan’s soul plays the role of savior in various dangers. Harbhajan’s clothes, pictures etc. are carefully preserved in the memorial temple. There are cafeterias in Changu, Nathula and Baba Mandir.

Necessary information: Excluding Mondays and Tuesdays, Nathula travel is allowed for the remaining five days of the week. Upon arrival in Gangtok, the permit can be easily matched by applying with two copies of passport size photograph and one copy of voter identity card xerox. If they submit it to the hotel, they can also bring the permit.

Getting there: Get off at New Jalpaiguri (NJP) station on any North Bengal train except Sealdah, Howrah or Kolkata station. The distance from there to Gangtok is 125 kilometers. Once you reach Bagdogra by plane, you can also reach Gangtok, 124 km away. If you reserve the whole car, the rent will be 2500-4000 rupees (according to the car model). It takes three and a half to four hours. You can also buy a car based on shares of NJP or Siliguri Sikkim Nationalized Transport. The rent will be 200-300 rupees per head. Apart from this, the bus from Gangtok also leaves.

Car rental from Gangtok to Changu-Nathula-Babamandir (new) tour (on this basis for eight people in a car) will cost 800-1200 rupees per head. There is, of course, considerable variation in the rent over time.

If you reserve a car all day to see the sights of Gangtok and its surroundings, the whole car rental will cost 3000-3500 rupees.

Overnight address:

A) ‘Hotel Nirvana Residency’-Rent of two-bed house Rs. 1200-1600, three-bed house-Rs. 1500, four-bed house-Rs. 2000.

Contact: 98319-8247, 91737-50556

B) ‘Sai Residency’- Rent of two bed house Rs. 2000-4500.

Contact: 99330-20038

C) ‘Swang Hotel’- Rent of two bedded house is 1800-2500 rupees.

Contact: 62506-93315

D) ‘New Hotel Sikkim’- Rent of double bed room 1500-2500 rupees

Contact: 90511-693

E) ‘Hotel Bajra Kila’- Rent of double bed Rs.1000-1500

Contact: 99330-03633

(All calls from Bengali to Sikkim are local calls, not STDs)