Gangtok Tourism & Travel Guide - Places to see in Gangtok

Gangtok Tour & Travel Guide - Places to See in Gangtok

Rumtek Monastery

Also known as the Dharmachakra Centre, this monastery is one of the largest in town. It is a lovely four-storied shrine, enrobed in jewel colours of green, red and yellow. Intricate hand-painted murals adorn the walls while silk thangkas hanging from pillars offer a peek into Buddhist heritage. There’s a ten feet idol of Sakyamuni Buddha in the main hall, with several thousand smaller gold-painted statues of Buddha all across the place. Shrine rooms of Mahakala and Mahakali are present in the hall and prayers are conducted here every morning and evening. While at the monastery, you must also visit the Golden Stupa that has a 13 feet tall tower.

Do Drul Chorten

A very important stupa, it was built in 1945 by the head of the Nyingmapa sect. It houses mantras, the Kangyur relics, the mandala sets of Dorjee Phurba and statues of Guru Rinpoche. Do Drul Chorten also has 108 prayer wheels.

Tsuklakhang (The Palace Monastery)

With lavishly done up interiors, ornamental altars and magnificent idols of Lord Buddha, this monastery must be on your must-see list. It also houses a great collection of Tibetan scriptures. Try to visit the monastery during the annual festival of Losar, when several traditional dances are performed here.

Namgyal Institute of Tibetology

Built in 1958, the institute promotes Tibetan culture and houses a large collection of Tibetan scriptures. There’s also a museum displaying Tibetan artefacts like thangkas, statues and old manuscripts in Lepcha, Tibetan, Sanskrit and Chinese. It has other significant displays like a big silver idol of the Bodhisattva of Knowledge (Manjushri), idols of Padmasambhava made from sandalwood and relics from Kasyapagotra, Madhyama and Asokan missionaries. There’s also a library in the complex that is choc-a-bloc with over 60,000 books.

Orchid Sanctuary

Love flowers? Visit this garden near the Institute of Tibetology to see more than 200 species of orchids. October to November, July to August and April to May are the best times to catch the flowers in full bloom.

The Deer Park or the Rustomji Park

For a tête-à-tête with the Red Panda, head to this park. It also houses several other animals like the Himalayan Bear and deer. The park is aesthetically created with a statue of Buddha amidst flowering plants.

Changu Lake

Located at 12,000 feet, this beautiful oval-shaped lake that’s home to Brahminy ducks is surrounded by hills and considered sacred by the locals. Pack a picnic lunch and spend some time enjoying the view and the serenity of the lake. The lake remains frozen during the winter months up till early May.

Yumthang

If you’ve been wondering if Gangtok is only about monasteries and monks, head over to Yumthang to see nature in all its beauty. Cascading waterfalls and blooming rhododendron are a regular sight at Yumthang.

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