subject: Gangtok Packages Economic And Pleasant Stay [print this page] Gangtok is a friendly, animated hill station and the capital of the landlocked Indian state of Sikkim. The state shares borders with Nepal to the west, China's Tibet Autonomous Region to the north and the east, and Bhutan to the southeast, while the state of West Bengal lies to the south of Sikkim. It has a population of around 80,000 which is a mixture of native Sikkimese and people of Nepalese and Tibetan ancestry.
The name Gangtok is derived from a Tibetan word that means hillside. This town, like the rest of Sikkim, does not possess a clear early history. The earliest records are dated from the construction of the hermetic Gangtok monastery in the 18th century. The town remained a small hamlet until the construction of the Enchey Monastery in 1840, which resulted in it being a pilgrimage center. It became the capital of what was left of Sikkim after an English subjugation in mid 19th century in response to a hostage crisis. After the British won over the Tibetans, Gangtok became a major stopover in the trade between Tibet and British India. Most of the roads and the telegraph in this area were built during this period.
The town itself offers beautiful views of the surrounding hills but the best view will be from Enchey Monastery, a two hundred year old monastery in the Nyingma tradition of Tibetan Buddhism and Ganesh Tok is a very small temple on GangtokNathula road. The other main attractions in the town are Do-drul Chorten , a large and impressive stupa complex ; Dodrupchen Monastery, another monastery in the Nyingma tradition; Banjhakri Falls, a lovely waterfall with many beautiful sculptures; Chomgo Lake, Lachung, Yumthang Valley and Rumtek Monastery among others.
Sikkim is famous for its fruit processing and tea aside from the local handicraft. Passion fruit Squash, Alpine Cheese, Temi Tea & Maha Gurudev Tea are some of the famous local products. Curio Craft Gallery Curio City, below Hotel Mayur, is one of the good quality handicraft stores in town for prayer wheels, flags and other handicrafts.
There are many places to eat that serve good food and dont burn a hole in your pocket. Being a tourist hotbed, the town has many hotels in the budget, mid range and luxury categories. Regardless of the price these are comfortable.
Gangtok packages to are dime a dozen but it may be a wee bit expensive. They are usually combined with trips to Darjeeling and other neighbouring places, so it makes up for the cost. The best time to visit would be either between March and June or between October and December. The Gangtok Packages offer attractive deals and discounts during the off seasons to attract more visitors.
