Thursday, June 18, 2009

Gangtok


Gangtok is the capital city Sikkim, the second smallest state of India. Famous for its many important monasteries, and for the picturesque views of the Himalayas, Gangtok is one of the important hill-station of the country. In Gangtok you can see a smooth blend of both tradition and modernity. Located at an altitude of 1547 m above sea level, Gangtok houses some of the important Buddhist religious sites too. The existence of the peaceful Chortens or Stupas, old monasteries and the un-spoilt natural beauty of Gangtok offers you a truly unique traveling experience
Gangtok in Sikkim is well connected by roads, rail and air transport. The nearest airport is at Bagdogra in West Bengal. There are helicopter services from Bagdogra to Sikkim. The nearest railhead is at New Jalpaiguri in West Bengal, which is connected by regular trains from different cities in India. One can easily reach Gangtok by road from the airport and the railway station. The city is connected with West Bengal by all weather roads which connect Siliguri and Kalimpong in West Bengal with Sikkim. There are a large number of tourist attractions in Gangtok. They include the Government Institute of Cottage Industry, Enchey Monastery, Ridge Park, Sikkim Research Institute of Tibetology, Do-Drul Chorten stupa, Deer Park, White Hall, Tashi View Point, Hanuman Tok, Ganesh Tok, Himalayan Zoological Park and the Sa-Ngor-Chotshog Centre. One can also have excursions to nearby places around the city like the Rumtek Dharma Chakra Center, Shri Nalanda Institute for Higher Buddhist Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru Botanical Garden, Saramsa Garden or the Ipecac garden, Water garden, Changu lake, Nathula Pass, and the Menmecho Lake.The city of Gangtok is also famous for having wide varieties of flora and fauna. The main vegetation in the forests of Gangtok consists of Oak, Katus, and Kimbu. One can visit the sanctuaries in and around Gangtok in Sikkim like the Fambong La Wildlife Sanctuary, Maenam Wildlife Sanctuary, and the Shingba Rhododendron Sanctuary. One can visit these sanctuaries between the months of March and May and again between September and November.

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