A popular hill station and Buddhist pilgrimage destination at an altitude of around 1800 meters from the sea-level on a ridge, Gangtok is situated in the Eastern Himalayan range. Not many Indians are aware of the fact that Sikkim with Gangtok as its capital continued to be an independent monarchy until the year 1975 when it was finally integrated in the Union of India.

Often wreathed in beautiful clouds, Gangtok offers splendid views of towering high mountain peaks. The sight of the Khangchendzonga, the 3^rd highest mountain in the world from Gangtok is simply unforgettable.

For centuries, Gangtok was a crucial transit point on India-Tibet travel and trade route. Enchey Monastery, constructed in 1840, is a famous attraction in Gangtok that is visited by a large number of domestic and international tourists every year.

It was only after the construction of the monastery that Gangtok began to receive outside visitors and slowly the area developed into a beautiful town with all imaginable facilities today. Now, Gangtok is among the most popular centers of Tibetan Buddhism in the world.

A cosmopolitan town, Gangtok has a large number of hotels, motels, restaurants, shopping complexes, night clubs and other facilities. Most tourists in the town chill out on the MG Marg in the evening and spend their nights treating their taste buds at traditional restaurants or listening to live music in clubs and bars. During summers, the whole town presents itself as if some much-awaited carnival is going on.

Hanuman Tok, Namgyal Research Institute of Tibetology, bi-cable Zig-back ropeway Lukshyama and Ganest Tok are among a few popular attractions located in and around the heart of Gangtok town.

Except during the winters, Gangtok enjoys a mild temperature. Resembling the famous Shimla town in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh in more ways than one, Gangtok is inhibited by Indian Nepalese, Bhutia and Lepchas