Situated in the eastern Himalayan range, Gangtok is home to people from different ethnicities such as Tibetan, Nepali, Lepchas and Bhutias. The climate of Gangtok is pleasant for most part of the year and this has made the city a popular location for tourist activities.
In the early 20th century, Sikkim has emerged as a major stop over on the trade route between Lhasa and Kolkata. Post independence, Sikkim was added to the Indian sub-continent as the twenty second capital of the country.
The city of Gangtok is situated at an elevation of 5,800 feet. It is situated in the lower Himalayas and is flanked by two rivers the Roro Chu and Rani Khola. The city is rich in flora and fauna and abounds in deciduous forests consisting of poplar, oaks, birches and elms. Wild orchids in myriad colours grow in abundance and lush green thickets of bamboos can be found growing in plenty here.
The culture in Gangtok is unique and colourful. Festivals such as Losar, Maghe Sankranti, Chotrul Duchen and the birthday of Dalai Lama are celebrated in Gangtok. The popular food items of Gangtok are momo, wai wai, Thukpa, chowmein and shah phaley.
The city has a number of popular local attractions such as the famed Nathu la pass, 16th century built rumtek monastery, and the picturesque Tsomgo lake. Another attraction located close to Gangtok is the scenic viewpoint of Yumthang that is a 3 hour drive from Gangtok is a picture perfect place with lush green grasslands bounded by snow capped peaks on all sides.
Gangtok is connected to the rest of India by the National Highway 13A. The highway connects Gangtok to Siliguri, Darjeeling and Kalimpong. The nearest railway station is the New Jalpaiguri and the nearest airport is the Bagdogra Airport. The air facility can be availed through a chopper that operates only once and carries only four passengers at a time.
