Hanuman Tok is a Hindu temple devoted to Lord Hanuman and has a fascinating history. Lord Hanuman on the way to Lanka with Sanjeevani Mountain rested on the spot for a while where now the temple stands. Hanuman Tok’s distance from Gangtok is around 11kms and is located at a height of 7200 feet. This temple is also known as wish fulfilling temple and no one has ever returned empty handed. Up to 1950 people used to worship a stone. An officer named Appaji Pant had a divine dream and constructed this magnificent temple. Now the temple is maintained by Indian army and has a spectacular view to capture in photos. This place is filled with spirituality and serenity. You can hear the sound of bells, prayers and religious music from distance. Its scenic beauty is to be gazed upon; beautiful garden filled with flowers, wonderful 360-degree view of the mountains and the valleys and a magnificent view of Mount Kanchenjunga. The area is surrounded by lush greeny this place is perfect to unwind, meditate and recharge yourself.

The Rumtek Monastery, located about 24 km from Gangtok, is one of the largest monasteries in Sikkim, and belongs to the Kargyu sect of Buddhists. The Monastery was originally built during the mid 18th Century, but has since been renovated during the 1960s, to be transformed into a marvellous fusion of ancient and modern Tibetan Buddhist architecture. The monastery holds historical importance too, as it holds some of the most unique pieces of Buddhist art, in the form of wall murals, silk paintings, statues, and thankas (which are scrolls with intricate hand-paintings), a pure-gold statue of the 16th Karmapa, and a bejeweled crown, dating back to the 15th Century. There is also an aviary nearby, housing some of the most beautiful birds of the region. For the Buddhist enthusiasts who wish to stay, there are some very fine guest houses and hotels for travellers to stay in.

East Sikkim has two most wonderful monasteries- Ranka and Rumtek Monastery. Both are situated within the distance of 15kms. Ranka Monastery’s distance from Gangtok is about 20kms and is one of the great monasteries in India. This monastery is relatively new and does not have much historical or strategic significance yet it is beautiful and majestic and has been featured in various Bollywood movies. The monastery follows the Zurmang Kagyud lineage of Buddhism. To get to the monastery one has to walk up the hill. The 2-storey building is comprised of various classrooms where you can spot young monks wearing beautiful red and saffron getting trained. The prayer room has a huge golden statue of Buddha. The abbey is surrounded by forest on all the side and the greenery makes it one of the most picture perfect monasteries. The Jhakri waterfall is a major attraction in Sikkim situated close to the monastery. Adventure lovers can enjoy the fun of paragliding here from a place nearby.

Dro-dul Chorten Stupa, Sikkim is near Research Institute of Tibetology and is located on a hillock. It was constructed by Trulshik Rinpoche, chief of the Nyingma order of Tibetan Buddhism in 1945. The stupa has a golden dome at top which can be seen from various places in Gangtok.  This place was once haunted by evil spirits and many people who wandered around the place became victims and died. Trulshik Rinpoche came to this place for hermitage and later while construction drove the spirits away. The place is surrounded by 108 Mani Lhakor (prayer wheels) with mantras inscribed on them in Tibetan. The devout Buddhists turn the wheels in the clockwise direction while chanting 'Om Mane Padme Hum meaning ‘O Jewel in the Lotus’ to invoke the Bodhisattva. The stupa preserves Dorjee Phurba, Kanjur holy books, relics, books of mantras and various other religious objects.

Ganesh Tok is located at the altitude of 6500 feet, close to Tashi View point Ganesh Tok lies on the hill adjacent to the television tower of Sikkim. It is one of the most popular Ganesh temples in Sikkim and is 7kms away from the main city. One needs to climb up a staircase to reach the shrine and the viewing area. Decorated with multicolored prayer patakas hoisted and tied across the roads, the path to Ganesh will make you feel like walking into the rainbow. However, the temple is quite small and can accommodate one person at a time still remains a major crowd puller for all tourists visiting Gangtok. The viewpoint from the circular balcony around the temple and the viewing lounge is mesmerizing. One can get a clear view of Gangtok, rolling hill and the snow capped mountains including Mount Kanchenjunga. The devotees offer praying and plant saplings on the ground near the temple on behalf of those they love.