When to visit›Sikkim›Gangtok›December
Gangtok in December: a fine time to go
December: 15°C days — and inside the recommended window.
December is the last month of Gangtok's season (March – May, October – December), so the weather is on the turn and rates start to ease. Cool days around 15°C, nights near 6°C, almost no rain. Stays run about 30% above the usual rate this month. Losoong / Namsoong can fall in December, which changes both prices and what you can book.
The season ends with December; January is outside the recommended window. The season runs to the end of January, next month. The rains usually arrive in April, 4 months away. The next mild, dry spell usually starts in March, 3 months away.
3 days in Gangtok in December · from ₹10,732 for two
Stay, food & local travel — getting there extra
Day-by-day plan with the journey from your city, priced for December — ready in seconds, no sign-up.
What the weather actually does
10-year average · GangtokCool days around 15°C, nights near 6°C, almost no rain.
What a day in Gangtok looks like
The things most people actually do here, by time of day.
Morning
- Rumtek Monastery — largest in Sikkim, golden stupa2h 30m · moderate
- Enchey Monastery morning prayers1h · easy
- Namgyal Institute of Tibetology rare manuscripts1h 30m · easy
- Tashi viewpoint — Kanchenjunga sunrise panorama1h 30m · easy
Afternoon
- Tsomgo (Changu) Lake high-altitude glacial lake (38km)3h 30m · moderate
- Cable car (ropeway) over the valley1h · easy
Evening
- MG Marg pedestrian mall & café evening1h 30m · easy
About 12h 30m of activity in total — the planner spreads this across your days and fits travel time around it.
What a December trip costs · 3 days, total for two
Budget
₹10,732 for two
- Stay · 2n₹3,276
- Food₹3,900
- Local + entry₹2,850
- Buffer₹706
Mid-range
₹21,972 for two
- Stay · 2n₹5,733
- Food₹9,000
- Local + entry₹5,700
- Buffer₹1,539
Luxury
₹53,481 for two
- Stay · 2n₹18,408
- Food₹21,000
- Local + entry₹10,200
- Buffer₹3,873
December multiplier already applied (1.30× on stays). Covers stay with GST, food, local transport, entry & activities, 8% buffer for two people sharing one room — the same figures the planner opens on. Excludes travel to Gangtok. How we price this
Add the journey from your city — see the full priceBook Gangtok for December
Opens with December dates for two — change them on the booking site.
Tourisma may earn a small commission if you book — it never changes your price.
A December plan, day by day
3 days in Gangtok for December, at this month's stay rates.
- 1🍛 Food & Culture2.5h out
- Cable car (ropeway) over the valley · afternoon, 1h
- MG Marg pedestrian mall & café evening · evening, 1.5h
A city best understood slowly — arrive, find the old market, and let the pace of things sink in.
- 2🌿 Nature Day7.5h out
- Namgyal Institute of Tibetology rare manuscripts · morning, 1.5h
- Tashi viewpoint — Kanchenjunga sunrise panorama · morning, 1.5h
- Enchey Monastery morning prayers · morning, 1h
- Tsomgo (Changu) Lake high-altitude glacial lake (38km) · afternoon, 3.5h
Nature days need early starts — this schedule front-loads the active parts before the heat. Morning light makes the difference here.
- 3🙏 Spiritual Day2.5h out
- Rumtek Monastery — largest in Sikkim, golden stupa · morning, 2.5h
Final day in Gangtok — the spiritual architecture here rewards slow exploration — no rush, no checklist.
Swap places, change the pace, set your own dates.
Plan my Gangtok tripGetting to Gangtok
Usually the biggest line in the budget — and the one the estimate above leaves out.
Kolkata → Pakyong
flight · 1h
₹5,000
1 way / person
NJP Station → Gangtok
shared jeep · 4h
₹300
1 way / person
NJP Station → Gangtok
cab · 3.5h
₹2,500
1 way / person
Cheapest listed route is NJP Station → Gangtok by shared jeep. Return for two works out to about ₹1,200 — so a whole trip lands near ₹11,932 for two, travel included.
Fares are typical one-way estimates per person from Gangtok's common gateways, not live prices — book early and expect festival months to run higher.
Every month, scored
What you’ll actually do in Gangtok
All of these are open in December.
- Rumtek Monastery
- MG Marg pedestrian boulevard
- Tsomgo (Changu) Lake
- Nathula Pass (55km)
- Enchey Monastery
- Namgyal Institute of Tibetology
- Do-Drul Chorten stupa
- Banjhakri Falls
- Cable car (ropeway)
- Tashi viewpoint Kanchenjunga panorama
- Jawaharlal Nehru Botanical Garden
- Phodong Monastery (38km)
Not in December: Flower Show (May).
Within reach: Tsomgo Lake · Baba Mandir · Nathula Pass · Rumtek Monastery · Seven Sisters Waterfall.
What’s on in Gangtok in December
Timing a trip around these changes what you pay and what you can book.
Losoong / Namsoongdates shift yearly
Sikkimese new year with monastery cham dances. Cold and clear, and low season everywhere except the festival days themselves.
Lunar-calendar dates move each year — confirm before booking anything non-refundable.
Permits you'll need
Protected Area Permit (border zones)
Sikkim itself is open to Indians, but Tsomgo Lake, Nathula, Gurudongmar, Yumthang and Zuluk need a Protected Area Permit arranged through a registered local operator — you cannot drive to them on your own.
Rules change — verify with the issuing authority before you travel.
Packing for December
- A warm layer for mornings and evenings — a fleece and a light jacket are enough.
- Walking shoes with grip and a power bank — charging points and signal are patchy on hill roads.
December questions, answered
Is December a good time to visit Gangtok?
Yes — December is a good month for Gangtok: it sits at the edge of the recommended season (March – May, October – December), and cool days around 15°C, nights near 6°C, almost no rain. Losoong / Namsoong falls this month. Tourisma's fit score for December is 93/100.
See a December plan for GangtokHow much does a trip to Gangtok cost in December?
A typical 3-day trip for two costs from ₹10,732 (budget) to ₹53,481 (luxury), excluding travel to Gangtok. Seasonally adjusted for December.
Price it for your group and cityWhen is the best time to visit Gangtok?
The best months are November, December, March. From December: The season ends with December; January is outside the recommended window. The season runs to the end of January, next month. The rains usually arrive in April, 4 months away. The next mild, dry spell usually starts in March, 3 months away.
What is there to do in Gangtok?
Rumtek Monastery. MG Marg pedestrian boulevard. Tsomgo (Changu) Lake. Nathula Pass (55km). Enchey Monastery. Namgyal Institute of Tibetology. New Jalpaiguri (NJP) is the nearest railhead, 125 km away.
Nearby, same trip
Elsewhere in India in December
Also in season this month, from Tourisma's ranking of all 238 destinations for December.
- North Goa Beaches · Goa · from ₹16,618 for two, 4 days
- Rann of Kutch · Gujarat · from ₹5,335 for two, 2 days
- Konark Sun Temple · Odisha · from ₹4,708 for two, 2 days
- Kohima · Nagaland · from ₹5,530 for two, 2 days
- South Goa Beaches · Goa · from ₹11,734 for two, 4 days
- Pelling · Sikkim · from ₹4,514 for two, 2 days
- Kisama (Hornbill Festival) · Nagaland · from ₹7,593 for two, 2 days
- Alleppey (Alappuzha) · Kerala · from ₹15,271 for two, 3 days
Want this as a real plan?
Gangtok in December, priced for your group, dawn-starts built in — about 40 seconds.
From ₹10,732 for two · stay, food & local travel — getting there extra
Plan Gangtok in December