Nature · Hanuman Tok
Sunrise over Kangchenjunga from Hanuman Tok
Leave Gangtok in the dark and reach Hanuman Tok as the first light hits Kangchenjunga, 8,586 m and about 60 km away as the crow flies. On clear winter mornings the range turns pink, then gold, above a sea of valley cloud.
Photo: Tomabarker · CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Book a taxi the evening before for about 30–40 minutes before sunrise: roughly 5:15 am in October and 5:45 am in December and January. The drive from MG Marg takes 25–35 minutes up the ridge road. Dress for 0–8 °C on winter mornings, with gloves and a cap, and carry a flask of tea.
From the terrace, Kangchenjunga and its neighbouring peaks spread across the north-western horizon. On the best days, mostly from mid-October to February, the summits catch the light several minutes before the valley, turning pink and then gold, while cloud fills the Teesta and Ranikhola valleys below. Cloud can roll in within half an hour, so arrive early rather than late.
If the gates are not yet open when you arrive, wait at the parking area, which also has a view. Combine the sunrise with Tashi View Point on alternate days if the first attempt is cloudy, and keep the rest of the morning for Enchey and the Do Drul Chorten.
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Questions travellers ask
Before you book
Which is better for sunrise, Hanuman Tok or Tashi View Point?
Both face Kangchenjunga. Tashi View Point, on the North Sikkim road, opens early and is set up for sunrise visitors with tea stalls. Hanuman Tok is higher, at about 2,200 m, and quieter, but its gate timings depend on Army arrangements. If you have two mornings, try one each.
Which months give clear Kangchenjunga views from Gangtok?
Mid-October to February gives the most clear mornings, with March and early April also good before haze builds. From June to September the monsoon usually hides the peaks. Even in good months, the view is clearest from sunrise to about 9 am.
How cold is Hanuman Tok at sunrise?
In December and January expect around 0–5 °C at dawn with wind, occasionally below freezing; in October and March about 6–10 °C. Wear thermals, a down or fleece jacket, gloves and a woollen cap. The ridge is a few degrees colder than MG Marg.
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