A Gondola Ride in Gangtok is also famously known as the Gangtok Ropeway and is definitely one of the most amazing and beautiful things to do in the capital city of Sikkim. Such a cable car ride overhead the city offers an absolutely different view of Gangtok's life, which is really a colourful and lovely mix of green hills and multicoloured houses built up on very steep slopes, and also of very distant towering snow-covered peaks of the Eastern Himalayas. The Gangtok Ropeway, situated basically in the very centre of the city, is not only highly frequented by tourists but also stands for the city's love, the thrill of the city, and its unspoiled nature. The Gangtok Cable Car started functioning in 2003 and, since then, it has become one of the most popular activities for travellers in Sikkim, without which no trip to Sikkim is complete. The ropeway lifts off at Deorali, which is close to the Institute of Tibetology, and it ascends in two stages with stops at Nam Nang and Tashiling next to the Secretariat. The length over which the cable car covers the overhead of the city is almost one kilometre. It glides smoothly along with Gangtok's bustling streets, the green valleys, and the shining Teesta River that meanders through the mountains, all are laid open to the sight of the travellers. The mighty Kanchenjunga Range, if spotted on a clear day is like the icing on the cake of the whole adventure. Approximately 20 people can travel together in a single cable car cabin, which thus allows each one the freedom to have an unobstructed view through the glass windows. As the cable car slowly goes up the valley, underneath is totally changed from the crowded markets and vividly colored rooftops of Deorali to the calm monasteries and tree-covered hills further up. And, the greater the height reached, the quieter and grander the scenery is, which means this trip is the best for people with cameras and who love Mother Nature. The 15 to 20-minute time duration is enough for the whole journey to be done by the gondola, but that is not the case with the memories, which stay forever. Generally, to get the most out of the trip in the cabin, people should opt for the periods of the early morning or late afternoon, as the sightline then is at its best, and the sunlight is at its warmest and most welcoming. Rides with the sunset as a backdrop are very good to romance and wonderful to photograph as the colour of the sky is turning to gold and the lights of the city are getting on and twinkling beneath you. Besides the glorious views, the Gangtok Gondola Ride is also a very exciting and fun adventure of the kind that would be enjoyed by people of any age category. What the experience offers is a complete change of feeling as the cable car is moving gently and there are no visual obstacles, while being enclosed is not bumpy, and you are not scared at all. The experience of the same shows delight to families, the couple, and the lone travellers as well, each of them the different side of it, be it the euphoric essay feeling under the feet of the stunt above in the mountain or the serenity enjoying Gangtok watching life below. Moreover, at the hill or upper station is a place for looking out over the valley, which delights a tourist not only with the incredible photo but also with ample opportunity to imbibe the awe-inspiring scenic beauty of the Himalayan Mountains. When the weather is misty, the clouds envelop the gondola, which gives the riders the surreal experience of being 'in the air'. A Gondola Ride in Gangtok going up, very well expresses the Sikkimness qualities of unity, the adventure was with the peace, and the beauty came from a different level. A gondola ride over the Gangtok valleys is, in fact, an experience that lifts your Himalayas travel to a new level, whether you are a first-time visitor or a returning one.
