Beautiful blue skies with the Himalayan peaks glistening in the background and a landscape that is soothingly green- Sikkim is blessed with breathtaking natural beauty. The capital city of Gangtok is a popular tourist destination and is mostly visited by people who would like to get up close with nature to forget all their worries. Chungthang is situated in North Sikkim and lies on the banks of the two tributaries of the River Teesta-Lachen and Lachung. Chungthang is situated at a distance of 95 km from Gangtok and serves as a base for the Indian army.
Chungthang is rich in flora and fauna. It is believed that Chungthang was blessed by the patron saint of Sikkim Guru Rimpoche who had rested on a stone here while flying to Tibet. The stone with his footprint can still be seen in Chungthang. Another intriguing mystery related to this stone is the discovery of paddy sprouts near the rock. The conditions in Chungthang aren’t favourable for the growth of paddy and hence this place is considered to be quite special.
According to another story, the place got its name from the Punjabi phrase ‘Changa Sthan’. It is believed that Guru Nanak had visited Chungthang and had defeated to demons. It is said that their footsteps can still be seen.
Chungthang can be reached by road and air. The nearest airport is the Bagdogra airport which is situated at a distance of 225 km from Chungthang. The nearest railhead is the New Jalpaiguri station. There is no rail service in Sikkim and hence travellers will have to get down at NJP, which is situated at a distance of 230 km from Chungthang.
Travellers can also use the bus service deployed by the Sikkim Nationalised Transport and connects Sikkim with Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Bagdogra. Some of the important places for sightseeing near Chungthang include Lachen and Lachung, Mangan, Pentok, Dzongu, Katao, Yumthang etc.
