Gangtok & East Sikkim · month by month
Gangtok & East Sikkim in May
Peak holiday season. Gangtok is full, hotel rates are at their highest and the Tsomgo and Nathu La roads have long queues of vehicles at checkpoints. In return, everything is open and the high country is green and flowering. Saga Dawa, marking the Buddha's birth, enlightenment and death, can fall in late May or June, with a procession through Gangtok.
Local tip: Book rooms and permit trips early in May, and start for Nathu La at dawn to beat the queues.
Festivals this month
Trips at their best
Tickets for May
Value
Gangtok5 nights · Reserved car
Gangtok, Pakyong and Aritar for families
Gangtok · Pakyong · Aritar
₹19,000per personabout ₹3,150 a day
Shoestring
Gangtok7 nights · Shared jeeps
A backpacker week in East Sikkim
Gangtok · Rumtek · Aritar
₹16,000per personabout ₹2,000 a day
Shoestring
Gangtok3 nights · Shared jeeps
Gangtok and Tsomgo Lake on a shoestring
Gangtok
₹8,000per personabout ₹2,000 a day
Comfort
Gangtok5 nights · Reserved car
Gangtok and Rumtek for families, in comfort
Gangtok · Rumtek
₹26,000per personabout ₹4,350 a day
Comfort
Gangtok9 nights · Reserved car
The grand East Sikkim loop
Gangtok · Rumtek · Pakyong · Zuluk
₹48,000per personabout ₹4,800 a day
Comfort
Gangtok4 nights · Reserved car
A Gangtok honeymoon with Rumtek and Aritar
Gangtok · Rumtek · Aritar
₹26,000per personabout ₹5,200 a day
Questions people ask
Good to know
Is May a good time to visit Gangtok & East Sikkim?
Peak holiday season. Gangtok is full, hotel rates are at their highest and the Tsomgo and Nathu La roads have long queues of vehicles at checkpoints. In return, everything is open and the high country is green and flowering. Saga Dawa, marking the Buddha's birth, enlightenment and death, can fall in late May or June, with a procession through Gangtok.
What is the weather like in Gangtok & East Sikkim in May?
Gangtok 14–22 °C, pre-monsoon showers. Conditions differ by altitude and coast, so check the forecast for each stop a week before you travel.
Where should we go in Gangtok & East Sikkim in May?
We suggest Nathu La, Kupup, Padamchen. Book rooms and permit trips early in May, and start for Nathu La at dawn to beat the queues.