Evening walk on MG Marg
Mahatma Gandhi Marg runs for about a kilometre through the centre of Gangtok. It has been closed to vehicles for years, with smoking, spitting and littering banned and fines enforced, which makes it one of the cleanest streets in India. Flower beds and benches run down the middle, and the shops on either side sell books, woollens, Tibetan crafts and tea.
Come from about 6 pm, when families, students and monks walk up and down and the cafés fill. Duck into the lanes towards Lal Market for cheaper food and a more local feel, and finish with tea or a hot chocolate at one of the old cafés on the strip.
Questions travellers ask
Good to know
Are vehicles allowed on MG Marg?
No. MG Marg is a pedestrian street, closed to cars and two-wheelers. Taxis drop you at either end. The rule, together with the bans on smoking, spitting and littering, is what keeps the street clean and quiet. Fines are collected on the spot by municipal staff, so take the rules seriously.
Where can I eat cheaply near MG Marg?
The lanes leading down towards Lal Market and the Kanchenjunga shopping complex have small restaurants serving momos, thukpa, thali meals and Tibetan bread for ₹150–300 a person. The cafés on MG Marg itself cost more but have better seating and views of the street.
Is MG Marg safe at night?
Yes. MG Marg is well lit, well policed and full of families until about 9 pm. Shops close earlier than in big cities, and the street empties by 10 pm. The usual city sense applies, especially on the dark, steep side lanes, but Gangtok is considered one of the safer towns in India.
Also in Gangtok
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