Saramsa Garden Gangtok Entry Fee
- No Entry Fee
- 30 per person
Saramsa Garden Gangtok Phone
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Saramsa Garden Gangtok Address: Gangtok, Sikkim, 737102, India
Saramsa Garden, spread over an approximate area of six acres, is a wonderful landscaped garden located at a distance of around 14 km from the city of Gangtok. The garden is famous for its rich flora, especially the variety of orchids it has on display.
The lush greenery in the garden is a treat to the eyes as well as senses. It makes for an ideal recreation and picnic spot. Also known as the ‘Ipecac Garden’, this garden draws thousands of visitors from across the country every year. It lies snuggled among the hilly slopes of Gangtok and Pakyong.
History of Saramsa Garden Gangtok
The Saramsa Garden was set up by the Sikkim Forest Department in 1922 with an objective to grow fruits for the British colonial officers and the Namgyal royal family. In the beginning, fruits such as orange, guava, pineapple, litchi and banana were produced. Each week, a decorated basket filled with fruits was shipped to the British Residency and the Royal Palace.
The forest manager named Rai Saheb Bhim Bahadur Pradhan had a deep interest in horticulture and floriculture. He cared for the garden from 1922 till 1954. The fruit cultivation in the garden was done till 1940.
After that a medicinal plant called ‘Cephaelis ipecacuanha’, which was brought from Zohore, Malaysia, was cultivated. The garden has also been known as Ipecac Garden since that time. The plant was mainly used to extract Emetine in the form of syrup. This syrup was known to have emetic (alkaloid), which was used for the purpose of medical research. However, this cultivation was stopped in 1970 as it was found to be no longer beneficial.
In 1975, a range of orchids were introduced in the garden, and it was transformed into an Orchidarium. The garden currently has a wide variety of plants and trees, most of which were planted between 1975 and 1980. A significant thing happened for the garden, when it hosted the ‘International Flori Show 2008’ - an international flower and horticulture exhibition, which was conducted by the Government of Sikkim.
Architecture of Saramsa Garden Gangtok
The garden has been divided into different blocks for easy navigation of the visitors. One of the blocks has a bench, which is built right under the shade of trees for those visitors who wish to sit, relax and soak in the beauty of nature.
Another block has a small footbridge over a small pool with different varieties of plants. A number of distinctly-shaped hedges can be seen at various places in the garden that resemble snow leopards and red pandas.
Viewing areas and benches have also been set up inside the garden, and at the far corner of the main gate, a nursery has been constructed. The lush lawns in the well-manicured garden make for an amazing sight. There is a Convention Center inside the premises that has occupancy to accommodate 500 persons at a time. It serves as an ideal place to conduct events, private meetings, etc.
Things to do in Saramsa Garden Gangtok
The Saramsa Garden serves as a wonderful picnic spot for both visitors and locals. Taking leisure strolls in the landscaped garden, walking over the footbridge over the small pool and spending quality time at the huge nursery in the garden is something that will definitely appeal to a lot of tourists.
Besides enjoying nature and soaking in the beautiful environs of the garden, tourists can indulge in different recreational activities here such as football and volleyball.
Gangtok Saramsa Garden Timings and Entry fee
The Saramsa Garden remains open all through the week, from 8 am to 6 pm. The entry fee to visit the garden is Rs. 30 per person.
How to reach Saramsa Garden Gangtok
The garden is only about 14 km from Gangtok, and it takes about 45 minutes by car to travel this distance. You can book a private cab from top car rental companies in Gangtok to reach the garden. There are various options to reach the city of Gangtok from different major cities of India.
By Air: The nearest airport to Gangtok is the Bagdogra International Airport in West Bengal, about 123 km away. This airport receives flights on a regular basis from major cities of India. Tourists can choose to travel to Gangtok from the airport by hiring a private taxi. It takes 4-4.5 hours to cover this 123-km distance.
A daily helicopter service is available from the airport till Gangtok. It takes about 20-30 minutes to reach here. However, this service might not be available on all days due to bad weather conditions.
By Rail: The nearest railhead to Gangtok is the New Jalpaiguri Railway Junction, Siliguri in West Bengal, about 118 km away. Tourists can hire private taxis or board public/private transport buses to travel till Gangtok. It takes about 4 hours by bus and around 2 hours by taxi to travel the distance.
By Road: The Gangtok SNT Bus Station receives buses from Kolkata, Siliguri, Darjeeling, Bagdogra and Kalimpong.
Things to keep in mind while visiting Saramsa Garden Gangtok
- Littering inside the garden is prohibited.
- Damaging any part of the property is punishable.
- Photography is allowed inside the premises.
- Toilets are available inside the garden.
- Local shops and restaurants can be found close to the garden.
To help you plan your vacation in the best possible manner we at Gangtok Tourism, a division of Holidays DNA offer Gangtok Tour packages at budget prices. The package includes accommodation and a tour of all popular places to visit in Gangtok in the comfort of a private cab. To know more about our packages and existing deals, please fill the Contact Us form.
