Kalimpong : Located just 80 kms from the Airport and Railheads, at an altitude of 1,250 metres, nestling in the lush green mid ranges of the Himalayas , this bazaar town was originally a part of Bhutan but later it was taken over by the British and finally it became a part of West Bengal and the hill station of "the Raj" . The word 'kalim' means King's Minister and 'Pong' - the stronghold of the King's minister. It is also called 'Kalibong' or the black spur by the hill people. 'Kalipong' in local dialect stands for 'Kaulim' which is a fibrous plant which grows in abundance in this region. It has an incredible stunning backdrop of towering snow capped peaks. The countryside around Kalimpong has a vast range of forests around Lava and Lolygaon, the wild and protected Neora National Park reaching up to the 3,152 mts high at Rachela trijunction between Bhutan , Sikkim and West Bengal , meandering river valleys of Git, Rishi, Rilli , the mighty Teesta and the enchanting Samthar Plateau. The journey from Darjeeling along the Teesta River is very interesting.

Kalimpong is famous for its monasteries, Churches , temples, monks and missionaries , Flowers, Orchids , exotic flora, old colonial bungalows, scenic view points, the study of Tibetan & Himalayan languages, culture, education centre and above all the panorama of snows. Kalimpong is also known for its tapestry bags and purses, copperware, scrolls and paintings from Dr Grahams house. Shops selling Tibetan Jewellery, Buddhist thankas, hand beaten silver, Bhutanese weaves, Chinese lamps, Lepcha daggers, masks and a lot more and art effects can be found to the east of Dambar Chowk.

FACT FILE
Altitude : Town area : 1,250-1,600 mts . Countryside : 1,600 mts . Highest : Rachela : 3152 mts.
Population : Approx 40,000 + . General Population groups : Nepali, Bhutia and Lepcha. Minority :Bengali and Bihari
Climate : Summer: Mar to Jun 15°C -25°C. Monsoons: Jul to Aug. Average Annual 2030 mm (80 inches). Autumn & Winter: Sep to Feb 7°C -15°C. Season : All year round.
Clothing : Tropical in Summer with a light sweater and rainwear. Woolens in Autumn and Winter .
Language :, Nepali, Hindi , Tibetan.and English

Approach :
AIR : The nearest airport is Bagdogra (80 kms) or (3 hours ) drive to Gangtok. Bagdogra is presently connected to New Delhi , Guwahati and Calcutta , by Indian Airlines and Jet Airways. Or fly from Kathmandu to Bhadrapur and drive.

By Rail : The two closest railway stations are Siliguri 66 kms (metre gauge) and New Jalpaiguri 80 kms (Broad gauge), connecting all metropolitan cities and main towns . 2 1/2 hours drive.
By Road : Kalimpong is well connected by road with 66 kms from Siliguri, 79 kms from Gangtok, 51 kms from Darjeeling and connecting roads to Nepal and Bhutan. From New Jalpaiguri, Bagdogra, Siliguri, Darjeeling and Gangtok, taxis, share taxis and busses are available at regular intervals.

Kalimpong Places of Interest - Around Town

Panoramic snow views : Mt Kanchenjunga, Mt Siniolchu, Mt Paunhari, Mt Lama Anden, Mt Chola, Nathu La Pass , Jalep La Pass and Gymochen peaks. Best view points are Durpin Dara and Deolo Hill.

Thongsha Gumpa or Bhutanese Monastery : Oldest Gumpa built during the Bhutanese period, in 1630 .

Zong Dog Palri Fo-Brang Monastery : Five kms from the city and Consecrated personally by the Dalai Lama in 1976, it contains the Kanguyar, in 108 volumes, brought by the Dalai Lama when he fled Tibet . This Gompa has impressive wall paintings in the prayer hall and a rare three dimensional mandala upstairs

The Tharpa Choling Monastery : Belongs to the Gelukpa sect (Yellow Hat) of Tibetan Buddhism was built in 1937.

Nature Interpretation Centre : Operated by the Forest Department, focuses on flora, fauna and local people interacting with ecology to conserve soil and forests of the area.

Colonial Bungalows : Built by British wool traders during the "Raj" period, located on Rinkingpong and Hill Top Roads. These include Surya Sadan, Crockety, Galingka, Morgan House, Tashiding, Ringking Farm. Of these, Morgan House and Tashiding, now Government Tourist Lodges, can be viewed.

Army Golf Club : Hewn out of a hillside, to keep officers fit for high altitude soldiering. Excellent angle for photography of Durpin Monastery from 3rd Green.

St.Theresa Church : Built by local craftsmen to resemble a Gumpa, it has wood carvings adorning the walls, depicting biblical scenes, in which personalities resemble Buddhist monks.

Flower, orchid and exotic flora nurseries : Gladioli, orchids, cacti, amaryllis, anthuriums, roses, gerberas, dahlias and other exotic plants are grown in a number of flower nurseries in Kalimpong, mainly for export.

Mangal Dhaam : This recently constructed place of worship is a marvellous piece of architecture. The temple has been built in the memory of the late Guru Shree 108 Mangal Dasji. The samadhi of the Guruji is located within the temple.

Dr. Graham's Homes Campus : A public school Started in 1900, as an institution to house and educate offsprings of British planter and local women and spread over an area over 193 hectares, houses 1300 students was founded by Rev Dr. John Anderson Graham .

Deolo View Point : Atop Deolo Hill at 1914 metres. Excellent views of snow peaks, Kalimpong town and the Teesta Valley .

Kalimpong Bazar : Best explored walking. Shop for Buddhist Tankhas, hand beaten silver, Bhutanese weaves, Chinese lanterns, copperware, hand stitched clothing, local cheddar-type cheese and lollypops.

Kalimpong Places of Interest - Out of Town

Pedong : A small town 24 kms from Kalimpong, it has a monastery built in 1837, of Bhutanese origin.

Lava : 34 kms away, hidden in mists and clouds, at an altitude of 2,350 Metres, this small village, on the old trade route to Bhutan, is surrounded by virgin pine forests. It has a lovely monastery of Bhutanese origin and a Nature Interpretation Centre. Popular for nature exploration and bird watching. It is also the starting point for trekking to the Neora National Park , which is a storehouse of flora, wildlife and leads to the 3,152 metre high RacheLa tri-junction of Bhutan , Sikkim and West Bengal , with a panoramic view of the Chola Range .

Lolygaon : Also called Kapher, is 25 kms from Lava, along a lovely forest drive. It has a heritage forest and a view point for snow ranges of Singalila Range .

Samthar Plateau : Scenic and remote plateau, at an elevation of 1,400 metres, it is 80 kms from Kalimpong, and 45 kms from Lava. It has breathtaking snow views of the entire range, superb sunrise and sunset, picture post card hamlets, exotic flora, forests, mountain tours, angling, mountain biking and nature and cultural explorations on foot.

Samco Ropeway : 20 kms from Kalimpong on the highway to Siliguri, this ropeway was constructed by Christian missionaries to spread the gospel. Spanning the Teesta and Relli Rivers over 1 1/2 kms, it is a thrilling ride over 120 feet over the river with unforgettable views. It provides a second access to Samthar Plateau, and for Forest exploration, and visit to ethnic and remote villages.

Teesta Valley : The main drainage of Sikkim , Kalimpong and Darjeeling region, it is only 14 kms from Kalimpong. It provides nature walks and river rafting, from base at Chitrey, near Teesta Bazar.

Things to do in and around Kalimpong :
1. Local Tour : A full days Jeep tour covers all the above sights.
2. I nner Town & Bazar : A full day can be spent in walking the bazar and shopping.
3. River Rafting in the Teesta takes a full day.
4. Samco Ropeway Excursion : A full days Ropeway crossing, nature walk and river pool swim and picnic.
5. Flower Nursery Tour : Visiting selected Nurseries takes a day if you drive .