Tourist Guide

Kalimpong

The town of Kalimpong is situated at an altitude of 1300 metres (about 4200 feet) close to the Bhutan - Tibet - Sikkim border on the eastern part of Darjeeling Himalayas. The Kalimpong town, and the district by its name, was an important trading centre in earlier days, when the trade routes between Tibet, Bhutan and Sikkim were very much active. It was known as the silk route connecting Lhasa in Tibet with the rest of the subcontinent.

The brilliant climate of Kalimpong attracted the British, who later set up their establishment here. The old churches,  Graham's home, Morgan House, golf course, still hold the memory of the British Raj. The small Lepcha village of yore is today one of the most popular tourist destinations of Eastern India.

The beckoning Himalayas, dense virgin forests, vast valleys and meadows and of course the perennial shining but chilling weather together have placed Kalimpong on the map of the most important tourist destinations in the region. The climate of Kalimpong has helped in production of orchids, cactus and ornamental plants. A huge quantity of orchids and gladiolus are produced in the numerous nurseries and are exported to different countries.

Kalimpong is a major centre for traditional handicraft. The wood carvings, Thanka paintings, metal crafts, Tibetan and Lepcha jewellery, wooden mask, etc. are major draws for tourists here.

Getting There

The journey from Siliguri to Kalimpong is a memorable one too! The first phase of the total 64 Kms journey on the NH 10 passes through the dense forests of Mahananda Wild Life Sanctuary. Remember, this is a silence zone and must be driven cautiously so that the natural habitat for elephant, bison and tiger is not disturbed. If you are lucky enough, you may even be rewarded with the sight of a majestic tusker on the roadside, a glimpse of fleeing deer or a sudden colourful flashy flight of peacock. The journey through the sanctuary ends at Sevok and you are suddenly exposed to a huge canvas painted with forested hills, mighty river and vast river basin. The landscape changes rapidly as your car takes the zigzag hilly road on the NH 10 (Old NH 31A). The mighty Teesta River will accompany you throughout the second phase of your journey up to Teesta Bazaar. Teesta is dancing, twisting, bending; fly high with her! But the speed of the car must remain within 40kmph limit. The final phase starts from Teesta Bazaar as you take a sharp upward turn through the winding roads towards Kalimpong. Teesta is no more with you now. She is left behind far below and lonely. You will not miss her for long though as the vacuum will soon be replaced by the great Kanchenjunga - burning in the blues!

Places of Interest

Durpin Dara : Durpin Dara literally means “Binocular Hill” in the nepali language. As the name suggests, the place, situated at an altitude of 1402 metres, offers breathtaking views. The Kalimpong town is spread over a ridge that connects the two hills of Durpin and Deolo. The Durpin top is the southernmost point of town and further south is a deep gorge leading to river Teesta. This is an observatory point about 3 kms from the town from where a breath taking view of the Himalayan ranges can be seen. Durpin Dara is the highest point in Kalimpong accessible by car it offers a finest view of the plains and the mighty Teesta. 

Zang Dhok Palri Monastery : The monastery is located right at the Durpin Dara viewpoint. You may consider the two as one and the same point of sightseeing for all practical purpose. The 1976 monastery is quite popular among tourists for its serene environment

Flower Nurseries : Kalimpong is famous for flower nurseries which export exotic flowers. Kalimpong is the only place in the region where many commercial flower nurseries are situated. One should visit the beautifully laid out 'Universal Nursery' about 3 km from the town. The Sri Ganesh Moni Pradhan Nursery at 12th mile is especially renowned for its variety of orchids and the Udai Mani Pradhan Nursery is also among the most important in the area. If you are interested in Rose, Gerbera and Dahlias you can visit Standard Nursery at Chibo Busty.

Deolo Top : This is the Northern cliff of the Kalimpong ridge. Deolo (also known and pronounced Delo) is not a single point of attraction; rather it is an amalgam of several attractions which together can keep you occupied for better part of a day. The Deolo Park at the top of the hill offers majestic views of the Kanchenjunga above and the Teesta river down below. There is a nice garden and seating area. Just 100 meters away is the Kalimpong Science centre which is an ideal spot for the children to spend a day. There is a tourist accommodation and restaurant at the highest point of Deolo managed by the government. The food here is quite sumptuous. Walk through the cliff for a kilometre and you will come across first a Buddha Statue perched on a large stone, then a small Shiva temple and finally a large Hanuman temple with large sculpture of the monkey god.

Dr. Graham's House: Founded by Dr. John Anderson Graham in 1900 on the lower slopes of Deolo Hill, the Graham’s home is an extraordinary educational institution situated in a sprawling campus of 500 acres. The institution has its own farmhouse, bakery, dairy, poultry, hospital and clothing department. Every year in the month of May a gala festival called May Fair is organised here. It is a unique institution still supported partly by charitable collections and sponsors from all over the world.

Places around Kalimpong:

Lava: Distance-30 km
Lolegaon: Distance -54 Km
Pedong: Distance -20 km

Jaldhaka: Distance -100.1 Km

Gorubathan Distance-80.2 Km

Darjeeling: Distance 55 km
Gangtok: Distance 78 km
Siliguri - 67 Kms

language - Nepali, Hindi, English, Bengali, Lepcha & Tibetan .
Ethnicity - town is a mix of Nepali, Lepcha,Tibetan, Sikkim’s and other communities.
Weather - 10 - 25 degree centigrade during summer, 5 - 15 during winter.