Kalimpong, A Unique Holiday Destination to Travel

 

Are you making some holiday plans and are tired of going to cliché places? If you want to try out an offbeat place, Kalimpong is the right choice! Not very far from the heavenly Darjeeling, Kalimpong is 50 kilometers east of Darjeeling and is a lesser explored place, which gives you more solitude time that can be spent with the mountains.

So, if you are looking for a quiet retreat but an unforgettable experience, read ahead because we have got all the right pointers for you!

Where is Kalimpong and how to reach?

If you love to sit at heights, then here’s the place perfect for you. Situated at a height of 1250 meters above the sea level, it is a colorful and spirited place at the foothill of Shiwalik ranges in lower Himalayas.To give a brief history of the place, earlier Bhutan had acquired this area which was later taken on by the British.That is the reason you can still find a lot of inhabitants of Nepali origin here in Kalimpong.The place is an absolute jaw dropper with its scenic beauty!

To go by flight, visit the nearest airport is in Bagdogra near Siliguri, at a distance of 80 kilometers from Kalimpong. It is connected to Delhi, Calcutta, Bhutan, Guwahati, and Bankok. If you want to take a train, then take the nearest railway station that is New Jalpaiguri, located outside Siliguri. You can take private taxis from the airport itself to reach any destination. The second route is going to Siliguri junction and then take a bus to Kalimpong. Siliguri and Kalimpong are well connected by buses.

A tale of seasons

Well, when we travel we calculate the seasons before booking the ticket. To get a hang of the seasons, you should be aware that Kalimpong has 5 different seasons- spring, summer, autumn, winter and the monsoons. Summers are mild from April to August. Then comes monsoon from June to September, which is very severe and often landslides are seen in this place. Winter is from December to February. One can experience fog during monsoon and winter seasons. Summers and monsoon would be the most suitable time to visit this place.

 

Kalimpong – A little bit of history

Owing to Kalimpong’s Bhutan connect, there are the lot of old Buddhist monasteries, churches and of course old temples here. So, enjoy best of both the worlds. To give you a cultural aspect, there are a lot of colleges and universities here as well which are attended by students from Bangladesh, Burma, Bhutan and more.

Vibrant markets, yummy food and much more at Kalimpong

In your trip, don’t ever miss the flower market! Kalimpong is known for its orchid flowers. Yes, you can swim in the lovely fragrance of the flowers. If you are from the city where you hardly get to the seeing nature, Rishi Bankim Chandra Park is a well known ecological museum at Kalimpong, where you can explore a lot of plant varieties.Again, Kalimpong has a lot of picnic spots which are ideal for lazy afternoons.From the seventh Mile View Point, you can see the Teesta Ranjit Valley. To top it all, there are also rafting trips from Melli Bridge to Geilkhola in Kalimpong. Now that’s wow!

If you are a shopping maniac, then just run to the Teesta Bazaar where you will get Tibetan jewelry, handicrafts, and traditional dresses as well.Haat Bazaar(HB) is a fun-filled market open only on Wednesdays and Saturdays with food, clothes, accessories, and other everyday products. It’s best for people who love Street shopping. Haat Bazaar is situated betweenRelli and RC Mintri Roads.

And if you get hungry due to all the travel, momos prepared in local style are a must try. You can also taste the yummy Wai Wai, some Nepalese noodles eaten either dry or as a soup. While you are still hungry, chew the Churpee that is a hard cheese, prepared in local style. There is another noodle called Thukpa served with soup again. And if you are a tea lover, don’t miss the Kalimpong tea derived from the nearby Darjeeling tea gardens.

Lepcha Museum for the art lovers!

After a tasty hunger trail, you will want to explore the history and culture of the place. Just hop into Lepcha Museum, which is at a distance of one kilometer from the town center.At Lepcha Museum, you can check out the real Sikkim, in other words, find out how the indigenous Lepcha community used to live their life. Lepchas are called the original inhabitants of Kalimpong. Today, the majority of the place is occupied by Nepalis who migrated here for jobs.

The Zang Dhok Palri Phodang monastery is another place of sightseeing you can explore and click a lot of pictures. The monastery will open the doors of Buddhism for you as well.Another tourist attraction is the Kalimpong Science Centre located on Deolo Hill. It was established with the objective of bringing scientific awareness among the students. Some other places you can explore are Katherine Graham Memorial Chapel, the Clock Tower of Kalimpong and Morgan House which will give you a classy feel of the colonial architecture during the British period.

The famous Hanuman temple

Tharpa Choling Monastery (situated at K.D. Pradhan Road) that is open from 9 am to 6 pm every day, will give you a feeling of calmness. Thongsa Gompa is the oldest monastery here where you can see the prayer services of monks being carried out. Mangal Dham temple has many paintings of Krishna Leela.

Located on the way to the Deolo Hill, the Hanuman Temple in Kalimpong is another quick stopover. Hanuman temple on Deolo Hill is the tallest statue in northeast India and you will have to climb a lot of stairs to reach on the top. Nearby to the Hanuman temple is the Durga temple which has a beautiful garden and is quite serene. Pine view Nursery is another fascinating nursery which has several plant varieties out of which cactus varieties are quite famous.

Look up to the mountains

Shahid Park is a pious place dedicated to 1200 Gorkhas who died fighting.You can have a fantastic view of Mount Kanchenjunga and the Jelepla Pass that was once used for trade with Tibet from Jelepla Viewpoint.The Nature Interpretation Centre at Ringking Pong Road will make you aware of the environment with photographs, books, and sculptures. It is open from Friday to Wednesday from 10 am to 4 pm.

It would be correct to say that Kalimpong has almost everything possible on earth to enjoy as a tourist destination. It has a mix and match of calmness to vibrant markets, superb local food to museums and of course highpoint views of mountains and terrific scenic beauty. Plan out your trip for a long period to enjoy every bite of this beautiful place on earth!

It’s time to book your tickets and head straight to this beautiful place!