Kalimpong -Tourism

Kalimpong, the famous hill station is situated at an altitude of 1250 metres. Kalimpong has been a meeting point of the once 'three closed lands' on the trade route to Tibet, Bhutan and Nepal. Kalimpong is situated about 51 km form Darjeeling and 77 km from Gangtok, the capital of Sikkim. The beautiful mountain scenery and the abundance of flowers have made Kalimpong an attractive resort. The lifestyle of the local people reflect the social and religious influence of its neighbouring nations like Nepal, Tibet, Sikkim and Bhutan. Kalimpong excels in producing orchids, amaryllis, rose, cacti, dahlias and gladioli for export. The climate of Kalimpong is pleasantly cool throughout the year with warm summers and cool winters. The best season to visit Kalimpong is from March to June and September to February.

Tourist Attractions in Kalimpong- The famous tourist attractions in Kalimpong are the Thongsa Gompa and Tharpa Choilng monasteries and Dr. Graham's House.

Tharpa Choling- The Tharpa Choling is a Yellow Hat Tibetan monastery situated at Tirpai. This monastery houses a library of Tibetan manuscripts and Tankhas. This monastery belongs to the Yellow Hat sect, to which the present Dalai Lama belongs and was built in 1837.

Thongsa Gompa- The Thongsa Gompa is the oldest monastery in the area. This Bhutanese monastery was founded in 1692 which has been restored and is now brightly painted.

Dr. Graham's Home- Dr. Graham's Home is situated about 3 km. from Kalimpong. This place was started by a missionary in 1900 when he admitted six orphans. Today, it has 700 students on an extensive site on Delo Hill with its own dairy, poultry and bakery. This home is a shelter for destitute children of European descent and a centre for training them in a variety of crafts. It has also a sales wing.

How to Reach Here

By Air- The nearest airport is located at Bagdogra, which is about 80 kms. from Kalimpong. 

By Rail- New Jalpaiguri and Siliguri, which are about 67 kms. from Kalimpong are the nearest railway stations to Darjeeling which are connected with Kolkata, Guwahati, Delhi and Lucknow.

By Road- Kalimpong is located off the National Highway 31 A to Gangtok and connected by road with all important cities of the eastern India.