Asia > India > West Bengal > Kalimpong
Kalimpong is a hill town in the Teesta Valley at about 1,250 metres, less visited than Darjeeling but more relaxed for it. Where Darjeeling is steep and dense, Kalimpong spreads across a broader ridge with more breathing room. It was historically a centre of trade between India and Tibet, and that cultural mix — Tibetan, Nepali, Bengali, Bhutia — still gives the town its character.
The town is best known outside the region for two things: flowers and monasteries. Kalimpong produces 80 percent of India's gladioli and has numerous nurseries specialising in orchids, cacti, and Himalayan flora. The Tharpa Choeling Gompa (1922), the Tongsa Gompa (the oldest monastery in town, founded 1692), and the Zong Dog Palri Fo-Brang Gompa on Durpin Hill — consecrated by the Dalai Lama and famous for its Tibetan wall paintings — are all worth visiting. The views of Kanchenjunga from Deolo Hill are among the best in the region.
The surrounding area offers serious adventure: Teesta Bazaar, 16 km from town, is a base for whitewater rafting on the Teesta (season: mid-November to mid-February). The village of Lava, 30 km east at 2,353 metres, has a Buddhist monastery and trails through rhododendron forest. From Lava you can push further to Kaffer for Kanchenjunga views. The Samco Ropeway across the Teesta, en route to Siliguri, is an attraction in its own right. The colonial-era Dr. Graham's Homes school and Morgan House give a sense of the town's British hill-station past.
The flower festival in October is the main annual event. The best weather is October–November and March–May.