Kalimpong has three important monasteries worth visiting. The Tharpa Choeling Gompa (1922), of the Gelukpa (Yellow Hat) tradition, is the largest and easiest to find. The Tongsa Gompa is the oldest in Kalimpong, founded in 1692, with the current building over the ruins of the original. The Zong Dog Palri Fo-Brang Gompa on Durpin Hill, built in the mid-1970s and consecrated by the Dalai Lama, is known for its traditional Tibetan wall paintings and has excellent views across the valley.
Kalimpong is one of India's most important flower-producing areas — 80 percent of the country's gladioli come from here. The flower nurseries around town are open to visitors and have remarkable collections of orchids, cacti, and Himalayan flora.
Deolo Hill above town offers the best Kanchenjunga views in the area. Dr. Graham's Homes on the slopes below is a colonial-era boarding school with a Gothic chapel and pleasant grounds open to visitors. The colonial-era Morgan House is a heritage property worth seeing for its Arts and Crafts architecture.
Teesta Bazaar, 16 km from town, is the whitewater rafting base on the Teesta River. The rafting season runs mid-November to mid-February. The Samco Ropeway across the Teesta on the Siliguri road is worth stopping for on the way in or out.
It is possible to cross to Phuntsholing in Bhutan from Kalimpong without a visa for day visits — check current rules before planning this.