You may have planned your vacation to Darjeeling and a tour of Sikkim, but make sure you add Kalimpong as well to your travel itinerary as Kalimpong is a place totally worth visiting. So, not sure whether Kalimpong is the right place to visit or not, well let me give you 11 reasons why you should visit Kalimpong right now:
1. A small town nestled in the foothills of the Himalayas, Kalimpong is an absolutely amazing treat for any nature lover, giving a stunning view of the snow-capped Himalayan mountains and Kanchenjunga. You can head to Deolo hill in Kalimpong and get completely mesmerized by the breath-taking view.
2. Kalimpong being an amazing nature spot, it also has a sizable amount of great wildlife around Kalimpong. Being a part of the Neora Valley National Park, the forests around Kalimpong is also home to endangered species like the Red Panda, Himalayan Tahr, barking deer and is popular for the beautiful avifauna like the Himalayan woodpecker, flycatchers, pheasants and warblers.
3. The Darjeeling Himalayan region is really popular for its tea and Kalimpong contributes for about 5% of the totally tea production with tea gardens located in the western side of the Teesta. Kalimpong is also popular for its extensive production of ginger and oranges.
4. Visiting the cactus nursery in Kalimpong is an amazing experience, where you can see so many varieties of cactus plants at one place, maintained in a place located in such a high altitude.
5. Kalimpong is a hub for floriculture and really popular for its floriculture industry. There are various nurseries located in and around Kalimpong which is open for tourist view where you can see the various collections of beautiful and exotic flowers and floral plants. Orchids and gladiolus are some of the popular ones which Kalimpong is very well known for.
6. One can take a ride to Durpin Dara or Durpin hill which is the highest point in Kalimpong and have the stunning view of Kalimpong town and also has a view great to take photographs. The Durpin Monastery is also located there which is the oldest Buddhist monastery in Kalimpong and is a beautiful and iconic symbol of Kalimpong's cultural heritage.
7. Kalimpong is indeed a hiker's paradise. There are lovely forests and villages surrounding Kalimpong, perfect to visit hiking. Almost every hotels and travel agencies in town organize trekking and hiking trips around Kalimpong. You could also take a hiking trip to Pedong or hike from Lava to Rishop which is totally worth it.
8. If you want to buy souvenirs, Kalimpong is a perfect place and indeed a shopper's paradise. With an Indo-Tibetan mixed culture in Kalimpong, taking a walk towards 10th mile or at shops in Kalimpong town will make you come across various Tibetan shops selling Indo-Tibetan souvenirs including decorative items, handicrafts, embroidered items,paintings, ornaments, bags and artifacts which could be priceless to take home making it great souvenirs.
9. If you are an adventurous person, Kalimpong will never disappoint you. Not just hiking but Kalimpong is a great place to visit if you are seeking for some thrill whether be it paragliding, white-water river rafting, golfing, fishing or taking a long jungle camping.
10. A great place is even greater with great food and Kalimpong is amazing when it comes to food. There are lots of restaurants and street food stalls that would drive your taste buds crazy with the amazing momos, thukpas, chicken lollipops, cheese, etc.
11. Kalimpong is also known for its cultural and ethnic diversity. Predominately populated by Nepalese in Kalimpong, you will come across a lot of ethic groups like Lepchas, Bhutias, Sherpas, Rais, Limbus, etc. You will also see a lot of non-native groups like Bengalis, Biharis, Tibetans and Chinese. All these groups make Kalimpong a hub for its beautiful ethnic and cultural diversity.
1. A small town nestled in the foothills of the Himalayas, Kalimpong is an absolutely amazing treat for any nature lover, giving a stunning view of the snow-capped Himalayan mountains and Kanchenjunga. You can head to Deolo hill in Kalimpong and get completely mesmerized by the breath-taking view.
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| Sunshine at Deolo Hill. Photo Credit: Hop Around India |
2. Kalimpong being an amazing nature spot, it also has a sizable amount of great wildlife around Kalimpong. Being a part of the Neora Valley National Park, the forests around Kalimpong is also home to endangered species like the Red Panda, Himalayan Tahr, barking deer and is popular for the beautiful avifauna like the Himalayan woodpecker, flycatchers, pheasants and warblers.
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| A Red Panada at the Neora Valley National Park. Photo Credit: My Village |
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| Local oranges, bananas and Kalimpong Cheese for sale in the streets of Kalimpong. Image Source: By Shilpa at Flickr.com |
4. Visiting the cactus nursery in Kalimpong is an amazing experience, where you can see so many varieties of cactus plants at one place, maintained in a place located in such a high altitude.
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| The amazing collection of cactus in the Cactus nursery of Kalimpong. Image Source: TripAdvisor |
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| Bulbophyllum kalimpong -- a trully spectacular orchid from India. Looks like a dancing ballerina. Image Source: PinInterest |
6. One can take a ride to Durpin Dara or Durpin hill which is the highest point in Kalimpong and have the stunning view of Kalimpong town and also has a view great to take photographs. The Durpin Monastery is also located there which is the oldest Buddhist monastery in Kalimpong and is a beautiful and iconic symbol of Kalimpong's cultural heritage.
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| Image Source: Golden Vacations |
7. Kalimpong is indeed a hiker's paradise. There are lovely forests and villages surrounding Kalimpong, perfect to visit hiking. Almost every hotels and travel agencies in town organize trekking and hiking trips around Kalimpong. You could also take a hiking trip to Pedong or hike from Lava to Rishop which is totally worth it.
 |
| Image Source: Himalaya Home |
8. If you want to buy souvenirs, Kalimpong is a perfect place and indeed a shopper's paradise. With an Indo-Tibetan mixed culture in Kalimpong, taking a walk towards 10th mile or at shops in Kalimpong town will make you come across various Tibetan shops selling Indo-Tibetan souvenirs including decorative items, handicrafts, embroidered items,paintings, ornaments, bags and artifacts which could be priceless to take home making it great souvenirs.
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| Souvenirs from Kalimpong. Image Source: CraftsVilla |
9. If you are an adventurous person, Kalimpong will never disappoint you. Not just hiking but Kalimpong is a great place to visit if you are seeking for some thrill whether be it paragliding, white-water river rafting, golfing, fishing or taking a long jungle camping.
 |
| Apart from offering immense opportunities to admire the natural beauty, Kalimpong offers excellent adventure opportunities for the adventure junkies out there. Image Source: West Bengal Tourism |
10. A great place is even greater with great food and Kalimpong is amazing when it comes to food. There are lots of restaurants and street food stalls that would drive your taste buds crazy with the amazing momos, thukpas, chicken lollipops, cheese, etc.
 |
| Traditional Nepali Dal, Bhaat and Tarkari in Kalimpong. Image Source: TripAdvisor |
11. Kalimpong is also known for its cultural and ethnic diversity. Predominately populated by Nepalese in Kalimpong, you will come across a lot of ethic groups like Lepchas, Bhutias, Sherpas, Rais, Limbus, etc. You will also see a lot of non-native groups like Bengalis, Biharis, Tibetans and Chinese. All these groups make Kalimpong a hub for its beautiful ethnic and cultural diversity.
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| Culture of Kalimpong. Image Source: FTD Travel |
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