Kalimpong used to be a subdivision of Darjeeling district, but now it is a separate district of West Bengal effective since 14th Feb 2017 It takes 2.5 hours to reach Kalimpong from Darjeeling and Siliguri. Kalimpong is a sparsely populated town with the population of 49,403 people. The town is always filled with hustling and bustling coming from the bazaar. Teesta bazaar, the well known bazaar of Kalimpong, has wide range of goods to offer. You will get good quality clothes at very reasonable prices. Traditional items like paintings or craftworks. There are book stores which are enriched with all the genres. Kalimpong homes many architectures of the colonial era and some really old monasteries and many other places that interests and attracts tourists from around the world.
PLACES TO VISIT IN KALIMPONG
Deolo Hill :
This hill is one of the most famous tourist spots of Kalimpong. You will get the panoramic view of the snow clad mountains of the West Sikkim. It also provides a captivating 360 degree view of Kalimpong town.
7th mile view point :
This view point is located just 3 kilometers from the town and it gives you the view of the glorious Teesta Rangeet Valley.
Mangaldham :
This is one of the masterpieces of India and it holds a special story. In 1940, Guruji Shri Mangaldasji Maharaj came to Kalimpong and was so much touched by its beauty and purity that he decided to stay here serving people. Mangaldham was built in his memory and The "Samadhi" of the beloved Guru lies in the ground floor of the temple.
Kalimpong Science City :
The Science City of Kalimpong is 1 kilometer away from the town and is located on Deolo Hill. It exhibits scientific objects.
Durpin Monastry :
This monastery was built in1972, by Dudjum Rimponche. It is located in Durpin Dara Hill. It possesses the rare and holy Buddhist manuscripts of 108 volumes called "Kangym", which was presented by the Dalai Lama when he visited Kalimpong in 1956.
CULTURE AND CUISINE OF KALIMPONG
Originally Kalimpong was first inhabited by the Lepchas but today the population of Nepalese exceeds all the other castes that also coexist. The religion mostly followed here is Hinduism. Buddhism, Christianity, Islam are followed as well. They celebrate their festivals in a grand way so Kalimpoing remains lively and colorful filled with lights in most days of the year. Since ther are more Nepalese there their staple food is dal, bhaat, tarkari and achar. Gundruk, Kinema, Churpi, these are their traditional foods which you must try while you are there. It may not smell good but tastes really good. Momos and thukpas are common around the place. Kalimpong is famous for lollypops and churpi, a hard cheese made from the milk of yak. You will find all other cuisines if you go to restaurants.
BEST TIME TO VISIT KALIMPONG
SPRING
March and April months of the year form the spring time for Klimpong. The temperature varies from a minimum of 11°C to a maximum 24°C. The skies remain clear so you will get the breath seizing view of the ever glorious Mt.Kanchenjunga and the majestic Himalayan range. It is just that time when the vacations also begin so the street will not be boring. This would definitely be a good time to go visit Kalimpong and make wonderful memories.
SUMMER
May and June form the summer season for Kalimpong. The temperate goes as low as 16°C and goes as high as 25°C. The skies clear out one moment and cloud up the next moment as around June you can expect rain in Kalimpong. So, the scenic beauty of Kalimpong probably will give only a glimpse but the town still remains worth visiting.
MONSOON
July, August and September make up the monsoon season of Kalimpong. The streets of the town will be swept clean by the heavy rains and landslides will cut it off completely from the other parts of the country. The forests and the landscape are at full glory and showing off its lush green beauty. Not many tourists can be seen around this time but some of you who like to go for something different can come to experience something totally different.
AUTUMN
October and November are the autumn seasons of Kalimpong. The town is just getting dry during this period so the skies clear out and once again the glistering snow clad mountain peaks start to show up. This is a lovely time to be here.
WINTER
December, January and February form the winter seasons of Kalimpong. The minimum temperature at this time will be 7°C and the maximum will be 16°C on an average. The skies are clear and Kalimpong dazzles with full strength. Perfect time for couples to visit.
