Kalimpong is a hill station located in Darjeeling Gorkha Hill council in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is located at an average elevation of 1,250 metres (4,101 ft). The town is the headquarters of the Kalimpong subdivision, a part of the district of Darjeeling. The Indian Army's 27 Mountain Division is located on the outskirts of the town.
Kalimpong is known for its educational institutions many of which were established during the British colonial period. It used to be a gateway in the trade between Tibet and India prior to China's annexation of Tibet and the Sino-Indian War. Kalimpong and neighbouring Darjeeling are major centers calling for a separate Gorkhaland state.
Kalimpong is located on a ridge overlooking River Teesta and is a major tourist destination owing to its temperate climate and proximity to popular tourist locations in the region. Horticulture is also important to Kalimpong: it has a flower market notable for its wide array of orchids; nurseries, which export Himalayan grown flower bulbs, tubers and rhizomes, contribute to the economy of Kalimpong.
Attractions in Kalimpong, around and from Kalimpong
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Deolo Hill Deolo Hill is one of the two hills that the town of Kalimpong stands between. The hill is located to the north east of Kalimpong town and is one of the major attraction in Kalimpong. The tourism depar
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Drive from Kalimpong to Gangtok The drive from Kalimpong to Gangtok is about 75kms(3hrs). The road descends down the hill to Chitrey and follows alongside the Teesta river until Rangpo. At Rangpo it crosses over the Rangpo river and
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Geden Tharpa Choling Monastery Tharpa Choling Monastery is located on the Tirpai Hills, it is one of the oldest and one of the three important monastery in Kalimpong belonging to the Gelugpa sect of Tibetan Buddhism. Perched on a
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Sakya Monastery A few distance away from Tharpa Choling Monastery is the Sakya Monastery. This is the only Sakya Monastery in Kalimpong, the monastery was started under the guidance of Khondung Ratna Vajra with the
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Sherpa View Point Situated near the Buddha Statue from here you can get great views of Sikkim hills and Mt. Kanchanjunga towards the north and the beautiful view of the valley and the Relli river flowing through toward
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Thongsa Gompa This is the oldest monsatery in Kalimpong and is locally known as the Bhutanese Monastery and it belongs to the Nyingmapa sect. It was built after the Bhutanese captured Kalimpong hills from the Chog
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Zangto Pelri Monastery Zangto Pelri monastery locally known as the Durpin monastery is located on the Durpin hill. It was built in 1972 and it contains some rare Buddhist scripts that were brought here by His Holiness Dalai
