Kalimpong is a town and the headquarters of an eponymous district 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 district. The region comes under Gorkhaland Territorial Administration which is an autonomous governing body within the state of West Bengal. The Indian Army's 27 Mountain Division is located on the outskirts of the city.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 before China's annexation of Tibet and the Sino-Indian War. Kalimpong and neighbouring Darjeeling were major centres calling for a separate Gorkhaland state in the 1980s, and more recently in 2010.
The municipality sits on a ridge overlooking the Teesta River and is a tourist destination owing to its temperate climate, natural environment and proximity to popular tourist locations in the region. Horticulture is 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. The Tibetan Buddhist monastery Zang Dhok Palri Phodang holds a number of rare Tibetan Buddhist scriptures.The Kalimpong Science Centre, established under the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council in 2008 is a recent addition to its many tourist attractions. The Science Centre, which provides for scientific awareness among the students of the town and the locals sits atop the Deolo Hill.
*Kalimpong is beginning to form a small hiking industry – look around for flyers in hotels for local tour operators.
Kalimpong produces the only aged cheese made in India. It has the texture of a hard European cheese and a mild, Parmesan-like flavour
*'''Gompu's For the best momo. You can also get a very decent lunch or dinner at this place. Open until 9PM. *Sagar, Evergreen (on the Main Road) *Unique, Shikhar, Mohan Daju *Rigyal Restaurant in Malli Road, 30 m downhill from the traffic point, local food with a hygienic kitchen *China Garden is the place for Chinese food, tucked in near the bus stop. They make great Mei Foon and their Chicken Drumsticks are worth the inevitable queue during tourist season. Hit the place before 8PM as this town shuts down early. *The Soods Garden Retreat For Indian food and drinks, open till 10PM. *Himamlayan Hotel''' You'd miss something if you didn't spare time for a quiet, very British afternoon cup there. *Cafe Refuel A good place for an English style breakfast and snacks in the outskirts of the town. *King Thai A good place for affordable drinks and food.
Most of the Tibetan shops are on 10th Mile Rishi Road, and R.C. Mintri Road.
The Haat Bazar (weekly bazzar), just off Relly Road, down the hill from the bus stand, occurs every Wednesday and Saturday and is a vibrant market with mainly clothing and vegetable stands. Food stands serve plates of momo for ₹50 (2023), as well as a delectable local pasta.
Don't hesitate to bargain -- you can haggle quite a bit. Or if you are adventurous, just walk a bit more to the wholesale market (just around the corner from the main street). Its fixed price, but you won't get a better deal anywhere else in town.
To buy clothes all you have to do is to visit R.C. Mintri road full of marwadis. Don't leave Kalimpong without tasting locally made lollipops.
*Tashi Takgye (Colour House) 03552-256897/9434007076, at 10th Mile, Rishi Road, about 1km from Damber Chowk. This is a fixed price shop with extremely reasonable prices. You can get paintings, statues, wall hanging, knives, porcelain, crystal, thankhas, dragons, items made from bone, masks, souvenirs, etc. It's the wholesale supplier/importer/exporter for the northern region. Prices here are usually 2-3 times cheaper than anywhere else in the region. *Thangka House on 10th Mile, Rishi Road. This shop sells small souvenirs, and beautiful art such as thangkas and authentic hand paintings. They also have postcards and an assortment of prints for sale, which are cheaper than the hand paintings.
Kalimpong is accessible mainly by terrain vehicle, due to the winding mountain roads. There is frequent transportation to and from nearby cities such as Darjeeling and Gangtok (Deorali Bus Stand), where one can book a 3½-hour ride by shared terrain vehicle for ₹130. Booking is not required ahead of time but is advisable if it is urgent.
Regular buses (every 20 minutes until 4PM) provide direct access to and from the Siliguri (Tenzing Norgay Bus Station) for ₹110 - ₹130 for the two and a hour-hour journey. Shared taxis - around ₹300, Private taxis - around ₹3,000. Buses and taxis also travel from New Jalpaiguri Station, with an additional cost of around ₹20-₹30. The nearest airport from Kalimpong is Bagdogra Airport in Siliguri. Taxis ply the route between the airport and Kalimpong - around ₹3,000.
Kalimpong is a small and walkable city. The main form of transportation within Kalimpong is taxi and auto-rickshaw. The main bus stand is close to Damber Chowk.
Kalimpong was originally a trading post on the Tibet to India route. Then, from early 18th to mid-19th century, the town was successively ruled by the Sikkimese and Bhutanese kingdoms. After the Anglo-Bhutan War in 1864, the Treaty of Sinchula (1865) was signed, in which Bhutanese-held territory east of the Teesta River, which included Kalimpong, was ceded to the British East India Company. After falling under British control, the town was developed as a local administrative centre, and a number of missionary schools opened in the area. Presently, the town is populated by mostly Nepalese speaking people, with a large minority of Tibetans. There are several Tibetan Buddhist monasteries, as well as private schools and colleges scattered throughout the town and surrounding hills.
At around 1,250 metres, the town enjoys a moderate climate, which attracts people from towns at higher altitude in the winter and from the Plains in the summer.
