Kalimpong Travel Guide

Kalimpong is a hill station in the state of West Bengal. It is located at an average elevation of 1,250 meter (4,101 ft.). The place is famous for magnificent view of Mt Kanchenjunga and other Himalayan peaks. Kalimpong is the headquarters of the Kalimpong subdivision and a part of the district of Darjeeling. The Indian Army’s 27 Mountain Division is located on the outskirts of the town. 

In addition, Kalimpong is well known for its educational institutions. Many of these were founded during the British colonial period. Before China’s seizure of Tibet and the Sino-Indian war, Kalimpong used to be the trade hub between Tibet and India.

Kalimpong sits on a crest overlooking the Teesta River and mount Himalayas. It is a popular tourist destination owing to its temperate climate, magnificent Himalayan beauty and proximity to other popular tourist locations in the region. Horticulture is important to Kalimpong. It has a flower market famous for its wide array of orchids. Nurseries, which export Himalayan grown flower bulbs, tubers and rhizomes, contribute to the economy of Kalimpong.

Kalimpong is home to ethnic Nepalese, indigenous Lepcha, other ethnic groups and non-native migrants from other parts of India. The town is a religious center of Buddhism. The Buddhist monastery Zang Dhok Palri Phodang holds a number of rare Tibetan Buddhist scriptures. 

Kalim in local dialect means King’s Minister and Pong means Stronghold. So the name Kalimpong actually means Stronghold of King’s Minister. It has originated from the time of king’s dynasty in the region. Some say that the name has been derived from the word Kalibong (locals call it Kaulim). It’s a type of fibre plant used for making paper. This plant is found in abundance in Kalimpong and hence the name. 

Kalimpong was once under that dynasty of the King of Bhutan. However they had to hand over the administration to the British in 1865. Since then the British flocked to this part of the country in numbers. They built great schools with high standard of education (which Kalimpong is still well known for), created lovely housing architectures in traditional British style, built several charity institutions and many flower gardens. While the British have long gone, you will still get an essence of all these in Kalimpong. 

Although Kalimpong town itself is a bit congested, but the vast sub division is full of greenery, forested land and terraced fields where rice, corn, millet and seasonal vegetables are cultivated. The place is also well known for growing quality spices like cardamom, ginger, turmeric etc. As you drive around the hills, you will find numerous flowering plantations, ferns and mosses. There are over 4,000 species of flowering plants in Kalimpong sub division including over 400 types of orchids.

Apart from tourism, a major driver of economy here is Floriculture – there are numerous flower nurseries here that cater to both export and domestic markets. Some of the flowering plants grown in the nurseries include Cacti & Succulents, Orchids of different types, house plant & bulbs etc. You will see year-round flower shows in some nurseries here.