Kalimpong is a small hill station between Siliguri and Gangtok offering majestic views of Mt.kanchenjunga.Its a small bazar town ideal for a peaceful holiday |
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Nothing excites me more than a trip to the mountains..It’s a magnet,far from the hustle bustle of city life,making me wish I could stay there forever.. KALIMPONG –at a height of 1250m,some 50km drive from Darjeeling,is a small albeit charming bazaar town,ideal for a peaceful holiday..For nature lovers,KALIMPONG offers opportunities to raft down the raging rapids of the Teesta River or to trek into the surrounding mountains. Flowers –the most romantic symbol of love, is what KALIMPONG is all about There are flowers everywhere,wild flowers,fields of flowes and valley of flowers.Kalimpong grows 80% of India’s gladioli’s and orchids.There is also the Sericulture Research Institute where silkworms are bred and silk is produced. Besides snuggling in bed and watching fabulous views of snow capped Himalayas,one can wander through the hamlet of Teesta bazaar,visit the old churches and monstries or be adventurous and ride the rapids with a spot of white water rafting down the Teesta River, 16 km away from Kalimpong. There are some good hotels to stay in kalimpong offering panoramic view of the mighty kanchenjunga.Luxury accommodation can be had for anything above Rs.2500 and basic room for as little as Rs.300/-. My stay was at the guesthouse 'AHAVA' of Dr.Graham's home,overlooking mt.kanchenjunga,where as one wakes up will see thick blanket of clouds.. How to reach: Bagdogra (80 km from Kalimpong) is the nearest airport, which has direct flights to Kolkata, Delhi, and Guwahati. Kalimpong can also be accesssed by road from Siliguri (65km). The distance can be covered in 3 hours by a bus or in a private taxi. New Jalpaiguri is the nearest railhead with connections to Kolkata, Delhi, Guwahati, Madras, Bombay, Bangalore, Bhubaneshwar, Tirupati, Trivandrum and Cochin. One can reach Kalimpong from the rail station by a bus or a taxicab. The road distances are Kolkata 651 km, Gangtok 100 km and Darjeeling 51 km which can
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Favourite spots: |
There are few popular view points –Durpin dara and the deolo hill.Also worth mentioning is Dr.Graham’s home which is an hour walk from the town centre.The chapel above the school dates back to 1925 and features beautiful stain glass windows. . From the school building, it is a further 40 minute walk to the summit of Deolo Hill, where there is a Tourist Bungalow and one can enjoy fine views of Kalimpong from here. The various Gompas like the Tharpa Choeling Gompa and the Zong Dog Palri Fo-Brang Gompa requires a visit. Kalimpong also has a well laid-out golf course near the Durpin Dara Monastery
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What's really great: |
The most special view of kalimpong are the nite lights of the entire town -looks like tiny jewels flashing.
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Accommodations: |
There are several hotels -both luxury and budget - Hotel silver Oaks,Himalayan Hotel,Sood's garden retreat to name a few...
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Restaurants: |
Kalimpong Park Hotel, once known as Dinajpur House, the former summer residence of the Maharaja of Dinajpur is a hotel with character, situated on a viewpoint, 1 km. uphill from the downtown area.The hotel faces north-east, and has a 270 degree panoramic view of the hills and valleys, with Kachenjunga massif standing majestically on the left. The hotel has it's own gardens and cars drive up to the front door.
Also there are other restaurants offering local cuisines.
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Other recommendations: |
The quaint bustling bazar, is a wanderers delight, and a Pandora's box of surprises containing Buddhist thankas, hand beaten silver, Bhutanese weaves, Chinese lamps, Lepcha daggers, masks and a lot more
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Published on Monday August 13th, 2007
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Sun, Aug 26 2007 - 07:31 AM
 by marianne
Interesting to read and good info of how to get there. I'd love to see more pics. |
Sat, Aug 25 2007 - 02:05 AM
by adisidh
nice report , upload more pic.
thanks
Subodh |
Mon, Aug 20 2007 - 09:41 PM
by downundergal
Nice style of writing and a good read about somewhere new and different. |
Mon, Aug 13 2007 - 09:16 AM
by eirekay
Mahua, I share your love of the mountains! Your opening sentence is just perfect! Nice report with some terrific information!
Eire |
Mon, Aug 13 2007 - 05:16 AM
by frenchfrog
very interesting report to read, you added another dot on the map, it will be nice if you add more pic. |
Mon, Aug 13 2007 - 04:30 AM
by ravinderkumarsi
well heard about this place many time ,nice report from you
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Mon, Aug 13 2007 - 02:42 AM
by adampl
Thanks for this report. It has made this remote place more familiar to me. Try to add some more pics. |
Mon, Aug 13 2007 - 02:31 AM
by davidx
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