Nestling in the lush green mid ranges of the Himalayas, this hill station from the Raj era has a stunning backdrop of towering snow-capped peaks. Located just 80 km from the airport and a railhead, at an altitude of 1,250 m, it has a moderate climate.

Kalimpong was ruled by Bhutan for 155 years, and was annexed by the British only in 1865, after which it flourished as a centre of wool trade with Tibet. Here, Buddhism rubs shoulders with Hinduism and Christianity. Gompas, unusual churches, temples, monks and missionaries coexist in a jovial society. The quaint and bustling bazaar is a wanderer’s delight, and a Pandora's box offering Buddhist thangkas, hand-beaten silver, Bhutanese weaves, Chinese lamps, Lepcha daggers, masks, and a lot more. Kalimpong must also be visited for its Buddhist monasteries, Hindu temples, Christian churches, orchids and exotic flora, old colonial bungalows, scenic viewpoints, and above all, the panorama of snows.

The picture-postcard countryside around Kalimpong has a vast range of forests around Lava and Loleygaon, the wild and protected Neora National Park reaching up to the 3,152-m-high Rachela trijunction between Bhutan, Sikkim and West Bengal. Then there are the meandering river valleys of Git, Rishi, Rilli and the mighty Teesta, and the enchanting Samthar Plateau.

A Kalimpong based holiday, with forays into the countryside offers a true ‘town and country’ holiday, comprising Kalimpong town delights, relaxation, walking and trekking holidays, forest and flora exploration, bird and butterfly watching, Buddhist tours and meditation, river rafting, mountain biking, nature and culture tours, or just a ‘relax and laze’ holiday.

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