Geography

Demography

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• Kalimpong

Tourist Place in Kalimpong

Location:	Kalimpong, India
Temperature:	Summer: 15°C,25°C: Winter:7°C, 15°C
STD Code:	03552
Best Times:	March to Mid-June; Mid September to December
Attractions:	Flower Nurseries, Dr. Graham's Home, Durpin Dara hill,Thongsa gompa, The Lepcha Museum.
Language:	English, Nepali and Hindi

Kalimpong is famous for its nurseries which export exotic flowers like Amaryllis LiLies, Anthuriums, Roses, Gerbera, dahlias, gladiolas as well as Orchids and Cacti. Some important nurseries are: Brindaban Garden Nursery, Ganesh Mani Pradhan Nursery, L.B. Pradhan Nursery, Pinewood Nursery, Standard Nursery, Shangri-La Garden Nursery, Twin Brothers Nursery, Universal Nursery and others.

Less than an hour�s walk away from the town centre is Dr. Graham�s Home, which was founded in 1900 on the lower slopes of Deolo Hill. The chapel above the school dates from 1925 and features beautiful stained-glass windows. Tourists can also visit the fine turn-of-the-century school building, and many people often picnic on the school grounds.

Durpin Dara Hill is situated at 5 km to the southwest of town looms which is the highest point of the region. It was once a survey point, and hence the name which means Binocular Ridge. Towering over the town at an altitude of 1402 m the observation point offers you a breathtaking view of the Himalayan ranges and its valleys along with the rivers that crisscross the plains.

Thongsa gompa is the oldest Gumpa and was built during the Bhutanese period. The year dates back to 1630. It was constructed by the Bhutanese. The monastery was completed around the year 1692 and it is the oldest monastery in Kalimpong and still is preserved well.

Zong dog palri fo is a which has the original 108 volumes of Kanguyar, consecrated by Dalai Lama himself, before he left Tibet in 1976. Also the place offers excellent view point for snow and valley views.

The Lepchas are the indigenous people of Kalimpong, Sikkim and now constitute a minority. The Lepcha Museum is situated in Bag Dhara, a kilometre away from the town centre. The museum showcases the culture of the Lepcha community and displays their musical instruments, manuscripts, articles of worship and other tools & equipments used by the community. It is an important place of learning for those who wish to know about the religion and culture of this vanishing tribe.