Kalimpong – Deolo

Kalimpong

Kalimpong was an erstwhile sub-division of Darjeeling district. Recently Kalimpong was carved out as a district comprising few major towns of adjoining districts. The town has a colonial hangover. It once used to be the hub of the trans-Himalayan trade between India and Tibet when merchants used to ferry commerce by mule caravan over the Jelepla pass on the Sikkim-Tibet border.

Attractions/ Things to do at Kalimpong-

Morgan House: Morgan House has been converted to a tourist lodge which is now under the supervision of the department of tourism of India. It is an ancient bungalow which was built during the reigning period of British. This bungalow was considered to be the favorite house of a rich jute merchant who belonged to England.

With marvelous gardens, it has remained as a beautiful example of a colonial style of architecture in Kalimpong. The blossomed flowers add to the beauty of the house and a person can view the scenic beauty of the hills located at a distant horizon. Forests that surround this place are a habitat of wild animals and different birds.

Army Golf Course: The army golf club is one of the important tourist attractions. It is an excellent place for photography. You can focus from all angles at the valleys around and get classy photos of the Durpin monastery. This golf club keeps the offices of the army fit for high altitude soldiering.

Dr. Graham’s Homes: This missionary school was set up by Dr. J A Graham in 1900 as an orphanage cum school for the destitute Anglo Indian children. It started only with one cottage that accommodated up to 35 children. Over the years it has grown as a well known multi-religious and co-educational school spanning over 500 acres of lush landscape and having some 50 cottages. It is located on the way to Deolo Hills.

Pratima Tagore House: There are several memories of the Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore in Kalimpong. Although Gauripur House (which is located about 2kms from the town towards Durpin hill) was Tagore’s favorite and where he wrote some of his great verses, the house is currently not in a good state and requires restoration. A better place to visit is Pratima Devi Tagore’s house who was the daughter-in-law of Shri Rabindranath Tagore. You will find many of Tagore’s memories here as well.
This house was built in 1943 by Pratima Devi Tagore. You can still find the original bed and the furniture she used. The house with its lush garden and beautiful views is very well maintained. The living room is particularly very impressive. There are several verses of Rabindranath Tagore kept here, some framed on the walls. The caretaker Chandranath will patiently take you around and show you all the rare collections inside.

Water Rafting: The White Water Rafting on the river Teesta and Rangeet (Tribeni), the scenic beauty of the banks, surrounding hills, it’s flora and fauna and sighting of several varieties of fishes is simply enchanting. A river trip is often an adventure.

River Teesta and Rangeet gush down the mountains of Darjeeling and create foaming white water that is excellent for rafting. While rafting down, you will get a pretty view of dense forests.

Deolo Hill

This is the major attraction in East Kalimpong. The tourism department has created an 8-acre lush parkland with manicured flower gardens and several viewpoints with breathtaking views of Kanchenjunga, Durpin Hill, Kalimpong Township and the valley with rivers flowing through them.

Deolo hill is the highest point of Kalimpong with an altitude of about 5,500ft. There is a GTA (erstwhile DGHC) lodge here and a multi-cuisine restaurant. Children can also take pony rides. At one corner of the lawn are stalls offering coffee and snacks. Overall a great place to have a picnic or just relax.