Adventures

PARAGLIDING

A comparatively new addition to tourism in Kalimpong is the sport of Paragliding. Soaring through the clear blue skies and cutting through the crisp cool air while having a fantastic view of the valleys below is an experience never to be forgotten. The take off point for paragliders in Kalimpong is a top the Deolo Hill while the landing points are at several spots in the valley below depending on the wind conditions and package offered by the Paragliding companies. A birds-eye view of Kalimpong town and the surrounding areas while gliding above it, is a thrill worth cherishing for a life span.

[Please note that Paragliding is an adventure Sports and involves certain degree of risk factor. In Kalimpong it is commercially operated by different private operators. Interested tourists may enjoy paragliding after verifying suitable climate conditions, qualified pilots and standard of equipment]

RIVER RAFTING

Teesta River at Kalimpong has become one of the most popular hotspots for River Rafting in this region. The starting points are mainly at Mellie, Labbarbottey and Beni. The earlier very swift flowin Teesta River has now been tamed to a certain extent by the Dams that have been built on it and hence rafting here is comparatively very safe and can be undertaken by every visitors. Several Rafting companies operate in the town and visitors to Kalimpong are highly recommended a rafting trip. Tourists could also combine rafting with camping and angling. The valley and the landscape around the rivers create an amazing scene which is a visual delight for the visitors. Rafting over the river Teesta can be enjoyed all through the year, excepting monsoon months. The rafters mostly float from the Tar Khola to Valu Khola stretching over the Teesta.
[Please note that River Rafting is an adventure Sports and involves certain degree of risk factor. In Kalimpong it is commercially operated by different private operators. Interested tourists may enjoy River Rafting after verifying suitable climate conditions, qualified rafters and standard of equipment]

TREKKING

The most interesting feature of the treks in Kalimpong is that there are no Trekkers huts or Wayside Inns in the trekking area. Hence all accommodation required in the course of the treks are made with local families in these villages. These stays with the local families offer the trekkers the unique opportunity to experience the warmth and diversity of the rich Hill culture, tradition, religion and hospitality. Of course, tents can always be used, if one prefers them. One may even make lodging arrangements in some of the Rest Houses that are owned by the Forest Department.

Trekking in the Kalimpong region can be the most pleasant and unforgettable holiday experience in one’s life. Kalimpong offers some of the most spectacular treks along the magnificently beautiful hills that surround it. The charm, beauty, mystery and adventure of the mighty hills slowly unfold as one trek through the sleepy hamlets, dense forest and lush green fields. Unlike treks in the Darjeeling region and West Sikkim, which are more suited for the more hard-core trekking buffs, the treks in Kalimpong are more suited for the occasional or first time trekkers. The treks range from easy atrolls in the country side to mild treks at the elevations of around 2500 mts. to 3000 mts. all treks in Kalimpong are distinctly dissimilar to the treks in the other regions in the sense that the virginity of the forests is still intact and the remoteness of the various villages dotting these beautiful trekking routes is still present. One would imagine that these villages and its inhabitants would surely have by now been touched by the evils of commercialization and who would look upon the tourist and trekkers as there only source of income, as in the case in those villages along the Singallila or West Sikkim trekking routes. Contrary to this, the villages here are still very remote and all inhabitants are very friendly, honest and enjoy the company of the guests. The ethnic mix of these remote villages too are of a great deal of inhabited by Christian Lepchas, some by Buddhist Lepchas, some by Rais and some by Limbus.

The best seasons for treks in this region are from the last week of February to middle of April and thereafter from the second week of October to the middle of December. Treks during the spring season are most beautiful due to the large variety of flowering plants found during this season

MOUNTAIN BIKING

The lush green valleys and the scenic villages in and around Kalimpong can best be enjoyed and experienced on Mountain Bikes which are available with a few private travel operators in Kalimpong. The freedom and thrill that a mountain bike offers the visitors is unparallel and it allows visitors to be up close to the real Kalimpong. There are various mountain trails and beaten tracks around which are ideal for mountain biking in this region. The more adventurous could also bike from Kalimpong to Lava or Pedong or the various smaller villages and hamlets that dot the country site. Mountain biking in the moderate altitudes of Kalimpong could be an experience of a life time for the visitors. Deolo, Pedong, Lava & Jhalong areas are most suitable places for the riders who can choose from a bundle of routes available and upcoming tracks, for a day’s trip. The mesmerising view of the majestic mt. Kanchenjunga peeping through the branches of the trees in a village trail on a ride can be a reward of life time for a biker.