HimLocal
Sign in
HimLocal
The three-tiered white and red front of Zang Dhok Palri Phodang monastery with gold roof edges under a blue sky with clouds
1 / 3
Photo: Bernard Gagnon · CC BY-SA 4.0
Day planFirst visitmonasteries and viewsrelaxed

One day in Kalimpong — the Durpin monastery, Dr. Graham's Homes and Deolo Hill

A relaxed one-day plan for Kalimpong: the Durpin monastery on its hill, Dr. Graham's Homes below Deolo, and the 1,704 m hilltop park with its wide view.
Planning to go?Add your dates — we’ll count down, and tell you when stays or batches open for them.

A relaxed first day in Kalimpong, at about 1,250 m. Start at Zang Dhok Palri Phodang, the Durpin monastery, then visit Dr. Graham's Homes below Deolo, and finish at the hilltop park of Deolo Hill for the view over the town.

Photos: Bernard Gagnon (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Biswajit Majumdar (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Amitabha Gupta (CC BY 4.0) — via Wikimedia Commons, resized.

Who this is for

First-time visitors who like monasteries, colonial schools and hill views, and want a day of short drives.

Day by day

Day 1

Two hills and a school

3 stops · 24 min on the road

Short drives, all within about 16 minutes of the centre; start early, because the view from Deolo fades as cloud builds.

  1. 08:30
    Zang Dhok Palri Phodang
    temple · 11 min from Kalimpong · about 1 h 15 min there
    The Nyingma monastery on Durpin Hill, founded in 1957, with the 108 volumes of the Kangyur; the hill also has wide views.
  2. ↓ 16 min by road · 7 km
    11:00
    Dr. Graham's Homes
    monument · 9 min from Kalimpong · about 45 min there
    The Scottish-founded school on the slope below Deolo Hill, opened in 1900; see the stone chapel if the gate is open.
  3. ↓ 8 min by road · 3 km
    13:30
    Deolo Hill
    viewpoint · 16 min from Kalimpong · about 1 h there
    The 1,704 m hill with a park and a 360-degree view of the town and the Teesta valley, and on a clear day the snow peaks.

Getting there

See how to reach Kalimpong for the road from New Jalpaiguri and Bagdogra, the best time to go and things to do in Kalimpong.

Where to stay

Stay in Kalimpong. We have no verified lodging, prices or booking rules.

Know before you go

  • Dress modestly in the monastery, walk clockwise round the prayer wheels and ask before photographing monks.
  • Dr. Graham's Homes is a working school and its gate may be closed; ask in town first, and keep clear of classes.
  • Go to Deolo early or on a clear afternoon; fog is common in the monsoon and in winter.

Places on this route

Dr. Graham's Homes — the Scottish school below Deolo Hill
Dr. Graham's Homes — the Scottish school below Deolo Hill
monument · 9 min from Kalimpong
Zang Dhok Palri Phodang — the Durpin monastery above Kalimpong
Zang Dhok Palri Phodang — the Durpin monastery above Kalimpong
temple · 11 min from Kalimpong
Deolo Hill — the 1,704 m viewpoint above Kalimpong
Deolo Hill — the 1,704 m viewpoint above Kalimpong
viewpoint · 16 min from Kalimpong

Going together

No one has started a group going on this plan yet. Start one and other travellers can ask to come along.

Start a groupHow groups work

Other ways to do it

All Kalimpong itineraries →
Two days in Kalimpong — monasteries and Deolo, then the Teesta and Pedong
Two days in Kalimpong — monasteries and Deolo, then the Teesta and Pedong
1 night · 2 days · couples and friends · monasteries and river
A two-day plan for Kalimpong: the Gaden Tharpa Choling and Durpin monasteries and Deolo Hill, then Teesta Bazaar and the ridge town of Pedong, with drive times.
Best Mar–May · Oct–Nov
See the plan →

More places nearby

All of Kalimpong →
Teesta Bazaar — the Teesta and Rangeet confluence below Kalimpong
Teesta Bazaar — the Teesta and Rangeet confluence below Kalimpong
town · 3.9 km away

Nearby destinations

All destinations →
The huge copper-coloured seated statue of Guru Padmasambhava on its painted base on Samdruptse hill under a grey sky
Namchi
16 km away · 2 itineraries · 3 places
Roofs and hotels of Darjeeling spreading down a steep ridge under distant blue mountain ranges and soft cloud
Darjeeling
21 km away · 9 itineraries · 13 places
The seated golden and dark-blue Buddha statue on a stepped, richly painted base against a forested hillside and a cloudy sky
Ravangla
29 km away · 1 itineraries · 3 places
Pastel-coloured buildings of Gangtok climbing a steep, forested hillside, seen from a viewpoint across the valley
Gangtok
33 km away · 5 itineraries · 11 places
Been here?Help the next traveller — our team checks every contribution.

Questions people ask

What can you see in Kalimpong in one day?

Zang Dhok Palri Phodang, the Durpin monastery; Dr. Graham's Homes, the Scottish school and its stone chapel; and Deolo Hill, the 1,704 m hilltop with a park and a 360-degree view. All three are within about 16 minutes of the centre on our routing, so the day is easy on foot and by taxi.

What is the best time of day for Deolo Hill?

Early morning, or a clear afternoon in the dry months. Wikivoyage says Deolo gives the most sweeping panorama and a view of Kanchenjunga on a clear morning, but Wikipedia notes that fog often covers Kalimpong in the monsoon and in winter. Check the sky from the town before you go up.

How do you get between the stops?

By taxi or shared jeep. On our routing the Durpin monastery is about 5 km and 11 minutes from the centre, Dr. Graham's Homes about 4 km and 9 minutes, and Deolo Hill about 7 km and 16 minutes. We have no verified fares, so agree a price with the driver before you start.