A Twinkling Tale

It always feels bad to return from your trips, after all your activities and most importantly after having so much fun. But we cannot do anything right, we are bound to be back to our usual days and normal lives. Yes, I believe memories do work and help to revive those days until and unless you are again up for a trip. I love to visit offbeat places more, and I am in love with North Bengal, mainly because of one major reason, I can experience the smell of mountain  air just after 10 hours of travel from my city. According to me, it is not possible to know and visit a complete state at one go or two, obviously if you want to know every detail about that place or want to visit every corner of that state. Same thing happened with me. After returning from my last trip I thought to explore a less traveled place, which should be a weekend trip or a trip of 2-3 days, because of packed time schedule. After a little enquiry and research, I concluded to stop at Chhibo Village, locally called Chhibo Basti.

As per the plan, I reached NJP station and Kaushal Bhaiya was there (I informed him about the plan and to know about the place, and stays over the phone and then only confirmed my booking). And, finally we started our journey after a cup of coffee. Like me, Kaushal is also going to Chhibo for the very first time, and certainly, I can sense that he is more excited than me. Though he is a local, but his excitement and happiness to go and visit the same place again is just like a tourist and that is the most charming and enthusiastic vibes I receive when I met with him and this add twist to the trip. Chhibo is a small hamlet located 5 km from Kalimpong, though very less popular and less developed among tourists. It was difficult for me and Kaushal to identify the route that leads to Chhibo after Kalimpong, but few locals helped  us with the way and we finally succeeded (locals and the people of homestays are very helpful in case of any difficulties). It was around 3:30 pm we reached Chhibo Village, though it would not take so long to reach Chhibo Village from NJP station, in our case, we were experimenting with the roads that leads to Chhibo.

The scenic beauty of Chhibo Village is mind blowing. One can get a spectacular views of Mt. Kanchenjunga range. Most of the village houses have Cactus garden in front of them. Chhibo is surrounded by forests of Dhupi and Pine trees. Durpindara view point is located nearby. Colourful flowers, chirping birds, fresh air and peaceful surroundings makes this place relaxing and ideal destination for those who want to spend a day or 2 away from city clashes. I was not lucky enough to get the view of the majestic Mt. Kanchenjunga, but I experienced the clouds around me and I  literally felt and touched it. A night stay at Chhibo is enough. I had a spare day, so decided to stay at Kalimpong.

After breakfast at Chhibo Village, we started towards Kalimpong. On the way to Kalimpong, we stopped at Durpin Dara monastery also called  Zang Dhok Palri monastery. It is one of the largest monasteries in Kalimpong and among the well-known Buddhist monasteries in West Bengal. Timing of the monastery : 9 Am - 5 PM. By the time we reached, Kalimpong started to wear its evening dress.

Kalimpong is famous for its quiet atmosphere. The peaceful ambience that spread through by the presence of monasteries and chruch across the town. Kalimpong is also known its Brustling Bazaars and traditional handicrafts. This place is known for its Orchids and Cactus nurseries. Kalimpong offers panoramic view of the great Himalayan ranges that lie beyond it. After lunch we just walked through the lane and landed up to The Pine View Cactus Nursery, the land of the largest number of commercial flower nurseries, Kalimpong nurseries specialize in culfivation of exotic beautiful flowers and export these flowers to different parts of the country. It is really a good one and from there, one can have a look of this beautiful town. After experiencing the cloud and light show we proceeded towards the market square, having numerous  Bhutia & Tibetan shops and many restaurants & eateries on both sides. This is where the main taxi stand of Kalimpong is also located, there are ample of reserved and shared taxis for sightseeing & tours. The day ended with lots of memories, a cup of coffee and local stories.

There are nearby attractions from Kalimpong, one may reserve a car from kalimpong market or hotel and have a look of these places -

1. Cactus Nursery  - the land of larget number of Commercials flowers nurseries.
2. Morgan House - located in the verdent green of Kalimpong, Morgan House is a manson built by Mr. & Mrs. Morgan in 1930. It is an archetypal example of colonial architecture in Kalimpong. What makes visiting this gorgeous piece of construction even better is that it is being surrounded by legends of it being haunted! It has been converted into lodge for tourists and is under the administration of the West Bengal Tourism Development Corporation.
3. Pay a visit to the spectacular Deolo Hill - known as the highest point in Kalimpong. If you are adventure loving, you can also do paragliding, trekking and horse riding.
4. Little British cottage, this place was built during colonial times in India. A true architectural marvel, this place is ideal for photographers because of its old colonial world charm.
5. St. Teresa's Chruch, built in 1929 by Swiss Jesuits which has stunning designs from a Bhutanese gompa. The cravings resemble the Tashi tagya which are the auspicious symbols of Himalayan Buddhism.
6. Visit the Lepcha Heritage Museum - explore the hidden treasures of the marvelous collection of Lepcha treasure that includes several myths, religious texts and sacred porcupine quill hats and old pangolin skins.
7. Dr. Graham's Home - a visit to this place will open up your mind to a world of hope and happiness.

How to reach to Kalimpong:- The nearest railway junction is NJP (New Jalpaiguri) and the airport is Bagdogra. From NJP it takes about 2.5 hours (65 km) and from Bagdogra 2 hours 45 min (72 km). Kalimpong is well connected by road from various places including, Darjeeling and Gangtok. Shared and reserved cars are available from NJP as well as Bagdogra.
One can take a reserve car from Kalimpong for Chhibo Village ( 5km from Kalimpong). No shared cars are available directly for Chhibo Village from NJP/Bagdogra or Kalimpong.

Best time to visit :- Kalimpong and Chhibo is a very nice place for touring throughout the year because of its pleasant weather. This hill station is often wrapped up by fog in between monsoon and winter. So, best time to visit Kalimpong is either  March to May or September to November.

Where to stay -

In Chhibo Village - Chhibo Retreat - Dive into the beauty of nature at Chhibo Retreat near Kalimpong, away from the madding crowd. Two types of rooms are available here. One is the family room and the other is the Queen room. All rooms include flat TV and private bathroom. Rooms have a sitting area. You will get Complimentary breakfast. Pets are not allowed. Cost : around INR 1450 + 5% GST per head/day including all meals. (Fare varies during season).

In Kalimpong - Alakananda Resort - is a wonderful guest house amidst nature. The resort is best known for its beautiful location facing the magnificent Mt. Kanchenjunga and its green surroundings. The online booking price of the hotel ranges between Rs.1200 to Rs.1800 per night.

Always carry a Kit of the basic emergency medicines. Credit/Debit card is not accepted at Chhibo Village, there are no ATM in Chhibo Village, carry cash for all your transaction. Chhibo doesn't have any single shop. For mobile phone, signals are available here.
In Kalimpong, everything are available, from shops to ATM, medicines are also available.

So, if you are looking for a quick, peaceful, relaxing trip then start planning, take a quick vacation and enjoy.

Stay healthy, be happy and keep smiling!