About Pedong

Country: India | State: West Bengal

Ideal Trip Duration: 1-2 Days

Nearest City to Pedong: Guwahati (488 Kms), Kolkata (640 Kms)

Best Time to Visit Pedong: October to March

Peak Season: March to May

At a distance of 21 km from Kalimpong, 21 km from Lava, 70 km from Darjeeling, 73 km from Gangtok, 86 km from Siliguri, 488 km from Guwahati and 640 km from Kolkata, Pedong is a small picturesque hill town in Kalimpong district of West Bengal. Situated on a ridge and surrounded by pine forests, it is one of the great places to visit near Kalimpong.

Positioned at an altitude of 3,970 feet, Pedong lies between Lava and Kalimpong. The town, which is located on a ridge, commands a panoramic view of the Kanchenjunga and the surrounding mountains. Pedong gets its name from a 200 years old Pine Tree which is located at the heart of the town. In Bhutanese language 'Pe' means Pine and 'Dong' stands for Tree, i.e. Place of Pine Trees. The town is divided into two parts, Upper Pedong and Lower Pedong.

Pedong is one of the oldest towns in this region with significant historical importance. The town used to be a major transit hub on the ancient silk route that connects India to Lhasa via the Jelep La Pass. Today the same route has become common tourist attraction. Pedong witnessed the long standing dispute between Lepchas and Bhutias. After Anglo - Bhutanese war in 1865 CE, British took control over Pedong.

Pedong is blessed with abundant natural beauty and is a good place to relax for a few days amidst nature. Pine forests, lush green valleys and over viewing of Mt. Kanchenjunga and Mt. Siniolchu make beautification to this place. Nathula and Jelep La Pass are closely visible from Pedong. Pedong Monastery, Damsang Fort, Silent Valley, Cross Hill, Ramitey View Point and Tinchuley View Point are the popular places to visit in Pedong. Besides sightseeing, visitors can also go for Nature walks, Fishing, Trekking, Rock climbing, River picnicking, Camping and Bird watching.
Bagdogra International Airport is the nearest airport, which is about 98 km from Pedong. It has well connected flights from Kolkata, Guwahati and New Delhi. About 92 km from Pedong, New Jalpaiguri is the nearest rail head and is well connected by trains with Patna, New Delhi, Mumbai, Guwahati, Howrah, Bangalore, Dibrugarh, Puri, Gaya, Indore, Jaipur, Kolkata, Amritsar, Chennai, Chandigarh, Ranchi, Bhubaneswar, Cochin and Agartala. Pre-paid taxis are available outside the station to reach Pedong from Bagdogra and New Jalpaiguri. Pedong is well connected by road with Siliguri, Gangtok, Kalimpong and Darjeeling.

Pedong offers simple accommodation to its guests and tourists. Hotel service with basic facilities is available at affordable rates. Losar & Pedong Mela are the two major festivals celebrated in Pedong with great enthusiasm which attracts huge number of tourists from all over the state. Dashain, Maghe Sankranti, Holi and Diwali are the other festivals celebrated in Pedong.

Pedong has pleasant climate throughout the year. However, the best time to visit this hill town is from October to March as the weather is pleasant and suitable for sightseeing during these months.

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Other Info
Internet Availability: Poor
STD Code: 03552
Languages Spoken: Bengali, Nepali, Lepcha, Hindi & English
Major Festivals: Losar & Pedong Mela
Notes/Tips:
None

How to Reach Pedong

By Air

Nearest Airport: Siliguri - Bagdogra Airport (98 Kms)

By Train

Nearest Train Station: New Jalpaiguri Junction, Siliguri (92 Kms)

By Bus

Nearest Bus Station: Pedong Bus Stand (0 Kms)

Top 10 Places to Visit in Pedong

#4 of 11 Places to Visit in Pedong

At a distance of 2 km from Pedong Bus Stand, Sangchen Dorjee Monastery is a Bhutanese monastery located in the resort town of Pedong in West Bengal. Popularly known as Pedong Monastery, it is one of the oldest monasteries in Kalimpong district and among the popular Pedong Tourist Places.

Established around the early 1700 AD, Sangchen Dorjee Monastery was built during the Bhutanese rule. This Monastery provides an insight into the history and culture of Pedong and its surrounding areas. The valuables of Damsang Fort were placed in this monastery after the fort was destroyed in 1864 CE during the Anglo-Bhutanese war.

The architecture of the Pedong Monastery is really appreciable. It has fresco paintings on the inner walls of the main chamber depicting Tantric Buddhism. Another major attraction of the monastery is the mummified body of the last Shabdrung Rinpoche, most revered Bhutanese priest. This place has become an important pilgrimage for the Bhutanese and other followers .....

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#5 of 11 Places to Visit in Pedong

At a distance of 2 km from Damsang Fort and 5 km from Pedong Bus Stand, Silent Valley is a vast green meadow located in the resort town of Pedong in Kalimpong district of West Bengal. It is one of the beautiful spots in Pedong.

Surrounded by tall pine trees, the Silent Valley is a vast tract of green pasture where one can enjoy the silence of the woods, disturbed only by the chirping of birds. It is a perfect picnic and a camping spot in Pedong. During monsoon, the place is a revelation with the formation of a verdant lake named Siyal Pokhari with greenery all around.

Timings: 6 AM - 6 PM

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#6 of 11 Places to Visit in Pedong

At a distance of 1.5 km from Pedong, Cross Hill is picturesque place located in Pedong town of West Bengal. Situated off the Reshi road, it is one of the beautiful places to visit in Pedong and among the famous places of Pilgrimage in Pedong.

Cross Hill is named so because of the holy cross that adorns the hill which was frequently visited by the Christian Community. In 1882, a French missionary Father Augustine Desgodins erected the cross here on his way to Tibet through Nathula Pass to preach Christianity. Many missionaries who went to Tibet around that time did not return. In their memories, Desgodins placed the cross here with the hope that one day they would return from Tibet. Later, a statue of Jesus Christ also has been erected on the cross. Father Desgodins also established the first Catholic mission in Pedong and a chapel. The Chapel still stands and the mission is still active here.

This place gained tourist significance due to the clear view of Kanchenjunga that .....

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#7 of 11 Places to Visit in Pedong

At a distance of 1 km from Silent Valley and 6 km from Pedong, Tinchuley Viewpoint is a lovely place located in Pedong town of West Bengal. It is one of the top viewpoints in Pedong and among the popular places to visit in Pedong.

Tinchuley Viewpoint is another viewpoint situated near Sillery Gaon. Any hill top where three ridges meet is tend to be referred to as Tinchuley by the locals. This is the highest point in the region with excellent view of almost the entire mountain range of Darjeeling and Sikkim including parts of Bhutan and Tibet.

It is also an ideal hike along the ridge and provides a 360 degree panoramic view of the Himalayas, the Nathula and Jelep La pass. The viewpoint also offers lovely views of Kashyem village, thick wooded forests, and terraced fields brimming with green paddy. The place demands a stiff uphill hike for about 30 minutes to reach the hilltop from the nearest motorable road.

Timings: 6 AM - 5 PM

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#8 of 11 Places to Visit in Pedong

At a distance of 10 km from Pedong and 11 km from Lava, Rikisum is another scenic place situated on top of a dense forested hill close to Algarah in Kalimpong district of West Bengal. Also known as Reesoom, it is one of the best viewpoints in Pedong.

Situated at an altitude of about 6000 feet on Pedong - Lava road, Rikisum provides the bird eye view of the surrounding mountains including majestic mount Kanchenjunga. Rikisum consists of the ruins of an old British bungalow constructed in 1902 to serve as a halting point for the British travelers when on their way to Tibet in the old days. However the bungalow has been destroyed now. From here one can get panoramic view of entire Kanchenjunga range as well as view of the towns of Kalimpong, Darjeeling, Gangtok, Pedong and others.

Timings: 6 AM - 5 PM

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#9 of 11 Places to Visit in Pedong

At a distance of 7 km from Pedong Bus Stand, Damsang Fort is an ancient fort situated at Sillery Gaon area of Pedong town in Kalimpong district of West Bengal. It is the only fort in the entire Darjeeling district and among the top places to visit in Pedong.

Damsung fort, also known as Damsang Gudi is a historical fort built in 1690 by Lepchas. The last Lepcha king Gyabo Achyok used to run his kingdom from this fort. Although the fort was mainly meant to defend attacks from the Bhutanese, this fort has witnessed a long ethnic war between Lepchas and Bhutias during 17th century AD. The fort was later used to defend attacks from British East India Company. Following the Anglo-Bhutan war in 1864, the fort was taken over by the British.

The fort is in ruins today where tourists can only see the ruins of a stable where horses used to drink water and the water source where the queen used to have her bath. The local Lepcha community has formed an association to preserve the ruins .....

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#1 of 11 Places to Visit in Pedong

At a distance of 65 km from Siliguri, 98 km from Gangtok, 109 km from Jalpaiguri, 371 km from Manipur, 502 km from Guwahati, 503 km from Patna and 507 km from Kolkata, Darjeeling is a charming hill station located in the Shivalik hills of the lower Himalayas in West Bengal, India. Situated at an altitude of 6,700 feet, Darjeeling is one of the most popular tourist places in West Bengal and among the must include places in your honeymoon tour packages.

The name Darjeeling comes from two Tibetan words 'Dorje', meaning thunderbolt and 'ling', means a place or land. Before being invaded by the Gorkhas of Nepal in the 1790s, Darjeeling was largely under the Kingdom of Sikkim and native tribes named Lepchas were the original inhabitants of the place. Under the Sugauli Treaty of 1815 CE, Nepal yielded one-third of their lands to the British, who established Darjeeling as the summer capital .....

Distance (From Pedong): 70 Kms
Trip Duration (From Pedong - Including Travel): 1-2 Days
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#2 of 11 Places to Visit in Pedong

At a distance of 51 km from Darjeeling, 58 km from Namchi, 66 km from Siliguri, 72 km from New Jalpaiguri, 74 km from Gangtok, 89 km from Pelling, 358 km from Darbhanga, 445 km from Muzzafarpur, 490 km from Guwahati and 620 km from Kolkata, Kalimpong is a charming hill station in the Indian state of West Bengal. Placed at the foothills of Shivalik ranges, Kalimpong is the headquarters of Kalimpong district and among the most popular tourist destinations in West Bengal.

Perched at an altitude of 1250 m, Kalimpong is located in the northern part of the state of West Bengal close to the Bhutan - Tibet - Sikkim border. Kalimpong was an important trading center in earlier days, when the trade routes between Tibet, Bhutan and Sikkim were very much active. It was known as the silk route connecting Lhasa in Tibet with the rest of the subcontinent.

According to history, the area around Kalimpong was ruled by the Sikkimese Kings and was .....

Distance (From Pedong): 21 Kms
Trip Duration (From Pedong - Including Travel): Full Day
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#3 of 11 Places to Visit in Pedong

At a distance of 78 km from Kalimpong, 96 km from Darjeeling, 115 km from Pelling, 117 km from Siliguri, 403 km from Darbhanga, 496 km from Muzzafarpur, 543 km from Guwahati, and 670 km from Kolkata, Gangtok is a fascinating hill town and the capital of north-eastern state of Sikkim, India. Known for its cleanliness and breathtaking beauty, it is one of the popular places to visit in Sikkim and is one of the popular attraction not to miss in your honeymoon trip.

Situated at an altitude of 5410 feet, Gangtok is the largest city and the main business and tourist hub of Sikkim. The name meaning hill-top, Gangtok is known for its scenic beauty and striking views of Mount Kanchenjunga, the third highest mountain in the world. It is also known as the land of monasteries, as it has maximum number of monasteries in the world. Located right in the middle of the Himalayan range and having mild .....

Distance (From Pedong): 73 Kms
Trip Duration (From Pedong - Including Travel): 1-2 Days
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#10 of 11 Places to Visit in Pedong

At a distance of 3 km walk by Sillery Gaon and 17 km from Pedong, Ramitey Viewpoint is a picturesque viewpoint situated at Sillery Gaon near Pedong in Kalimpong district of West Bengal. It is one of the stunning vantage points in Pedong and among the best places to experience Pedong Tourism.

Situated at an altitude of about 6,400 feet, Ramitey Viewpoint offers some mesmerizing views of both Mount Kanchenjunga above and the Teesta River below. This viewpoint is also unique as it offers the longest view of river Teesta which is the biggest river of Sikkim & Darjeeling. Approximately 14 bends at a glance, this is by far the best view of the Teesta in this entire region. On a clear day the entire region from Teesta Bazar to Majhitar in Sikkim is clearly visible from Ramitey Viewpoint.

Ramitey Viewpoint is just 3 km away from Sillery Gaon and can be accessed by trekking. One can also visit Sillery Gaon, an Ideal mountain village on the way side to Ramitey. Must stop and interact .....

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