Only 21 kms on the way to Lava, at an altitude of 1,240 metres (4.071 feet), lies Pedong Town, a small picturesque hill hamlet, amidst Pine forest, located on a ridge, offerring a panoramic view of the Mt. Kanchenjunga and the wide Himalayan mountains. Pedong lies on the historic Silk Road that connects India to Lhasa via the Jelepla Pass. The altitudinal variations at Pedong ranges from the sub tropical at the Rishi Valley to Alpine at the Damsang ridge. The terrain is easily negotiable and provides some of the most breath taking views of the landscape. The town is divided into two parts, Upper Pedong and Lower Pedong. Pedong has a branch of SBI.

Locals are mostly involved in agriculture and the terrace farming here is worth noticing. Agriculture and conservation of forest co-existed here at Pedong quite successfully thereby making the place green. A must see place for bird-watchers, Pedong is very rich in terms of lower Himalayan Bird species. Species like Grey Bushchat, Grey-hooded Warbler, Rusty-tailed Treecreeper, White-crested Laughingthrush, Blue Fronted Redstart, Rufous Sibia, Green Backed Tit can be witnessed here at Pedong and its surroundings.

Pedong is in the route of the old and forgotten Silk Route through Jelep-La pass. The route which was traversed from Xian to the Roman Empire in the early Chistian era, the route however closed after the Indo China war in 1962.

What to see

Near Pedong are the ruins of Damsang Gadi, a historical fort built in 1690 by the Lepchas. It was at the centre of the long-standing feud with the Dukpas of Bhutan. Later, it was used to ward off the forces of the British East India Company. After the Anglo-Bhutan War of 1864, the fort fell into decay. Another highlight of the town is the Cross Hill, placed by priest Auguste Desgodins in 1882 on his way to Tibet. It is considered to have miraculous powers and is a pilgrimage site for the local Christians. St. George's School is one of the famous boarding schools in the region. There are also many nursery schools in this town. The villages near Pedong include Sakyong, Kasyong, Dalep, Kagey, Upper Menchu and Lower Menchu. Pedong monastery, established in 1837, is another place for tourists to visit. Several short treks originate from Pedong leading to Damsang Gadi and to Tinchuley, a fabulous viewpoint offering the closest view of the Himalayas obtainable from the area.

Several short treks can be undertaken from Pedong leading to Damsangdugi fort- a historically important site that witnessed a long ethnic war between Lepchas and Bhutias. A 300 year old ruin hidden by dense forests at Damsangudi still holds memories of the reigns of Lepcha Kingdom. Another short trek from Pedong winds up to Tinchuley, another hidden beauty of Kalimpong hills. The deep gorge and wide valley has prompted adventure tourism activities like Para Gliding and Hang Gliding. Rikisum Top is perhaps the most scenic location around Pedong. Situated on top of a dense forested hill Rickisum provides a bird eye view of the surrounding mountains.

Other places of interest are Raniban, Lepcha Heritage, Lava, Reshyap, Loleygaon, Charkhole, Kolakham.

• Lava (21 km)
• Loleygaon (40km)
• Rishyap (16Km)
• Aritar(23 km)

Recommended Activities in Pedong
Nature Walks, Treks, Fishing, River Picnicking, Rock Climbing, Bird watching, Camping etc.