About Lava

Country: India | State: West Bengal

Ideal Trip Duration: 1-2 Days

Nearest City to Lava: Guwahati (467 Kms), Kolkata (650 Kms)

Best Time to Visit Lava: October to April

Peak Season: February to April

At a distance of 21 km from Pedong, 30 km from Kalimpong, 80 km from Darjeeling, 82 km from Namchi, 87 km from Gangtok, 118 km from Pelling, 467 km from Guwahati and 650 km from Kolkata, Lava is a small hill town located in Kalimpong district of West Bengal. It is one of the popular tourist destinations near Kalimpong and among the pristine places in West Bengal.

Situated at an altitude of 7,016 feet, Lava is surrounded by dense forests of Berch, Pine, Fir and Juniper trees. It is one of the few places in West Bengal that sees snowfall in the winters. Untouched by modernity, Lava is the entry point to the Neora Valley National Park, an unexplored terrain in the Himalayas. The route to Lava is scenic with the change in vegetation from tropical deciduous to the wet alpine trees. Lava is known for the magnificent view of Mount Kanchenjunga.

Lava is well renowned for its natural beauty and it attracts large number of nature enthusiasts and adventure buffs. Lava Monastery or Kagyu Thekchen Ling Monastery is one of the main attraction of Lava, located closed to Lava local market. Built in Tibetan style of architecture, the monastery is serene and beautiful. Spread in 4 acres of land, it is home to hundreds of monks. Besides, Changey Falls, Neora valley National Park, Tiffin Dara View Point, and Nature Interpretation Center are the other popular places to visit in Lava.

Lava is said to be a haven for bird watchers and numerous species of migratory. Some of them include the rusty bellied short wing, blue robin, finch, wren babbler and many more rare birds. The forests of the region are relatively untouched and they are teeming with wildlife like black bear and barking deer. Here one can see a wide variety of orchids, blooming at the hillsides and valleys. There are several trekking routes in the nearby forests and are worth exploring.

Bagdogra International Airport is the nearest airport, which is about 117 km from Lava. It has well connected flights from Kolkata, Guwahati and New Delhi. About 97 km from Lava, 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 Lava from Bagdogra and New Jalpaiguri. Lava is well connected by road with Siliguri, Kalimpong and Darjeeling.

The small village, surrounded by forests, has multiple hotel options. Almost all of them are budget tourist lodges which provide basic service. WBFDC has decent accommodation in town that can be recommended although not very highly.

Lava has pleasant climate throughout the year. However, the best time to visit this attractive hill town is from October to April.

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

How to Reach Lava

By Air

Nearest Airport: Siliguri - Bagdogra Airport (117 Kms)

By Train

Nearest Train Station: New Jalpaiguri Junction, Siliguri (97 Kms)

By Bus

Nearest Bus Station: Lava Bus Stand (0 Kms)

Top 10 Places to Visit in Lava

Pilgrimage

#7 of 10 Places to Visit in Lava

At a distance of 500 m from Lava Jeep Stand, Kagyu Thekchen Ling Monastery is a Buddhist monastery situated in the picturesque Himalayan hamlet of Lava in West Bengal. Popularly called as Lava Monastery, it is one of the top places to visit in Lava.

Kagyu Thekchen Ling monastery was built in 1987 by the third Kongtrul Rinpoche, Karma Lodro Chokyi Senge, when the Buddhist community living here offered him three acres of land for the local community of Lava. Though the monastery started off with a mere handful of monks, over time, the numbers kept increasing and today, it houses over 110 monks. Today, the fourth Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche studies and trains here. One can see the monks are occupied in rigorous study of Buddhist literatures and meditation.

Built in Tibetan style of architecture, the monastery has various prayer halls, lawns, sitting areas and a huge Buddha statue. The monastery offers great view of the mountains and one can also see Aritar in Sikkim as well as the .....

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Museum

#8 of 10 Places to Visit in Lava

At a distance of 1 km from the Lava Jeep Stand, Nature Interpretation Centre is a museum situated on Rishi Road in Lava town of West Bengal. Situated at the entrance of the Neora Valley National Park, it is one of the best places to experience Lava Tourism.

Maintained by the forest department, Nature Interpretation Center is a beautiful place for nature lovers where one can get the comprehensive information particularly about the wildlife of Neora Valley and Lava region. The museum is famous for its dioramas which are displayed in the form of models, photographs, stuffed birds and animals. It also has a good display of orchids and other flowers.

Timings: 8 AM - 12 PM & 1 PM - 4 PM, Closed on Thursdays

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Nature

#9 of 10 Places to Visit in Lava

At a distance of 2 km from Rishop and 4 km from Lava, Tiffin Dara is a viewpoint situated at Rishop near Lava in Kalimpong district of West Bengal. It is one of the vantage points in Lava and among the most visited tourist spots in Lava.

At an altitude of around 2,360 meters, Tiffin Dara viewpoint is famous for stunning sunrise & sunset. The view point offers 360 degree views of Kanchenjunga range, the blue mountains of Sikkim, Nathu-La and Jelep-La pass on a clear day.

The place can be approached by a 4 km walk uphill from Lava through the deep silent forest of Pines, Rhododendrons and Orchids. The trek takes about 45 minutes each way through a steep jungle trail. One can also reach Tiffin Dara by a 2 km uphill walk from Rishyap. It's a narrow jungle trail and should be avoided during rainy days.

Timings: 6 AM - 5 PM

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Nature

#1 of 10 Places to Visit in Lava

At a distance of 30 km from Kalimpong and 50 km from Lava, Lolegaon is a small Lepcha village in Kalimpong district of West Bengal. Surrounded by dhupi and cypress forests, it is considered to be the tourism mascot of West Bengal and also one of the best places to visit near Kalimpong.

Nestled atop a flat hill on a forested ridge at an altitude of 5500 feet, Lolegaon or Loleygaon is a place of ethereal wilderness and tranquility. Basically a small Lepcha village also known as Kaffer, Lolegaon is a recent inclusion in tourism map of West Bengal for its magnificent view of Greater Himalayan snow ranges that spreads over the entire horizon. Viewing sunrise over the snow peaks from Jhandi Dara Viewpoint is perhaps the most treasured memory of being at Lolegaon. On a clear day all major peaks of Kanchenjunga massif can be seen from here. Even the glorious Mt Everest can be seen from Jhandi Dara.

Lolegaon is a fabulous destination for the lovers of wildlife. The age-old forest of .....

Distance (From Lava): 50 Kms
Trip Duration (From Lava - Including Travel): 3-4 Hours
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Hill Station

#2 of 10 Places to Visit in Lava

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 .....

Distance (From Lava): 21 Kms
Trip Duration (From Lava - Including Travel): Full Day
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Hill Station

#3 of 10 Places to Visit in Lava

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 Lava): 30 Kms
Trip Duration (From Lava - Including Travel): Full Day
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Hill Station

#4 of 10 Places to Visit in Lava

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 Lava): 87 Kms
Trip Duration (From Lava - Including Travel): Full Day
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Wildlife

#5 of 10 Places to Visit in Lava

At a distance of 81 km from Darjeeling, Neora Valley National Park is a protected wildlife sanctuary located in Kalimpong district of West Bengal. It is one of the richest biological zones in the entire Eastern India and also one of the prominent places to visit in Darjeeling.

Spread over an area of 88 sq. km, Neora Valley National Park was established in 1986 CE. The National Park enjoys the distinction of being situated over one of the oldest Reserve Forests in India. With an elevation of 10,600 feet, Rachela Pass is the highest point of this park, where it forms a boundary with Sikkim in the North and Bhutan in the North East. The forests of Jalpaiguri form its southern boundary connecting it with Chapramari Wildlife Sanctuary and the Gorumara National Park.

The name Neora Valley is given after the river Neora flowing through it and is the main source of water for Kalimpong town. Neora Valley National Park is situated in the foothill of the Himalayas, so it has craggy inaccessible .....

Distance (From Lava): 4 Kms
Trip Duration (From Lava - Including Travel): 4 Hours/Half Day
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Hill Station

#6 of 10 Places to Visit in Lava

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 Lava): 80 Kms
Trip Duration (From Lava - Including Travel): Full Day
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Waterfall

#10 of 10 Places to Visit in Lava

At a distance of 4 km from Kolakham and 10 km from Lava, Changey Falls is a mesmerizing waterfall situated near Kolakham in Kalimpong district of West Bengal. It is one of the gorgeous waterfalls in Kalimpong region and among the best places to visit in Lava.

Changey Falls is a small waterfall in the midst of hills and forests. Cascades down from a height of about 150 feet, the waterfall looks stunning with crystal clear water and thick green forest. Innumerous chirps of amazing Himalayan birds like White Capped Water Redstart, Verditer Flycatcher, Niltava, Blue Fronted Redstart, Grey Treepie, Indian Robin, Blue Whistling Thrush makes the atmosphere heaven like.

A four wheel drive of 1 hour from Lava will take you to Changey Falls. The distance from Changey Falls to Kolakham is around 4 km. One needs to trek 900 m from the last motorable point in order to reach the falls. Extreme calmness with huge waterfall sound makes a wonderful contrast. There is no public or private buses .....

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