Lava - Highlight
- Lava, at a distance of 672 km from Kolkata and 34 km from Kalimpong, is a small village in the lap of the Himalayas
- Lava occasionally receives snow fall in the winters
- Lava is one of the entry points of Neora Valley National Park
- Best time to visit Lava is Apr-May and Oct-Dec.
Photo by Biswajit Majumdar, CC BY -SA 3.0
At 7200 feet, Lava is about 34 km from Kalimpong. Oak, fir,pine,birch and leeches populate the area, which lies about 7016 feet above sea level. Bird-watching, picnicking and trekking in Lava magnetizes tourists all year round.
La here God, Va refers to existence. Lava is one of the few places to receive snow. It is also known for its rich flora and fauna.
The Neora Valley National Park trekking begins from Lava itself. With an expanse of over 88kms, the wildlife experience in the region includes Tiger, Goral, Red Panda, Himalayan Thar, Wild Dog and Himalayan Black bear. Whistling Thrush, Niltava, Yuhina, Redstart, Golden Headed Black Finch include some of the outstanding variety of birds seen here.
Lodges and other accommodation are available for people who want to stay back to watch the magnificent views of sunset and sunrise. Lava Jamgyong Kongtrul Monastery and the Changey Waterfalls are some of the tourist destinations of Lava. One can also experience the serenity of a Buddhist Monastery, Gumbadara. Ratnarishi Gumpha, Neora Lake, Silvicultre Research Centre are other tourist attractions of this spot.
Also known for its wildlife, barking deers and Himalayan Black Bears wait to welcome them. Jelep La and Rechi La with their amazing views amaze the audience.
How to Reach
- By air – Bagdogra is the nearest airport. New Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata, Mumbai, Guwahati have regular connectivity to Bagdogra. Lava is 110 km from here. You can hire a car to reach Lava from Bagdogra
- By rail – New Jalpaiguri is the nearest rail head. It is well-connected with Chennai, Delhi and Kolkata. Lava is 110 km from here. You can hire a car to reach Lava from New Jalpaiguri station
- By road – Reach Siliguri by road. Lava is at a distance of 105 km from Siliguri and 85 km from Darjeeling
Distance of Lava from below places:
| Place | Distance (KM) |
|---|---|
|
Kolkata |
672 |
|
Siliguri |
105 |
|
Darjeeling |
82 |
|
Kalimpong |
34 |
|
Lolegaon |
50 |
|
Rishop |
5 |
What to See
Photo by Biswajit Majumdar, CC BY -SA 3.0
Lava Monastery
Lava Monastery which is also known as Ratnarishi Bihar Buddhist Gompa. This monastery was founded and established by Karma Lodro Chokyl Senge, who was the third Kongtrul Rimpoche. The Lava Monastery is located beside the large Neora Reservoir Lake which is one of the most religious residences which is built by using only brick and concrete. In the recent times as there has been increase in number of devotees and monks, the facilities in this monastery has been expanded
Nature Interpretation Centre
The Nature Interpretation Center is a minute but one of the most important building which falls at the entrance of the Neora Valley National Park. The place is filled with comprehensive information about the Neora Valley National Park. The Nature Interpretation is a beautiful and amazing place which is filled with eye catchy landscapes. This place is also known for its flora and fauna. The Nature Interpretation Center opens from 8.00 am – 12.00 pm and also from 1.00 pm – 4.00 pm but the place is fully closed on Thursdays. The Nature Interpretation center offers some of the most mesmerizing wildlife experience
Photo by Arkadeep Bhattacharjee, CC BY-SA 4.0
Changey Waterfall
Changey Waterfalls is situated at a distance of 14 km from Lava. The Changey Waterfalls is one of the most growing tourist destinations for the Lava-Lolegaon-Rishyap circuit tourists. The Changey Waterfalls will give you extreme calmness with huge waterfall sounds which adds to this wonderful contrast. On a clear day, you can also see Mt Kanchenjunga from here. The surroundings are very green and one will hear the beautiful and soothing chirping sound of the Himalayan birds like the White Capped Water Redstart, Verditer Flycatcher, Niltava, Blue Fronted Redstart, Grey Treepie, Indian Robin, Blue Whistling Thrush
Photo by Soumyadeep Chatterjee, CC BY -SA 2.0
Neora Valley National Park
The Neora Valley National Park is located in the kalimpong sub- division which falls under the district of Darjeeling, West Bengal. The Neora Valley National Park was established in the year of 1986. The place stretches over an area of 88 kilometer square and it is one of the richest biological zones in the whole of North East. These park is known for the elegant red panda which is undisturbed natural habitat and it also has rich flora and fauna. The Neora Valley National Park has a height elevation of 10600 feet
Other Details
>> Where to Eat
Its a small place and not many restaurants are available. You may try Nihar Bindu restaurant at Lava Bazaar
>> Get Around
Its a small place and you can cover it by walking.
