Lava Travel Guide
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 |
Weather
Lava Temperature:
- Summer (Apr to Jun) — Temperatures are mild and range between (4°C) to (24°C)
- Monsoon (Jul to Sep) — Regular rainfall happens. This is not a good season for tourists
- Winter (Oct to Mar) — Temperatures are low and range between (0°C) to (18°C)
- Best Season to Visit — April to May and Oct to Dec are the best season for tourism
What to See
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 Center
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
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
Neora Valley National Park
Photo by Soumyadeep Chatterjee, CC BY -SA 2.0
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
What to Do
- Enjoy the view of Mt Kanchenjunga and surrounding natural beauty.
- Contact some local guide and go out for some hiking through the forest terrain.
Where to Eat
Its a small place and not many restaurants are available. You may try Nihar Bindu restaurant at Lava Bazaar
What to Buy
Nothing much is available here that you can buy as a souvenir
Get Around
Hired cars are best options for getting around in Lava. If you are fond of walking, you can trek along
Top Destinations - West Bengal
Popular Tour Plans - West Bengal
1-3 Days
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7-10 Days
1. Jaldapara-Lataguri-Murti-Chapramari-Jhalong-Bindu-Suntanekhola (8N/9D)
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>10 Days
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