In the print dialog pick “Save as PDF” to keep it on your phone. A5 makes a pocket booklet; A4 suits a desk printer.
Voykit pocket guide · India
Lava
One night is enough for Lava: arrive by lunch, walk the ridge to Rishop, sleep in a lodge, leave next morning. A day-trip from Kalimpong is tight but doable.
Lava is a quiet hill hamlet in the Kalimpong district of West Bengal, at 2,200 m. It has a short ridge walk, a few lodges and a Buddhist monastery. Most travellers use it as a one-night stop between Kalimpong and Rishop or Loleygaon. The appeal is the cool air and the forest, not a list of sights.
- Country
- India
- Best months
- Mar–May, Oct–Nov
- Avoid
- Jun–Sep (heavy rain, leeches on trails), Dec–Feb (cold, some lodges close)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- INR
- Money
- Indian rupees (INR, ₹) in small notes for autos, street food, tips and entry tickets.
- Daily spend
- Budget ₹1,500–2,500 excl. bed · Mid ₹2,500–4,000 excl. bed · High ₹4,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Jio, Airtel and Vi sell tourist SIMs at airport counters and their shops; passport, visa and a photo needed; activation can take a few hours.
- Emergency
- All services 112
- Plugs
- Types C, D, M · 230 V · 50 Hz · Round two-pin C plugs fit most sockets; D (three round pins) is the common wall socket; hotels often have universal sockets. UK and US plugs need an adapter.
- Tipping
- Street food and dhabas: Nothing.; Restaurant: 5–10% if no service charge is on the bill.; Car and driver: ₹300–500 a day at the end of the trip.; Guide: ₹300–500 for a half day.; Hotel porter / housekeeping: ₹50–100.; Auto or Uber: Round up.
- Water
- Not drinkable from the tap. Buy sealed bottles (check the cap), or use RO-filtered refill stations in hotels and cafés; avoid ice from street stalls.
- Toilets
- Western toilets in hotels, malls and airports; squat toilets with a water jug or hose in stations and villages. Carry tissue and sanitiser; paid public toilets (Sulabh) cost ₹5–10.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Thali meal at a lodge | ₹200–350 |
| Tea and snacks at a roadside stall | ₹30–80 |
| Bottle of water (1 L) | ₹20–30 |
| Shared jeep Kalimpong–Lava | ₹150–200 |
| Taxi Kalimpong–Lava (whole car) | ₹1,200–1,500 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- IXB · Bagdogra Airport
- About 3–3.5 h by taxi via Kalimpong; shared jeeps from Siliguri
Typical fares
- Shared jeep Kalimpong → Lava
- about ₹150–200, 1–1.5 h (check)
- Taxi Kalimpong → Lava
- about ₹1,200–1,500, 1–1.5 h (check)
- Taxi Bagdogra Airport → Lava
- about ₹3,000–4,000, 3–3.5 h (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Walk. The ridge trail to Rishop (11 km (6.8 mi) one way, about 3–4 h) is the main activity. For Neora Valley you need a forest permit and a guide; arrange at the forest check-post.Walk. The ridge trail to Rishop (6.8 mi (11 km) one way, about 3–4 h) is the main activity. For Neora Valley you need a forest permit and a guide; arrange at the forest check-post.
See and do
Known for
- Ridge walk to Rishop
- Lava Monastery
- Neora Valley National Park (entry gate)
- Quiet mountain lodges
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Rishop | Walk the ridge trail (11 km (6.8 mi), 3–4 h) or drive (about 30 min)Walk the ridge trail (6.8 mi (11 km), 3–4 h) or drive (about 30 min) | Half-day walk or 1 h drive round trip |
| Loleygaon | Drive, about 1 h via the forest road | About 2.5 h round trip including stop |
| Kalimpong | Shared jeep or taxi, about 35 km (22 mi), 1–1.5 hShared jeep or taxi, about 22 mi (35 km), 1–1.5 h | About 1.5 h one way |
| Jhalong | Drive, about 1.5 h via Kalimpong | About 3.5 h round trip |
Sleep
- Main road (the only cluster)
- All lodges and the monastery are along or just off the single road through Lava. No other area.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello / Namaste | नमस्तेnamaste |
| Thank you | धन्यवादdhanyavaad |
| How much? | कितना?kitna? |
| Where is the lodge? | लॉज कहाँ है?lodge kahaan hai? |
| I need a doctor | मुझे डॉक्टर चाहिएmujhe doctor chahiye |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Namaste (palms together) or a handshake between men; wait for a woman to offer her hand; avoid: Hugging or kissing strangers
- Hands and feet: Give and eat with the right hand; apologise if your foot touches someone; avoid: Pointing feet at people or shrines; touching books or food with your feet
- Temples: Shoes off, walk clockwise around shrines, accept prasad (blessed food) with the right hand; avoid: Leather in Jain temples; entering sanctums that say Hindus only
- Home visit: Bring sweets or fruit; accept tea at least once; avoid: Refusing all food; wearing shoes inside
- Questions: Expect personal questions (married? job? salary?) as friendliness; avoid: Taking offence; answer vaguely if you prefer
- Saying no: A firm, polite 'nahi, dhanyavaad' (no, thank you) and keep walking; avoid: Long explanations to touts
- Dress: Loose clothes covering shoulders and knees; kurta tops are cheap and cool; avoid: Swimwear or shorts away from Goa beaches
Scams and watch-outs
- No ATM in Lava; carry cash from Kalimpong or Siliguri.
- Mobile reception is patchy (BSNL works best; Jio/Airtel may not).
- Leeches are common on trails after rain; wear gaiters or long socks.
- Lodges may close in winter (Dec–Feb); call ahead.
Lava is safe; the risks are leeches on wet trails, cold nights and the lack of phone signal. Carry a torch and tell your lodge where you are walking.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Lava yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Ridge walk to Rishop
- Lava Monastery
- Neora Valley National Park (entry gate)
- Quiet mountain lodges
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Lava, revision 5296128 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5296128
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Lava
मुझे लावा ले चलिए
Take me to Lava, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- All services112
Hindi is understood; Nepali is the local language in the hills.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/lava). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.