Rishop

A high ridge village facing the whole Kanchenjunga range

Rishop, also spelt Rishyap, is a small village at about 2,590 m above Lava, known for one of the widest Kanchenjunga views in the Kalimpong hills. Go for sunrise at Tiffin Dara, forest walks and quiet homestays. One or two nights is right.

Photo: Pinakpani · CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

Rishop sits on a ridge at about 2,590 m, a short way above Lava and about 28–35 km from Kalimpong depending on the road. It is little more than a scatter of houses, cottages and homestays in the forest, with no bazaar to speak of. What it has is a view: on a clear morning the snow peaks stretch along the northern skyline, with Kanchenjunga at the centre.

The village was opened to tourists only in the late 1990s. Sherpa and Lepcha families who farmed here began building small cottages for guests, and that pattern still holds. There are no big hotels. You stay in a family house, eat what they cook and spend the evening by a heater or a stove.

Most people come for one night, often after a night in Lava, and climb to Tiffin Dara for sunrise. A second night lets you walk the forest trail down to Lava or simply sit and watch the light change on the peaks.

Highlights

What Rishop does best

Tiffin Dara sunriseA short climb above the village to a viewpoint facing the Kanchenjunga range, best between October and February.
Forest trail to LavaA steep path of about 4 km through oak, rhododendron and fir links Rishop with Lava.
Mountain view from your roomMany homestays face north-west, so you can watch the peaks from bed on clear mornings.
Quiet nights and starsWith no town lights nearby, clear winter nights show a sky full of stars.

Experiences

Four hours to plan around

nature · 2 hours Sunrise walk to Tiffin Dara Rishop, Kalimpong

adventure · 1.5–3 hours Forest trail between Rishop and Lava Rishop, Kalimpong

village · 2 hours Evening in a Rishop homestay kitchen Rishop, Kalimpong

nature · 2–3 hours Mountain and night-sky photography Rishop, Kalimpong

Getting there

How to reach Rishop

Shared jeep

There is no regular shared jeep to Rishop. Take a shared jeep from Kalimpong to Lava for about ₹100–150 a seat, then hire a local car to Rishop for about ₹800–1,200, or walk up the forest trail.

Private car

A reserved car from Kalimpong takes about 1.5–2 hours and costs about ₹2,500–3,200. From NJP or Bagdogra, allow 4–4.5 hours and about ₹4,500–5,500. The last stretch above Lava is narrow.

On foot

From Lava a forest trail of about 4 km climbs to Rishop in 1.5–2 hours. Send your bags up by car and walk with a local guide.

Where to stay

Rooms we book

Rishop has only homestays and small cottage lodges, spread along the ridge. Expect about ₹1,500–2,200 a person a night with all meals, indicative. Rooms facing the mountains cost a little more and are worth it. Facilities are simple: attached bathrooms, geysers in better places, heaters on request. There are no restaurants, so all meals come from your host.

Homestay · Rishop Rishop village homestays

Family-run homestays and small cottages in Rishop, many run by Sherpa and Lepcha families, with rooms facing the Kanchenjunga range. They are simple, warm and the …

From our planners

Five things to know

Ask your host which way your room faces; a mountain-facing room makes the stay.
Start for Tiffin Dara about 40 minutes before sunrise with a torch.
Bring thermals from November to March; nights can go below freezing.
Carry cash; there are no ATMs in Rishop and few in Lava.
If you walk the trail from Lava, send luggage by car and go with a guide.

The local story

A ridge of old trees that became a village stay

Ask in Rishop where the name comes from and you will hear more than one answer. One common explanation splits it into two parts: ri, a mountain peak, and shop, which people in the village say means old trees. Put together, it describes what you see from the road: a high ridge covered in very old forest.

Read the whole story →

Questions travellers ask

Questions about Rishop

Is it Rishop or Rishyap?

Both spellings are used for the same village. Rishyap is the spelling on many official lists and on Wikipedia; Rishop is what most travellers, drivers and homestays say. You may also see Rishyop. Search under all three when booking or checking maps, since listings are spread across the different spellings.

How high is Rishop?

Rishop sits at about 2,590 m, roughly 400 m higher than Lava. That makes it colder than Lava and much colder than Kalimpong town. Altitude sickness is not usually a problem at this height, but you may feel short of breath on the steep climb to Tiffin Dara or on the forest trail.

What is the best time to visit Rishop?

October to February gives the clearest mountain views, with November and December often best. April and May are good for rhododendrons and mild weather, though haze can hide the peaks. Avoid June to September, when cloud, rain and landslides make the visit poor value.

Where exactly is Tiffin Dara?

Tiffin Dara is a viewpoint on the ridge above Rishop, about a kilometre from most homestays. The path climbs steadily through forest and takes 20–40 minutes depending on where you start. Go with a torch before dawn, or ask your host to show you the way the evening before.

Can I see Kanchenjunga from Rishop?

Yes, on clear days. The view from Tiffin Dara and many homestays covers a long stretch of the snow peaks, with Kanchenjunga at the centre. Clouds often build by mid-morning, so sunrise and the first hour after it are the best times. From June to September it is usually hidden.

Is Rishop good for families with children?

Yes, for families happy with simple rooms and quiet days. There is space to walk and the sunrise climb is short. It gets cold at night, so pack warm clothes for children. There are no shops or medical facilities, so bring basic medicines and snacks from Kalimpong.

Can I do Rishop as a day trip from Kalimpong?

You can reach it in about 1.5–2 hours, but a day trip misses the reason to go: the clear sunrise view. By the time you arrive from Kalimpong the mountains are often in cloud. Stay at least one night, ideally after a night in Lava, to give yourself a sunrise.

Is there electricity and mobile signal in Rishop?

Yes, there is mains electricity, but power cuts are common in bad weather. Mobile signal works in parts of the village, mainly on Jio and Airtel, and drops inside some buildings. Carry a power bank and a torch, and download maps and bookings before you arrive.

How do I walk from Lava to Rishop?

A forest trail of about 4 km climbs from near Lava to Rishop, gaining roughly 400 m. It takes 1.5–2 hours uphill. The path is steep, muddy after rain and splits in places, so take a local guide for about ₹500–800, indicative, and send your luggage up by car.