Kalimpong to Lava
Your options
Ways to make the trip
1.5–2 hours
₹100–150 a seat · A handful of shared jeeps to Lava leave from the Kalimpong motor stand, mostly in the morning and around midday. Ask at the stand the day before for the times. Some continue towards Gorubathan.
1.5 hours
₹2,000–2,800 per car · A one-way reserved car from your Kalimpong hotel to Lava. For a little more, the driver can include Algarah and drop you in Rishop, about 11 km beyond Lava.
Worth a stop
- Algarah bazaar
- Pine and cryptomeria forest above Algarah
- Views back to Kalimpong ridge
Questions travellers ask
Good to know
How far is Lava from Kalimpong?
Lava is about 33 km from Kalimpong by road via Algarah. The drive takes about 1.5 hours in a car and up to two hours in a shared jeep that stops along the way. The road climbs from about 1,250 m to about 2,195 m, through farmland, then pine and cryptomeria forest.
Are there regular shared jeeps from Kalimpong to Lava?
There are a few each day, mostly in the morning and around midday, from the Kalimpong motor stand. They fill with locals and goods, and seats can run out. Ask at the stand the evening before. A seat costs about ₹100–150, indicative. Coming back, jeeps leave Lava early in the morning.
Can I go from Lava back to Siliguri without passing Kalimpong?
Yes. A road runs down from Lava through Gorubathan to Damdim and Malbazar on the plains, about 100–110 km to Siliguri and 3.5–4 hours. It is a useful route when NH10 along the Teesta is closed by landslides. Check current status before you travel.
Is a Kalimpong–Lava day trip worth it?
It can be done, but it is a long day with little time in Lava, and the mist often arrives by early afternoon. A night in Lava, or one in Lava and one in Rishop, is much better. If you only have a day, leave Kalimpong by 7am and visit the monastery and a forest walk before noon.