General Information About Lava & Lolegaon
Lava and Loleygaon are two quaint mountain hamlets in Darjeeling district under Kalimpong district and surrounded by forests. The altitude of Lava is 7,700ft while Loleygaon (also known as Kaffer village) is at a lower altitude of 5,500ft.
Since they are close to each other (about the one-hour driving distance between the two), most tourists make combined visits to these two places. You can reach via Kalimpong or Gorubathan. If you are visiting Kalimpong, you can make a great day trip to Lava and Loleygaon from there.
Lava
Lava is a small place of hills & jungles. Located at the height of 7,200 ft. it is always cool & calm. Walking leisurely on your own to visit Lava Monastery, Forest Nursery, Nature Interpretation Centre or to go to the viewpoint, which is 3 kms away to watch Kanchenjunga. Take a Jeep ride to Neora Valley National Park ( 10 kms). Walk a little inside of the forest to enjoy the beauty of Akar Tsange Water Falls. Neora Valley National Park is a place for a number of wild animals.
Loleygaon
Lolegaon or Loleygaon is a small village in the Kalimpong district. It used to be a tranquil village with great views of the Kanchenjunga. During the early 1990s, the forest department with the help of some voluntary organizations started promoting the village as an eco-tourism destination. The founders of nature beyond were also part of the initiative. By late '90s Lolegaon came up to become one of the oft-visited tourist destinations of the Kalimpong Hills.
Loleygaon is a quiet and peaceful hamlet located at an altitude of 5,520ft and surrounded by towering dhupi and cypress forests. Several locations in the village offer sweeping views of Kanchenjunga range. You can also see a range of orchids and other flowering plantations here. It's also a great place for bird watchers.
Best Time To Visit Lava & Lolegaon
Lava Lolegaon best time to visit at all the months except monsoon if you are planning to go for a holiday with a checklist then summer months from March to May are the best season to go, but if you really want to get away from your hectic life then you might even want to go in winters. The weather is chilled and you may pretty much just walk around your hotel for those days, do experience the most beautiful and snowy winter in all of the West Bengal. If you get up early in the morning to get the view of the sunrise then you will stay there forever during this time period. December to February is the pleasant weather and comfortable at almost all through the year although you will certainly feel the chilling winter. Monsoon the landscapes and the forests become lush green which is a sight by itself.
Lava
Lava offers some nice walks for nature lovers. You can walk towards the Neora Valley National Park, this area has good vegetation. If you want to go for a serious jungle trek, the Neora valley trek also originates in this area, but you would need to take permission from the forest department before entering the core area of the forest. You may also go for a hike towards Maneydara village which is about 5 km walk from the town. Another route takes you to Rishyap / Rishop which is about 12 km by car, but the trekking distance is about 5 km.
Common tourist places around Lava include Ratnarishi Gumpha or the Lava Monastery, this used to be a small quaint monastery but has been reconstructed in recent years and now is a large compound with an institute of Buddhist learning next to it. The official name of the monastery is Kagyu Thenkchen Ling Monastery and the institute is named as The Ringpe Dorje Institute.
Within walking distance from town is the Nature Interpretation Center of Lava forest department. Inside you can have a glimpse of the flora and fauna found in the area. The center is relatively well maintained and well stocked.
Chhangey falls visit is also a popular tourist activity here. The falls is about 10 km north of Lava near Kolakham area, at the time of writing this, the road to the area was in poor condition and only some SUV could go there. Please talk to nature beyond travel consultants for an update about the condition of this road.
Treks to the Neora valley starts from Lava. Apart from long treks across the valley, small treks are also possible in the region. Common treks include a trek to Tiffin Dara, Aluabari etc.
Loleygaon
The primary attraction of Lolegaon lies in its serene and tranquil environment. Although the place has become a common tourist destination now, it is still not commercialized by a large influx of tourists. You can still get to walk in the nearby forests without jostling with other tourists.
The place offers a panoramic view of the Kanchenjunga range. On a clear day, a large part of the snow-capped mountain is visible.
At the center of the village, there is a flat land opposite to the Eco-Park, where there are few small tea stalls and shops. This is the only bazaar area where you can buy small kinds of stuff or eat. On a day trip, you may carry your packed lunch.
At a short distance from here is the most popular attraction - The Canopy Walk. There is a 180-meters long hanging wooden tree-top bridge that goes through the dense jungle. The bridge slowly rises in height and you will find yourself walking through the treetops amidst dense forest. At the start, there are few stairs to climb to the bridge and then you start the fairly long walk at a height and through the jungle.
Visit the VIP Bungalow View Point. It's a manicured lawn area below the VIP bungalow which has nice viewing galleries. Unfortunately, they are not well maintained, but you still get excellent views of Kanchenjunga snow peaks from here.
Nearby hilltop Jhandi Dara offers beautiful views at sunrise. The place is about 4/5 kilometres from Lolegaon and an early morning visit to Jhanidi Dara can offer you spectacular views on a clear day.
The place isn't equipped to receive direct flights. The nearest Airport is the Bagdogra Airport, which is situated outside the town of Siliguri. Once off the plane, you can easily hire a cab and get to Lolegaon post a 4 hour drive.
Travelling by rail is another feasible option. The New Jalpaiguri Station (NJP) is the closest to Lolegaon. The station is well connected to places such as Kolkata, New Delhi, Chenna and Mumbai. From here as well, you will have to hire a cab.
Driving down to Lolegaon is not very difficult. If you are planning to drive from nearby regions, then the ride is smooth. However, if you intend to take the car as an alternate to the train, then it's not a very feasible option. The nearest town is Kalimpong, about 55 km away. Siliguri is about 4 hrs drive covering 124 km to Lolegaon. Buses are also available from nearby places and sometimes, even from Kolkata.
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