Lava or Lolegaon: which one is for you

Lava: forest, monastery and the edge of Neora Valley

Lava sits high on a ridge, at about 2,200 metres (7,200 ft) by most counts, though some sources put it higher. It's the colder of the two, with thick forest on every side. The village is built around the Lava monastery, Kagyu Thekchen Ling, and a short walk through the forest at the Nature Interpretation Centre is a good first afternoon.

The big draw is Neora Valley National Park. Its entry gate is at Kolakham, about 10 km from Lava, and you need a permit from the forest range office in Lava before you go in. Government-authorised guides wait at the entrance. The park keeps its own seasons, and parts of it close or are restricted in the monsoon. Entry is subject to forest department rules on the day, and we arrange guides on request.

From Lava, Rishyap is a short drive away, with a sunset walk up to Tiffin Dara viewpoint, and Changey Falls is close by too.

Lolegaon: the canopy walk and the long view

Lolegaon is lower and gentler. Most sources put it at around 1,700 metres (5,500 ft), though the figures vary. It's a village of a few homestays on a slope, with an old heritage forest a short walk away.

That forest is known for its canopy walk, a hanging bridge strung through the tops of old trees. The canopy bridge has been shut for repairs, so for now we walk the forest trail below it, and add the bridge if it reopens.

Early risers go to Jhandi Dara, a viewpoint a few kilometres from the village, for sunrise over the Kanchenjunga range. Weather permitting. Clear mornings are most likely from October to December.

Side by side

When to go

October to December

The best window for both. The monsoon has washed the air clean, the roads have settled, and clear mornings over the Kanchenjunga range are most likely now. Nights in Lava turn properly cold by December, so pack a warm jacket and something for your head.

January and February

The coldest months. Days are often bright and still, and the hills are quiet. Lava gets very cold after dark, so bring real woollens, not just a fleece.

March to May

Milder days and a forest coming back into leaf. Views of the high peaks are less certain than in autumn, and afternoons are often hazier. A good time if walks matter more to you than the big view.

June to September

Monsoon. Landslides are common on these roads from July to September, and parts of Neora Valley close or are restricted. We usually suggest the plains of the Dooars instead.

Where to stay

Neither village is a hotel town. You'll mostly stay in homestays and small guesthouses, with home-cooked meals and early nights. Rooms are simple and warm, and the view does the rest.

Stays are matched to your budget and confirmed in writing before you pay. If a stay is full, we offer one of a similar standard.

Getting there

Lava is roughly 120 km from New Jalpaiguri, about three to three and a half hours by road. The usual way up from the plains runs through Damdim and Gorubathan. In recent monsoons, when NH10 along the Teesta has been cut by landslides, this road has carried much of the traffic up to the Kalimpong hills.

Lava and Lolegaon are about 25 km apart, so moving between them takes part of a morning, not a whole day. We pick you up from wherever you're starting, whether that's an airport, a station, your hotel or your home town, and the car stays with you for the trip.

So, which one?

Pick Lava if

• you want forest walks and a national park on the doorstep
• you like cold mornings and a fire in the evening
• you want more to do each day

Pick Lolegaon if

• you want a quiet homestay and long, slow mornings
• a sunrise over the Kanchenjunga range is the reason you're going
• you're travelling with older parents or young children and want short, easy walks

Or do both

You don't have to choose. Our Charkhole, Sittong and Tinchuley trip spends a full day in the Lolegaon forest and at Lava from a base in Charkhole, then crosses the Teesta to Sittong and Tinchuley. The First-Timer's Loop spends two nights in the Lava hills on its way to Darjeeling.