Lava (town)

Lava is a small hamlet situated 34 km east of the town of Kalimpong in the state of West Bengal, India. Lava is situated at an altitude of 2,000 metres. It is one of the few places in West Bengal to receive snow in winter. The route to Lava is scenic with the change in vegetation from tropical deciduous to the wet alpine trees of fir, pine and birch. The idyllic verdant forests are an ideal spot for picnicking, trekking and bird watching and other peripatetic activities. The road is untouched by modern life and one is treated to rustic hamlets whose inhabitants are still living as they have for centuries.

The region is still virgin and wild animals such as the Himalayan Black Bear, barking deer are found in profusion in these parts. A Buddhist monastery is present on one of the hills of Lava.

Lava is also near the vicinity of the Jelepla Pass, the ancient trade route to Tibet.