Kalimpong and Neora · tour package Nº 10901
Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Lava, Lolegaon: 7 nights
This is the trip for people who want to see the hills properly once. Each stop shows a different face of the old Darjeeling district, which until 2017 included Kalimpong. Darjeeling is tea and the railway, Kalimpong is the trade town and its missions, Lava is fir forest at 2,200 m and the gate to a national park, and Lolegaon is a small village with a cypress forest and a sunrise point. The altitude climbs and falls gently, so nobody struggles.
We spend two nights in each of the first three places so you unpack only four times in seven nights, and every morning starts at a sensible hour except two sunrises, Tiger Hill and Tiffin Dara. Budget travellers come up from Siliguri by shared jeep and then share one car among four. Comfort and premium travellers have a private car throughout. The last drive down from Lolegaon is the longest, four and a half to five hours, so book an afternoon flight.
Fare chart
Pick your class
The same route at three price levels. The difference is the room, the car and the meals, never the safety or the permits.
Indicative 2026 fares. Punch a ticket to choose a class; your written quote follows.
Day by day
The timetable
- Day1
Bagdogra or NJP to Darjeeling
We meet you at Bagdogra or NJP and drive up through Kurseong, or by Rohini Road, to Darjeeling at about 2,050 m. Budget travellers take a shared jeep from Siliguri for ₹250–400 a seat, indicative 2026, from the stands near the bus terminus. Check in and walk to Chowrasta and the Mall in the late afternoon. Visit the Mahakal temple on Observatory Hill above the square, where Buddhist and Hindu shrines share one hilltop. Early dinner; tomorrow starts at 4 am.
- Day2
Tiger Hill, Ghum and the toy train
Leave at about 4 am for Tiger Hill, 11 km away, for dawn on Kanchenjunga; shared jeeps cost about ₹300–500 a seat, indicative 2026. On the way back visit Ghum Monastery, founded in 1850, and Batasia Loop. After breakfast and a rest, ride the toy train from Darjeeling to Ghum and back, about two hours, on the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1999; seats cost ₹1,000–1,800, indicative 2026. Afternoon at the Padmaja Naidu zoo and the mountaineering institute, closed on Thursdays. Check current status before you travel.
- Day3
Darjeeling to Kalimpong
Drive down through tea gardens by Peshok or Lopchu to the Teesta at Teesta Bazaar, then climb to Kalimpong at about 1,250 m. Stop at a tea garden on the way for photographs; ask your driver which ones allow visitors. Check in by lunch. In the afternoon walk the old town: the MacFarlane Memorial Church of 1891, Thongsa Gompa from the Bhutanese era, and the Haat Bazaar on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Eat thukpa or a plate of momos near the motor stand for ₹60–150, indicative 2026.
- Day4
Durpin, Deolo and the nurseries
Morning at Zang Dhok Palri on Durpin, consecrated by the Dalai Lama in 1976, which keeps 108 volumes of the Kangyur brought from Tibet. Then up to Deolo at 1,704 m for the widest view of the town, past the cottages of Dr. Graham's Homes, founded in 1900 by the Scottish missionary John Anderson Graham. After lunch visit one of the orchid and cactus nurseries, free to ₹50, and the small Lepcha Museum if it is open. Buy Kalimpong cheese and milk lollipops for the road.
- Day5
Kalimpong to Lava, Changey Falls
Drive east through Algarah into fir and pine to Lava at about 2,200 m. Visit Kagyu Thekchen Ling monastery, then continue about 10 km to Kolakham and walk the trail of about 900 m down to Changey Falls, fullest in October. Back in Lava, confirm tomorrow's Neora Valley permit at the forest range office. Nights here drop near freezing from December to February, and the forest lodge is plain but warm under its blankets.
- Day6
Neora Valley and Rishyap
Enter Neora Valley at first light in a permitted jeep with a forest guide: about ₹120–150 entry per Indian, ₹500 per foreigner, plus jeep ₹1,500–2,500, indicative 2026. The track runs about 13 km through oak, fir and rhododendron to Zero Point, red panda country, though pandas are rarely seen. After lunch drive 11 km to Rishyap at about 2,590 m and walk up to Tiffin Dara for the afternoon light on the Kanchenjunga range. The park closes from mid-June to mid-September; check current status before you travel.
- Day7
Lava to Lolegaon and the canopy walk
An easy morning: a dawn birding walk on the forest lanes around Lava, then a short drive to Lolegaon, also called Kafer, at about 1,675 m. In the afternoon walk the canopy bridges, about 180 m in all, among old cypress and pine, for ₹30–60, indicative 2026; they close in heavy rain or for repairs. Walk the village lanes and the small monastery before dark. Book a car to Jhandi Dara at dawn tomorrow, ₹500–900.
- Day8
Jhandi Dara sunrise, down to the plains
A last sunrise from Jhandi Dara above Lolegaon, then breakfast and the drive down through Kalimpong and the Teesta, or by Lava and Gorubathan if NH10 is closed. Allow 4.5–5 hours to Bagdogra or NJP and book trains or flights after 3 pm. Check current status before you travel, because NH10 has closed often since the October 2023 flood. If you have time before your flight, stop for tea at Teesta Bazaar or for an hour at a Siliguri market for last gifts of Darjeeling tea.
Included
- 7 nights: 2 Darjeeling, 2 Kalimpong, 2 Lava, 1 Lolegaon, twin sharing
- Breakfast daily; dinners at Lava and Lolegaon on all tiers, and every night on comfort and premium
- Car from Darjeeling onwards (shared jeep up from Siliguri on budget)
- Neora Valley jeep to Zero Point with a forest guide
- Toy-train joy ride on comfort and premium; dawn car to Jhandi Dara
Not included
- Trains and flights
- Toy-train joy ride on budget, about ₹1,000–1,800 a seat
- Park, zoo, museum, canopy walk and camera fees
- Lunches and any meals not listed
- Tips and personal expenses
Make it cheaper
- Travel in March or the second half of November; you avoid Puja, Christmas and May rates in Darjeeling, the dearest town on the trip.
- Take shared jeeps for the Siliguri–Darjeeling and Darjeeling–Kalimpong legs and hire a car only from Kalimpong onwards; that saves ₹4,000–6,000 per car.
- Share the Neora jeep with other travellers at the Lava forest office; it costs the same for two or six.
Good to know
- Toy-train joy-ride seats sell out weeks ahead in peak months; book early. Check current status before you travel.
- Neora Valley closes from mid-June to mid-September and may shut at short notice.
- Temperatures range from mild in Kalimpong to near freezing at Lava and Rishyap at dawn; pack layers.
- Lava and Lolegaon have patchy mobile networks and few ATMs; carry cash from Darjeeling or Kalimpong.
- NH10 closes often in the rains; diversions add one to three hours to transfer days.
The route
Where you could sleep
Stays on this route
Questions people ask
About this package
Is 7 nights enough for Darjeeling and Kalimpong district
Yes, for a full but relaxed look. Two nights each in Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Lava, plus one in Lolegaon, cover the toy train, Tiger Hill, Kalimpong's monasteries, Neora Valley, Rishyap and a forest village. You will not see Sandakphu, Sikkim or the Dooars. For those, add three to four nights or pick a different trip.
How much does a 7-night Darjeeling and Kalimpong trip cost
From about ₹20,500 per person on our budget tier, twin sharing, indicative 2026, with breakfast daily, dinners in the villages and a shared car from Darjeeling. Comfort runs about ₹32,500 and premium about ₹62,000 per person. Peak weeks in May, October and late December cost more.
Why stay in Lava rather than doing it as a day trip
Neora Valley's jeep leaves at first light, and the best of the forest is in the early morning. A day trip from Kalimpong means a 5 am start and three hours of driving before you even enter the park. Sleeping at Lava also gives you the pine forest at dusk and the chance of Kanchenjunga at dawn.
Is Lolegaon worth one night
Yes. One night gives you the canopy walk in the afternoon and the Jhandi Dara sunrise in the morning, which are the two reasons to go. Two nights suit travellers who want a quiet day of village walks. It is also a sensible last stop, since the road down to Siliguri is straightforward.
Can we see Kanchenjunga on this trip
Very likely, between October and April. You get three chances at sunrise, from Tiger Hill, Tiffin Dara at Rishyap and Jhandi Dara at Lolegaon, plus daytime views from Darjeeling and Kalimpong. October to December is the most reliable. From June to September the peaks are hidden on most days.
Can we do this trip in reverse
Yes. Starting at Lolegaon and ending in Darjeeling works well, and puts the shortest drive, Darjeeling to Bagdogra, at the end. The only catch is booking the toy-train joy ride for a fixed date late in the trip. We choose the direction based on your flight times and which road is open.
Do foreigners need permits for this trip
No special permits are needed for Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Lava or Lolegaon. Foreign nationals pay a higher entry fee for Neora Valley, about ₹500 against ₹120–150 for Indians, indicative 2026, and must carry their passport. Permits are needed only if you continue into Sikkim. Check current status before you travel.
Is this trip suitable for seniors
Yes, at the comfort tier with a private car. Walks are short, and the altitudes, 1,250–2,590 m, suit most healthy older travellers. Skip the Changey Falls trail and choose lodge rooms near the road at Lava. The two pre-dawn starts are optional. Carry warm clothes and regular medicines, as Lava and Lolegaon have limited medical care.
What is the best month for this circuit
October and November for clear views and dry roads, and March to April for rhododendrons, birds and mild days. December to February is clear but cold, with Lava near freezing at night. May is pleasant but hazy and busy. We avoid mid-June to mid-September for landslides and the Neora Valley closure.
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