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Route · Kalimpong
Siliguri to Lava either through Kalimpong on NH10 and Algarah, or through the Dooars via Gorubathan, the road that matters when NH10 is shut. About 100–110 km and 4–5 hours either way.
| From | To | How | Time | Fare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SILIGURI | LAVA | Shared jeep via Kalimpong | 5–6 h with a change | ₹350–480 IN TWO |
| SILIGURI | LAVA | Reserved car via Gorubathan | 4–4.5 h | ₹4,500–6,000 A C |
| SILIGURI | LAVA | Reserved car via Kalimpong | 4–5 h | ₹4,500–6,000 A C |
From our route pages. Fares change with fuel prices, season and demand: check current status before you travel.
Take a shared jeep from Siliguri to Kalimpong (₹200–300, 3–3.5 h), then a shared jeep from Kalimpong's Motor Stand to Lava (₹120–180, 1.5 h). The second leg runs mostly in the morning, so you may need to sleep in Kalimpong. NH10 between Sevoke and Teesta Bazar has had repeated closures since October 2023: check current status before you travel.
Through the Dooars: Sevoke, across the Teesta to Odlabari or Malbazar, then up through Gorubathan to Lava. This road, upgraded as an alternative to NH10, avoids the Teesta gorge. It climbs through tea gardens and forest and is steep near the top. Drivers choose between the two routes on the day depending on landslides.
The classic road: NH10 up the Teesta to Teesta Bazar, climb to Kalimpong, then east through Algarah to Lava. It lets you break the journey in Kalimpong for lunch or a night. Use it when NH10 is open, and check current status before you travel.
Local tip: Ask your driver the evening before which road is open, because NH10 and the Gorubathan road can each be blocked after rain.
Questions people ask
The simplest way is a reserved car from NJP, Bagdogra or Siliguri for ₹4,500–6,000, which takes 4–5 hours via Kalimpong or via Gorubathan in the Dooars. On a budget, take a shared jeep to Kalimpong and another to Lava the next morning. Check current status before you travel, because NH10 has had frequent closures since 2023.
Direct shared jeeps are rare and not reliable. Most budget travellers change at Kalimpong, where morning jeeps leave for Lava from the Motor Stand. If you arrive in Kalimpong after midday, plan to sleep there. Ask at the Siliguri jeep stands on the day, as services change.
When NH10 is open, the Kalimpong road lets you break the trip and is well served by jeeps. When NH10 is closed or slow, the Gorubathan road through the Dooars avoids the Teesta gorge entirely. Drivers decide on the day. Allow 4–5 hours either way, and check current status before you travel.
NH10 between Sevoke and Rangpo has had many closures since the October 2023 Teesta flood, including a major landslide near Coronation Bridge in June 2026. It reopens and closes with repairs and weather. Before you travel, ask your hotel or driver and check local news and police updates for the day.
Plan with a local
Where you want to go, how many of you, and roughly what you want to spend a day. A planner who lives in these hills replies within one working day with a route and every rupee written down.