Lava is a small hamlet situated 34 kilometres (21 mi) east of the town of Kalimpong via Algarah in the state of West Bengal, India. Lava is situated at an altitude of 2,100 metres (6,890 ft). 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