Discover India's Wild Heritage
Explore the diverse ecosystems and magnificent wildlife across India's national parks
Explore ParksExplore the diverse ecosystems and magnificent wildlife across India's national parks
Explore ParksCloud Forest Above the Dooars
West Bengal
Image: Anirban Biswas / CC BY-SA 2.0Welcome to Neora Valley National Park! Use the resources below to plan your adventure in one of India's most treasured wild spaces.
Safaris, bird watching, nature walks, and more
Safari timings, open seasons, and park schedules
Entry fees, safari charges, and camera fees
How to reach by air, rail, and road
Official booking links, permits, and offline reservation guidance
Nearby stays, forest rest houses, and booking resources
Entry permits and guides are usually arranged around Lava through forest offices; use WBFDCL for nearby forest lodge reservations where available.
This link opens Booking.com, a third-party site.
Most visitor experiences involve uneven forest trails and mountain roads. Shorter roadside birding and viewpoint visits are possible, but the park is not broadly wheelchair accessible.
Neora Valley National Park protects one of the richest forest tracts in the eastern Himalaya, rising from subtropical forests above the Dooars to cool temperate and subalpine habitats near Lava and Rishop. Dense cloud forest, orchids, bamboo, and rhododendrons make the park botanically rich, while red panda, Himalayan black bear, and diverse birds give it high conservation value. Visitor access is usually through guided forest walks and permitted routes from Lava.
| Season | Morning Safari | Evening Safari |
|---|---|---|
| Open Season (Oct - May) | Daylight guided walks | Day visits only |
Neora Valley is primarily a trekking and birding park. Route availability depends on permits and forest conditions.
| Category | Amount |
|---|---|
| Entry Permit | As notified by West Bengal Forest Department |
| Guide Fee | Varies by route and duration |
Confirm current permit rules in Lava before planning long walks or birding routes.
Neora Valley National Park, Kalimpong District, West Bengal
27.0833° N, 88.7167° E
Bagdogra Airport is the nearest major airport, followed by road travel to Kalimpong or Lava.
New Jalpaiguri is the primary railhead for Lava and Kalimpong routes.
Access via Kalimpong, Lava, or nearby hill settlements. Roads are mountainous and can be misty.
Hire local taxis and forest guides from Lava or Kalimpong.
Subtropical broadleaf forest, temperate oak and rhododendron forest, bamboo, mosses, ferns, and orchids.
The dense forest shelters red panda, Himalayan black bear, small cats, deer, goral, and a rich eastern Himalayan bird community.
Neora Valley was declared a national park in 1986 to protect the upper Neora River catchment and one of the last relatively undisturbed forest blocks in the Kalimpong hills.
