The last day of my weekend trip to Kotgarh was spent in the village itself. I had come here to explore the beauty of nature and stayed in the village for two days and one night and left back to Delhi on the second night. A journey that I didn’t plan much, Kotgarh happened to be an amazing village with natural isolation and untouched beauty. The village is located near Narkanda and can be reached both by public transport as well as a personal vehicle or a rented cab. I came here by a rented cab which I got from Narkanda and I reached Narkanda from Shimla in public transport. Kotgarh is a village that is surrounded by Himalayan hills and green gorges. These hills remain snow-covered during the snowfall and this place looks like heaven for backpackers and nature seekers. On my last day, I checked out from the hotel after breakfast and started roaming in Kotgarh.
The scenic valley is based at 7,000 feet elevation. Encompassed by thick pine and deodar forest, the views of the Pir Panjal range, at a distance look charismatic. A perfect destination for peace and serenity seekers, Kotgarh is a nice destination and will not disappoint anyone with the motive. The magnificent panorama, the air-filled the aroma of cherry and apple trees, the birds dancing in the sky, roaming in Kotgarh, leaving all the worldly memories behind, is truly a revitalizing experience which often people like me seek. This village is ideally located with a perfect mix of weather and nature. You will get to do a lot of things in Kotgarh. So, if you are looking for an offbeat location in Himachal Pradesh which isn’t heavily commercialized and still lives in natural elegance, Kotgarh can be the place you should consider.
…And I spent my day till evening roaming in Kotgarh
I left the hotel 13 Forest B&B where I stayed for two days and a night. After breakfast, I checked out and started walking on the road which took me to the village passing through the hospital. While I was booking the hotel, I was told that the hotel was near this hospital which I didn’t get to see on my first day since I didn’t come here. That narrow path took me down to the village and there was real beauty that I couldn’t get to see from my hotel since the hotel covered with houses from one side, though it has views on the other side. While I was roaming in Kotgarh, I realized that people in the village were so happy and I came here to find happiness. This reminded me of my early childhood days when I used to live in Mehada village, my mother’s village where I lived till 2005. Back then too, life was simple, easy, and beautiful. This village too, reminded me the same.
Read Here – Some Moments in Thanadhar Village
The last night while I was sitting at the bonfire with one of the hotel staff, he told me that there was an old church down and I should visit it. So, that was the first thing I did after leaving the hotel. I reached the church and attended the morning mass on Sunday. (However, when I returned home and did some research, I found that the church I visited wasn’t the one that I was told to visit. The one I found online was very old and wasn’t anything that I visited in Kotgarh.) Anyways, I get to visit Kotgarh; I will surely make it to the church. These things are subjected to happen when you travel unplanned. So, a little planning can save you from such situations.
On my first day, I did trekking to Thanadhar from Kotgarh. While I was roaming in Kotgarh on the road which leads to Mangsu village, I met this cute dog. It was a pet, not stray. The owner of the dog was standing near the church. The dog saw me and came close to me. His friendly nature touched my heart, I sat down and he put his paw on my knee to show affection. After a minute or some playing with the pet, I left but the dog followed me. I have heard that the dogs in the hills are often very friendly. The same had happened with me at Jakhoo Temple when a dog came to me and put his forelimbs on my shoulders. Now imagine that I am 6ft in height.
Nestling in the Himalayan aura on the Old Hindustan Tibet Road, Kotgarh offers a panoramic view of surrounded areas which is hard to compare with anything. While I roaming in Kotgarh, I spotted a river. Though it was a distance and I had to zoom into it to see with the camera. It must be the Sutlej River that flows through the valley. Terraced fields and small houses make this place a dream destination for offbeat travelers.
