Cutting Loose

Kailash 1 is part of a cluster of three cottages by the same name, and sits prettily in the middle, overlooking the magnificence of snowy Pir Panjals beyond a deep valley. Located far from the madding crowd at Upper Bakrota, Dalhousie’s most alpine hill, this colonial-era cottage is your answer to a home-away-from-home. It comes equipped with two bedrooms & en-suite bathrooms, separate drawing and dining rooms, a fully functional kitchen, a veranda as well as a lawn running along two-sides.

Bright chintzy furnishings, colourful carpets, gleaming white windowpanes, their sheers all a-flutter, and a slide-show of nature’s many moods. What more could one ask from a vacation home in the majestic Himalayas? Kailash 1 does not offer meals as part of its package, but will gladly conjure up a cook for you at a nominal charge. If lazing and self-help is all you have in mind, do stock up on daily needs and groceries, as the closest take-away is a few kilometres away. Though a caretaker is nearly always close at hand to trouble shoot should the need arise.

If some form of activity is an imperative, the cottage setting is perfect for a ramble now and then, particularly the popular Bakrota Loop, a 4km even-path hugging the entire hill-side. Then, there is Dainkund which includes a short drive uphill followed by an easy walk to a temple atop the hill; Kalatope Sanctuary Rest House, a drive or walk (mostly even) through litter-free deep woods will get you here.