Riverside Archives

Himachal beyond Shimla-Manali: 7 escapes from the crowds

If paragliding is on your bucket list, head to Bir in Himachal Pradesh. Since the 1960s, the village has also been home to a Tibetan Colony, as refugees settled here during the uprising in 1959. It, therefore, has several Buddhist monasteries that you can visit such as the Sherabling Monastery, the Chokling Monastery or the Drukpa Kagyu Monastery. When you’re done exploring every adventure sport such as paragliding, camping, trekking, mountain biking or hang-gliding, pay a visit to the Himalayan Film School– a prestigious institute of the country that conducts various filmmaking and photography workshops. While you’re here, you can also visit the neighbouring Deer Park Institute– a cultural centre established by the Dalai Lama in 2006. Spend your day strolling through the Tibetan colony, exploring the town’s many cafes kike Garden Cafe, June 16 or Ara. Stay at: Sukoon Bagh Doubles from Rs8,000. Website

Instead of Shimla, try Landour

A small cantonment town near Dehradun, Landour is a quaint and quiet suburb of Mussoorie with architecture and aesthetics akin to what they were during the British Raj. The Chukker Trail is a three-kilometre walk that loops around the town and is the perfect way to take in the sights on foot. Stop by Landour’s Char Dukan, a cluster of four shops whose history can be traced back to the 1800s during the arrival of the British. Today, the shops have been split into six and sell snacks and refreshments and hill-station staples such as Maggi, omelette-pav and lemon tea. Near the marketplace, you’ll also find St. Paul’s Church, which is over 150 years old. For those who love nothing but good views and something to nibble on, Lal Tibba is a vantage point that offers a beautiful view of the valley and surrounding hills. The cafe nearby is perfect for a cup of coffee while you take in the sights. Other places worth visiting for food include Anil’s Cafe, Landour Bakehouse, and Doma’s Inn. Stay at: La Villa Bethany, Doubles from Rs 20,000. Website

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10 gorgeous homestays and hotels in Rishikesh right by the Ganga

A 45-minute drive from Jolly Grant Airport, The Roseate Ganges is perched right above the Ganges in Shivpuri. Each of its 17 villa-style rooms feature a private balcony that looks out to dense forests or the valley. The temperature-controlled infinity pool also enjoys an expansive view, with nothing but greenery all around. A 250-stair descent leads to a private bank by the Ganges, where the bells and chants of evening aarti fill the air every day. Guests can also spend a day at Aheli spa, indulging in scrubs, facials and salon services among other things. On the weekends, the staff arranges complimentary cooking sessions for children. The property offers a taste of Garhwali and Kumaoni fare, with specials like taro root preparations, locally produced red rice and barnyard millet kheer. Website; doubles from Rs23,000, including breakfast
Pet friendly: No
Wheelchair friendly: Yes; the hotel features rooms and all common areas on the ground floor

Homestays in Rishikesh near the Ganga

The Foresterie at Atali

There’s a swanky new property a half hour drive from Rishikesh where the mighty Ganges is flanked by dense sal forest. A few hundred metres from the riverbank, in the heart of a forest, sits The Foresterie at Atali. Each of its two villas feature four bedrooms, a study, lounge areas and a Jacuzzi. There’s a fully-equipped kitchen where guests can cook, but buffet and a la carte options are available as well. Glass facades flood the entire space with sunshine during the day. Outside, eyes are met with lush green leaves wherever one looks. At the property you’ll get to meet Vaibhav Kala, the man behind The Foresterie and founder of Aquaterra Adventures. Under the adventure tour operator, a host of outdoor activities are available for those who’re interested, but for a retreat into quietude, there’s a year-round plunge pool, a spa and several outdoor decks to keep you at the property. Whether they book a room or the entire villa, the guests are offered the entire place to themselves. Website; entire villa from Rs70,000 including breakfast
Pet friendly: Yes
Wheelchair accessible: No; if all goes to plan, the homestay will soon feature a rampway

The Ganges by Taroh Stays

This bed and breakfast offers a homely retreat on a stretch of the Ganga called the Marine Drive. Only a few steps from the riverbank, this newly opened property features six rooms across two floors and an accessible terrace. The latter affords a clear view of the river. There’s a caretaker on the property who’s available to cook a simple meal, but the kitchen also remains open for guests to whip up their own meals. The rooms are done up with wooden furnishing and warm lighting that keep the mood cosy. The ground floor features a lounge area, and the first floor has a lobby and a dining area. Do note: cars need to be parked 100m away from the property at the beginning of the residential bylane. Website; doubles from Rs3,500 during peak season
Pet friendly: Yes
Wheelchair access: No

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This homestay near Manali comes with a private beachfront by river Beas

River views are everywhere at Raison D’Etre

They initially built a modest two-bedroom apartment to stay in while they designed their home. The plan was to use it as a guest wing for when their family would visit. Soon, their neighbours persuaded them to turn the guest wing into a larger four-bedroom paying guest accommodation. “There are almost no other comparably located riverside homes between Kullu and Manali,” Shalini tells me. Their current home is separated from the guest house by a garden, allowing guests enough privacy when they visit.

Now, the two are spending their 50s running their own communication design firm from the hills while also managing the homestay, interacting with guests and bottling home-made jams, chutneys and fruit juices. The couple live with their two cats named Baarish and Bijlee who don’t always take kindly to furry interlopers, so make sure to check with the hosts in advance if you plan on bringing pets along.

The food

Each of the two floors has a pantry with tea, coffee, a microwave and refrigerator, cutlery and crockery but meals are cooked in a separate guest kitchen. Unless it’s raining or snowing, all meals are served alfresco, under an apricot tree. Though there is an in-house cook, Nitin enjoys cooking family favourites for guests. Breakfast specials include a reimagined Railway omelette that he would eat as a child at the Kalka railway station, Sindhi toast, balsamic glazed mushroom omelette and green chilli and basil scrambled eggs. Don’t miss out on the range of dals the hosts cook—dal Moradabadi, Punjabi dhaba dal with buttermilk, Lakhnavi arhar dal and bhuni moong with panch phoran, among others. For meals, you can enjoy regional chicken curries, a family recipe of Pahadi-style mountain goat meat-chawal, as well as Southeast Asian dishes like Thai curries, Korean bibimbap and Khow Suey. And, of course, homemade jams, chutneys, pickles and juices made with fruits grown on the property orchard are served with all meals. The couple will soon begin work on a new kitchen that guests can use on request and a larger indoor dining space to accommodate all guests when the weather isn’t suited for outdoor dining.

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