Tirthan Valley - Village walks, nature trails and fishing
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| Tirthan River |
Do you like a slow paced, lazy holiday with an optional dash of adventure - trout fishing, easy treks, village walks and nature trails? If the answer is Yes, then you've got to visit Tirthan Valley in Himachal Pradesh.
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| Tirthan Valley - Himachal Pradesh |
This Valley is known to attract the well traveled / seasoned traveler so you're sure to not have the crowds that make a dash for Manali, Shimla and other tourist hot spots in the State.
The Valley is a diversion on the right side of the main highway about 3 hours before Manali. As you make your way towards the Valley you'll notice fewer cars, lesser people and ever greater views of the River and the Valley.
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| Jamala Village |
Lately the valley has seen an increase in the number of homestays and resorts but there are no traffic jams and neither are the streets crowded with people as they are in Manali. Tirthan Valley is still relatively quiet and ideal if you're looking to get lost in nature and to the sound of the rushing Tirthan River.
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| Nature Trails in Tirthan Valley |
Ideal for a longish vacation as it takes almost 10-12 hours to reach if you're driving from Delhi. I would plan to stay for 3-4 nights. Don't expect much to happen here. Like I said above, trod here only if you want to take it easy, go for long walks / trek or fish. Besides self driving, one can also take a Volvo / public AC coach transportation to Aut from Delhi / Chandigarh and then local buses or taxis from Aut to Banjar or Bathad depending on where you're staying in the valley.
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| Birdseye View of Sarchi Village |
You can also go trekking in and around the Great Himalayan National Park (GHNP) and visit Himachali villages of Sarchi and Jamala not too far from the not so authentic village of Gaushani. In fact, if you have a car you can drive up to the village or Sarchi and then walk onwards.
Houses in both Sarchi and Jamala villages still follow the traditional kath-kuni style of architecture which is really amazing and a non-stop photo opportunity. Converse with the locals, get a cup of masala tea from the local dhaba or just breathe in fresh air.
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| Sarchi Village Walk |
Houses in both Sarchi and Jamala villages still follow the traditional kath-kuni style of architecture which is really amazing and a non-stop photo opportunity. Converse with the locals, get a cup of masala tea from the local dhaba or just breathe in fresh air.
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| Walking to Jamala Village |
Jamala village is located on the mountain above Sarchi. The trek to the village is uphill in one direction through dense forests and later orchards and terrace farms.
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| Freshly Roasted Wheat Kernels |
On the way to Jamala you will see locals do terrace farming and if you're lucky even get to eat some fresh green peas, fresh fruits or roasted wheat kernels. Everything is grown organically including the veggies.
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| Small Niltava - Male |
For the serious trekker, various treks can be organized and accompanied by professionals depending on your area of interest (and time of the year) - medicinal plants and herbs, other rare flora, wildlife (musk deer, brown bear etc.), birdwatching (Western Tragopan, Monal and other high altitude birds) or brilliant views of the Himalayan peaks and meadows.
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| Trout fishing in Tirthan Valley |
Fishing for trout can also be a great way to kill time here, though it requires a lot of patience. I can arrange a guide if you've never gone fishing before. Guides can get you permits that allows you to keep up to three trouts but they have to be bigger than 12 inches each.
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| Himalayan Trout (catch and release) |
Under 12 inches, they go back in the river. I personally caught two (beginner's luck) but I released them back in the river (strictly catch and release). Instead I paid 600 rupees later that evening for a delicious grilled trout that was farmed.
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| Natural pool to cool off in |
After a long hot day walking around aimlessly or a lazy day having done zero, nothing can beat a relaxing cool dip in one of the natural shallow pools formed by the cascading waters of a near-by stream / river next to your resort. This my friends is how you end your day in the Valley.