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Delhi to Barot Village, Himachal – Travel Guide
A Tranquil river, an offbeat place, some lovely meadows, a thick cedar forests, some terraced fields and a
relaxing homestay – seems like your perfect holiday destination, right? Well, then Barot Village near
Mandi in Himachal is one place you MUST visit without thinking any further.
Let me introduce all of you to YashiSrivastava who has written this Guest Post for all of us here at DoW. She will
help us out for making our trip to Barot Village in Himachal Pradesh a memorable experience by sharing all the
required details in her article on comprehensive Travel Guide for Barot Yashi loves to explore new places and
experiences while traveling and is an aspiring Travel Blogger. She will share with us few more such informative
articles on traveling to Himalayas in coming months. But as of now, let’s come back to topic and enjoy this Barot
Village Travel Guide in order to prepare ourselves for our next trip to Himalayas :)…
Barot Village has been named in the article: 5 Must Visit Off-beat Places in Himachal Pradesh and it has
completely lived up to the standards and expectations so far. Prospering in the lap of the great Himalayas, Barot
Village, a small, hilly village with a population of approximately 2000 people, imbibes a sense of calmness among
the travellers. Located in Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh and contoured by Uhl River, this offbeat place
remains un-crowded most of the year barring the summer season. Hindi is the official language in Barot and few
locals can also converse in decent English. So, there is no issues in communication aspects
Silky Waters of Uhl River near Barot Village
A major geographical feature of the Barot Village is the two reservoirs under Shanan Power Project. The
gushing water of Uhl River, apart from adding all the charm to this hamlet, also allow locals for trout
breeding. In fact, there is a trout breeding centre from where the fishes are released into the river. The
travellers, however, can get involved in activities like angling / fishing, hiking, trekking, picnic, etc..
For those having a fondness for wildlife, Barot Village is also a portal to Nargu Wildlife Sanctuary A
variety of animals including Monal, Black Bear, Wildcats, Monkeys, Deer, etc.. have found shelter under
this sanctuary. One can also spend a night or two near the Sanctuary since there are two popular
accommodation options, namelyThaltukhod and Silbadhwan Barot is also linked with Kullu through a trek
route which is accessorized with thick forests. One interesting fact regarding this hamlet is that left bank
of Uhl river is the village Barot that belongs to Mandi district while on the other side Kangra district is
situated whereas the river belongs to Punjab (as per contract ;)) …
Location
Barot is located in Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh (about 66 km from Mandi, the district
headquarters). It is situated at a distance of about 40 odd km from JoginderNnagar, nearest railhead, on
the Mandi – Pathankot Highway The road to this little known yet astonishing village expands from
Ghatasni, a place on Mandi – Pathankot Highway and Barot lies at a distance of about 25 kms from
Ghatasani. One could also manage to swing by the haulage trolley run by Punjab State Electricity Board
(PSEB). The haulage trolley connects Joginderagar with Barot. Use of haulage trolley shortens the
distance by 12 km. Unfortunately, the trolley is not in use anymore.
Altitude
Barot is located in Chauhar/Chuhar Valley at an altitude of 1,830 Metres or 6,001 Feet.
Seasons for Travelling to Barot
This lovely village can be visited during all months except for rainy seasons because the condition of the
roads may degrade due to heavy rains. Landslides can also contribute in blocking the roads for an
uncertain period. During the months of November to February, climate is quite cold and heavy snowfall
can be expected during January. However, the village looks pristine when covered under white carpet of
snow. People having an affinity for whiteout can visit this place during winter but be prepared with couple
of days buffer in case of heavy snowfall, as road might get closed due to it.
Himalayas the first good views welcome us…
How to Reach Barot from Delhi
By Road
Barot is situated about 25 KM off the National Highway 20 (NH-20), also known as Mandi – Pathankot
Highway. The road to Barot cuts from Ghatasni. and goes through Jhatingiri – Tikkan Villages. If your
travel starts from Delhi, the distance is about 530 KMs and travel time will be approximately 14 hours if
the climate and road conditions are seemingly fair. One of the most comfortable and direct route to reach
Barot from Delhi is given below Delhi –>Ambala –> Chandigarh –>Kiratpur Sahib –>Swarghat –>Bilaspur
–>Mandi –>Ghatasni –>Jhatingiri –>Tikkan –>Barot
The Mandi-PathankotHighway(NH-20) stretching from Mandi to Ghatasni is in vogue with travellers these
days. The roads leading to Barot are however steep and at places you cannot go above first gear. The
condition of the roads require a little experience in driving on hills.
Public Transport
By Bus: Mandi is well connected with all the major cities of Himachal Pradesh and in fact Delhi as well.
One can board a bus from Delhi or Chandigarh and reach Mandi in about 10 hours. We recommend you
to take an overnight bus which will drop you off at Mandi in the morning. From there, you can hop on
another bus and get off at Ghatasni. Again, you can get on a bus and finally reach Barot. The average
fare is around 950 INR.You can find all the necessary information about ticket booking at the
link: http://hp.gov.in/hrtctickets/.
By Taxi/ Cab: You can easily hire a cab or a taxi from Delhi or Chandigarh and reach Barot directly which
is clearly not the case while travelling in a bus. A car will take about 13-14 hours from Delhi to reach
Barot.
By Train: The closest railway station is at Joginder Nagar and there is a narrow gauge railway line
connecting Joginde Nagar to Pathankot. When travelling from Delhi, here’s the route: Delhi – Pathankot
(480KM) and the narrow gauge track from Pathankot – Joginder Nagar (153KM). From Joginder Nagar to
Ghatasni (35 KM) and then to Barot (25 KMs), shall be covered by road.
By Air: Barot is 127 km from Bhuntar Airport near Kullu. You can also reach Barot from Gaggal airport
near Kangra, approximate distance is 97 km. It is suggested to keep a check on flights on the websites
from time to time as the frequency of flights is really low due to unpredictable climatic conditions at these
places.
Suggested Itinerary
Although it is a matter of personal preference but to save you some time I will suggest you a 4 day
itinerary for your perfect stay at Barot in case you are visiting from Delhi.
Day 1 – Take an overnight bus from Delhi. Reach Mandi next morning. From Mandi hop on another bus
that drops you off at Ghatasni and from there you can finally take a bus or a shared cab and reach Barot.
Check in your rest house or homestay and you can spend rest of the day relaxing near the Uhl River or a
walk around the village is quite de-stressing.
Day 2 – After breakfast one can head straight for a few outdoor activities like angling, fishing, picnic,
hiking, etc..
Day 3 – After breakfast you can gear yourself up for a trek through Barot. However, the trek isn’t small
enough to be finished in a day. You will require at least a day more to finish it. Or else, you can drive
towards Luhardi Village or Bada Gran village. From Luhardi, road ends at the project but you can walk to
village by the name Poling from where snow clad peaks appear just in touching distance. In fact, at Luhardi
there is primary school as well where you can execute DoW – Causes | A Step Towards Responsible
Travel, in case you beieve in spreading smiles up there in Himalayas. You can even check one such event
executed by Dheeraj at the link: DoW Cause | GYAAN 500 in action at Barot, Himachal
OR You can pay a visit to Nargu Wildlife Sanctuary which branches off at Barot. You can also
visitDianasur Lake along with the two reservoirs which take us back to 1924 due to its old machinery.
OR You can go to Bir – Billing which is famous for its Paragliding activities. You can learn more in detail
about it at the link of DoW Community: Paragliding in Himalayas
Day 4 – Start your journey back from Barot or Bir – Billing. You shall board a bus till Ghatasani and then
another for Mandi or Dharamshala and finally to Delhi or Chandigarh.
The Super Sunset on the way to Barot
Accommodation options at Barot
Considering the fact that Barot is a hamlet, there are no hotels available as such. However, there are
relaxing home stays in Barot. You can lodge here and the locals will graciously greet you. Two popular
guest house run by government departments and a few privately owned rest houses will make your stay
comfortable and relaxing. The average tariff of a single homestay ranges from Rs.300 to 600 per day.
Contact information of these houses is given below.
Homestays at Barot
River View Homestay: You can check Dheeraj’s Review in DoW Community at the link: River View
Homestay at Barot | A Detailed Review
Shobhla Homestay can be contacted at 9418298556 & 01908267223
Barrage View Homestay can be contacted at 09736958568 & 09816863982
Guest Houses at Barot
Sachin Guest House 01908 – 267342, 09816807627
K.K Negi Guest House can be contacted at 01908 – 267312
Heera Guest House can be contacted at 09418260576
Govt. Rest Houses at Barot
PWD Rest House whose booking can be done at Paddhar Tehsil Office 01908 – 260665
Forest Rest house, whose booking can be done at Joginder Nagar Forest Department 01908 – 222079
For more details of the process and booking, you can check the link: How to Book HP PWD Rest Houses
or FRHs
The Lovely PWD Rest House at Barot
Attractions or Sightseeing around Barot
If and when, you get full of admiring the picturesque views and dazzling features of this valley then some
other things to do at Barot are listed below:
Angling, fishing, trekking, picnic, camping, rock climbing, river crossing and other various outdoor
activities.
Many trekking trails pass through Barot, including trek to Bada Bhangal, Manali and Kullu.
Barot is near Bir – Biling which is quite famous for Paragliding.
The place is famous for its Trout fishing. So if you love fishing, this place is your heaven!
Internet accounts also tells us about the Summer Palace of Mandi Kings in Jhatangiri. Also, Jhatingiri is a
great vantage point to witness an amazing sunset.
There is also a high altitude panoramic lake at an height of 14000 (4150m) feet known as Dianasur lake
where holy journeys are started during August and September. Lord Hanuman is believed to have stopped
over this place while killing an evil witch.The route to this lake requires a little experience in trekking.
Nonetheless, the difficulty level is not that high for newbies too :).
There are two reservoirs at Barot under Shanan power project. They were built in the year 1924 by a British
engineer Col. Betty. You can see old machinery used in project.
There are also some small scale industries and shops where shawls and woollen clothes are manufactured
using a typical technology called ‘Khaddi’. One can visit these shops, if interested.
Barot is doorway to Nargu Wildlife Sanctuary which is situated across the Uhlriver.
If you have a little extra time, you may want to take a tour of nearby villages like Luhardi village, Poling
Village, Bada Gran which are as much awe-inspiring as Barot. You will find plenty of places where you can
site besides the river and relax in the lap of nature.
The Uhl River at Barot Village
Food Joints
Food availability is not a problem at all in Barot. The rest house generally provide food three times but
there are also a few dhabas that serve food too and you can also try the local Himachali Cuisines too.
People have kitchengardens outside their houses which is a rare sight in metropolitan cities. The
vegetables grown in these gardens are used for cooking meals by the locals. Dal / Rrajma, sabzi, rice,
chutney, salad, etc..is the basic food of this area. Trout Fish and PahariAaloo are the special dishes of
Barot.
Medical Facilities
Besides primary health centre, a 24×7 ambulance services can be reached at 108 telephone number. For
any emergency situation, you need to go to Mandi or Jogindernagar for treatment. Hence, advise you to
carry your medical kit along with you which is commonly required during any journey. Do keep extra
woollen clothes with you. There are chances that you might get wet, so better have some option.
ATM Availability
There is a PNB ATM situated at a village named Tikkan, approximately 12 km away from Barot. Even so,
it is advised that you carry cash. Mandi, on the other hand, offers excellent ATM Services. ICICI, Canara
Bank, Axis Bank, HDFC Bank, Union Bank, SBI have their ATMs established in Mandi.
Mobile Connection/Signal
Almost all the service providers have their coverage at Barot but it is always best to have BSNL or Airtel
connection as they generally provide excellent services in remote areas too. Besides one can find
number of STD/ISD telephone booths around there at Barot.
Petrol Pumps
Mandi is the nearest place where petrol pump is available, so do top up in case it is required.
Barot Village
Other Tips an Suggestions from DoW
1. GPS is quite successful in this area but cannot be always relied on. It is hence recommended to take help
from shopkeepers and passer-by for directions whenever you are confused.
2. Always carry some extra woollen clothes. They might come very handy in case you get your clothes wet,
somehow.
3. Bring along a few medicines that are often required during a journey. Medical ambulance and can be
reached at the following telephone number 108, keep this number with yourself for any such case.
4. You can also check our suggested list of things to carry on trip including medical kit
5. Due to rains in monsoon and snow fall in winters, the area tends to encounter landslides and can be closed
for any uncertain number of time during such period. So, plan your visit accordingly with required buffer
days.
The woods around Barot… Can you spot the sheep?
Conclusion
Barot is quite an unexplored and offbeat destination in Himachal Pradesh and has a lot of potential to
entice travellers around the world due to its unrestricted outdoor activities and picturesque location. But
again such places are better off without any commercialization or tourist activities which most certainly
spoil the beauty of such unusually vivid places. So, when you travel then our request is that you travel
responsibly. You can read our tips in DoW Community link: Responsible Travel in Himalayas
Barot is one of the very few places which can give you a break from the bustling city life and you will love
to spend some quality time with your loved ones there in the lap of nature. It is a lovely place that takes
you back in time. So step out and experience the magic of this place where nature is experienced at its
best…
Feel free to post any queries here as comments or in Itinerary Advice Forum of DoW Community…
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