Outbound

Hartola, UK

India can surprise you! India will surprise you! India can surprise even an Indian who feels he/she has seen enough of the world.

Imagine going on a vacation without an agenda, to simply slow down, to relax, and yet involve in activities that don’t stress but recharge. A Himalayan experience is exactly what the doctor would prescribe. The mountain life attracts several visitors from the crowded cities, in fact so much is the attraction that you will see the consequences of a million confluences in the hill stations of Mussoorie, Ooty, Shimla, Nainital, etc. These once beautiful places are crumbling and are in a very stressful condition today.

So we ask you to reach a sweet little village in the Nainital district, Hartola, where commercialization hasn’t yet reached. Sitting pretty at 8345ft, surrounded by organic fruit orchards, only 70 kms from the nearest railways station (Kathgodam), this little hamlet offers pleasant weather in the Indian summers, and chilly winters with a few days of snow. Being in the Kumaon region, the rains are beautifully green and gives you a heavenly feeling of floating above the clouds. What makes it best for a staycation is its location, the roads leading to nowhere. On the eastern side is the Mukteshwar highway, and the western side is the Almora highway. Result – no traffic, zero pollution!

THINGS TO DO…

O when the sun’s crisp rays enlighten the body, and the gentle cool breeze relaxes the mind, let the soul rejuvenate itself through the sights and sounds of nature!

There are a lot of eco-activities that one can indulge in, or one can simply sit by the window and gaze into the horizon for hours doing absolutely nothing.

The host is able to organize short treks, orchard breakfast picnics and fruit picking (seasonal) tours. One can do a half day trip to the Mukteshwar Temple (60 minutes drive), or visit lesser known temples and waterfalls around. One can also find solace in sharing skills with the local children, or learning their simplistic ways of life – satisfaction with minimal resources!

Indoors, while the children keep themselves busy in the play area with books, art & craft activities, the elders can show off their musical skills, cooking/baking skills, or enjoy a few games of fooseball, carrom, chess etc. Gardening is also a family option. Watching award winning family oriented movies on the big screen is something the family can think about as well.