Nomadic Adventure - Tales & Trails

Location & Setting

Barot Valley, a beautiful place located at an altitude of 6000 feet above sea level on the banks of the Uhl River. It is surrounded by Tosh and Deodar trees and lies on the border of Mandi and Kangra districts. Luhardi and Multhan are some of the villages that are part of Barot.

History & Significance

Barot was developed in 1926 by Raja Joginder Singh and Col. Betty to build India's first hydropower project. At that time, a 126 km railway line was built from Pathankot to Jogindernagar to transport goods, and a 9 km winch trolley was built from Jogindernagar to Barot. Even today, water from the Uhl River in Barot is collected in a reservoir and then flows through a tunnel to Jogindernagar, where turbines generate electricity.

Local Beauty & Activities

Barot Valley is famous for its scenic beauty, traditional villages, and Pahari culture.

Trekking in Barot

If you are a trekking enthusiast, Barot is perfect for you. Starting from the village, we can trek 4 km to Headgear at an altitude of 7500 feet via Col. Betty rest house. From Headgear, you can see both valleys. From there, trekking 2 km further, we reach Winch Camp. The old winch trolley, which was used in the hydropower project, still runs at Winch Camp. You can enjoy panoramic views of the valley from Winch Camp and see the old machinery. You can trek back to Headgear and then follow the railway track to reach Barot. This entire trek is 4-5 hours long.

Fishing in Barot

There are many trout fish farms in Barot. If you are fond of eating fish, there are many restaurants here that serve trout fish dishes.

How to reach Barot Valley

Nearest railway station: Jogindernagar (about 40 km away).

Air: You can also reach Barot by air. There are two options:

• Bhuntar Airport, Kullu (105 km away)
• Gaggal Airport (114 km away)

Road:

• Delhi to Barot Valley - 476 km
• Chandigarh to Barot Valley - 241 km
• Pathankot to Barot Valley - 182 km

There are two ways to go from Delhi to Barot Valley - one from Mandi and the other from Jogindernagar. Both routes take approximately the same distance and time.

Places to visit in Barot Valley

• Lapas Waterfall: A beautiful waterfall in Barot Valley.
• Barot Dam: Part of the Shanan Hydroelectric Project.
• Nargu Wildlife Sanctuary: A great place to see wild      animals.
• Uhl River & Shanan Hydel Project: A project built      by the British in collaboration with Raja Jogindernagar.

Things to do in Barot Valley

• Trout fishing: Barot is famous for trout fishing.
• Small waterfalls: There are many small waterfalls in      Barot Valley.

Duration of Stay

You can stay in Barot Valley for 1-2 nights.