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In our
quest of travelling to new places, we often choose convenient locations, hotels
nearby local markets, bus stations or train stations. We find it hard to come
out of a comfort zone and immerse ourselves into the ethnicity and natural
surroundings of a place which is always the better experience. Chakrata is a
quaint and pleasant hill station in Uttarakhand, no doubt, but unlike others,
the main town has little to offer and to truly come away with memories, one
must explore locations that are rejuvenating earthly oases, and you’ll find
them in the neighboring hills of Chakrata.
One such
location is Panchvati Eco Resorts tucked away among the hills of a raw natural
setting of Chakrata, away from the town but within the vicinity of a Jaunsari
Village that gives you a picture-perfect setting of quaint little cottages or
Chaanis as they are called. In fact, the area of Chakrata is known as Jaunsar Bawar
and vacationing at Panchvati Eco Resorts will give you a first-hand experience
of the Jaunsari culture, traditions and food. I decided to go for a workcation for a week to Panchvati in April 2021 and although this post is a year late, the memories are still fresh as the scent of the hills in Chakrata.
About Chakrata
Chakrata is a military cantonment
town in Dehradun, Uttarakhand open only to Indians. Foreigners aren’t allowed.
The region lies between the Tons and Yamuna rivers, at an elevation of 2118 m,
98 km from the state capital, Dehradun. While
you can stay in the town area which is close to sights like Chilmiri Top, Moila
Top and Lakhamandal Temple,
I chose to stay in Panchvati Eco Resorts, just a 20 minute walk away from Tiger Falls, a 312 foot
waterfalls considered the highest direct waterfall in India.
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| Bagheera, the real boss of Panchvati, an adorable Alsatian. |
I made the
right decision because while hill towns are a common affair, Panchvati is as
close to a rustic but comfortable setting as possible. It is a perfect destination
for those who want to work from home, where you can explore during the day, go
for short hikes, a walk, or even spend some time sitting by the nearby brooks
and streams in the area surrounded by hillsides full of mint leaf, (pudina), and
flowers. There is no need for guides, in Panchvati, you can roam around yourself
and enjoy your own company, it isn’t madness because you are at every moment
occupied with the sights, scents and sounds of the rugged but beautiful terrain
that surrounds you.
If you are
a bird lover, Panchvati will delight you. Expect to be woken up by the chirping
of various songbirds in the area, particular the babbler but what fascinated me
the most were the swallows that dive bomb the swimming pool, they are extremely
colorful in yellow and blue. Check out the pictures. You can even catch a
glimpse of the red peregrine falcon, and the Himalayan Eagle which is a common
sight looming majestically in the skies over the resort.
Panchvati
Eco Resort is extremely colorful in looks thanks to Manisha’s funky psychedelic
murals on every cottage of the resort enhancing the rejuvenating atmosphere of
the place. The resort is run by two of the nicest guys, Rahul and Yashpal,
helped by Jyoti and you’re never going to leave without being made to feel the
warmth of their friendship and individual care. This is one place that you’re
seriously going to want to come back again to especially because of the real
boss of the place, Bagheera, an Alsatian and Rahul’s soulmate. Bagheera loves attention,
he knows every inch of the area and loves to make friends with any visitor just
to show you around. He is an awesome dog, and an extremely gentle and friendly
one at that.
I stayed in
one of the resort tents but ended up sharing a dormitory with Rahul and Jyoti,
the food is homely and you get a choice of veg or chicken. The surrounding area
is home to an organic pea farm and the sweetest peas I’ve tasted so far. If you
want to experience a taste of local culture, Rahul and Yashpal will be only too
happy to oblige you by taking you on a tour of the local villages that dot the
area. The little cottages or Chaanis as they are called are fascinating. If you’re
up for a hike, you could trek down to Tiger Falls, or trek up the hill through
a lush forest to the local Gurdwara that is located within a small Sikh community
in the region. The Gurudwara Guru
Shri Singh Sabha, in MES line Chakrata, Uttarakhand. According to local belief, the gurudwara was
visited by Shri Guru Gobind Singh and sometimes the sound of horses can be
heard in the morning. The trek to the gurdwara is beyond words, you won’t
notice the steepness because every step of the way is like a stairway to
heaven, put on your headphones and tune into the Led Zeppelin number and the
feeling is complete.
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| A perfect little Jaunsari home |
If you want
a complete hiking experience, ask Rahul for details on how to go to Moila top
which will require an overnight stay in Lakhamandal Village. I went to Chilmiri
Top or Sunrise Point which is 3 km from the town area. Unfortunately, the
weather was bad so it wasn’t much of an eventful experience from me. I would
suggest skipping Chilmiri top and include Moila top in your plans instead.
How to
Reach Panchvati Eco Resort
Chakrata is
around three hours from Dehradun. If you’re a group, you could hire a car or if
you’re going solo which I did, then its best to take a bus from Dehradun to
Vikasnagar. Don’t waste time trying to find transport in Dehradun to Chakrata after
11 am, you won’t because only one bus is available in the morning from outside
the railway station. It’s just around a 100rs to Vikasnagar from where you’ll
get plenty of sharing SUV’s to Chakrata. It cost me Rs 250 to the main stand.
Coordinate with Rahul how to get to Panchvati Eco since it is around 18 km from
the main town, he will help you out.
Rates of
Panchvati Eco Resort
As for the
rates of the Resort, that depends on your type of accommodation, whether tent, cottage
or dormitory. Rates are around 1300 with two meals. (Rates may have changes
since my visit so I suggest you enquire with Rahul whose number is given below).
To make your trip more interesting you could even include Mussoorie in your itinerary
by going to Chakrata via Mussoorie which is just around an hour’s drive from Dehradun.
What you can expect from your trip
A NATURAL HIGH………Panchvati
Eco Resort is far from the town, it’s quiet, laidback and a true hideaway. Don’t
go there if you are a tourist who wants the facility of an urban town nearby.
Of course, you can always hire a vehicle and visit Chakrata town for that. Don’t
expect rooms with geysers, but you will get hot water made with a traditional charcoal
device. You’ll even get to spend the evenings around a bonfire and enjoy a swim
with local kids in the resort swimming pool. Carry your sunscreen because the
resort faces the sun, the days are really sunny and expect to see a sunrise every
day. If you are one who really wants a getaway, then this is one location you’re
going to find very hard to forget. And yeah, your phone Wi-Fi will work just
fine.
Signing of
with my video trekking alone through the forest to the gurdwara.
To book Panchvati Eco Resort, also called Panchvati Eco Homestay, Tiger falls Chakrata, contact Rahul Sharma on 9968939756