48 Hours In..... A Haven Amidst Apple Orchards

“The mountains are calling and I must go” ~ John Muir

Hello travellers! We are back again with our next installation of our 48 hours blog series. This time get ready to be blown away by this gem amidst cottony clouds and flanked by forests as far as the eyes can see.

Day 1:

1:00 PM : After a 13 hour long and tiring journey from Delhi, We were elated to check into this mountain hideaway. The first views of Shivadya left us mesmerized – the sturdy mountains in the background covered in greenery and the cloudy skies were sight for sore eyes. Our room for the weekend was called ‘Kaza’ (named after a small township in Himachal Pradesh.) The room was tastefully done in traditional Himachali architectural style with two Kangra Paintings hanging on the walls.

2:30 PM : After a quick warm shower, everyone gathered for lunch in the open garden – the views of the valleys and forest was so breathtaking that for a moment we forgot all about our hunger and exhaustion, until the food arrived – the delicious smell of food had our hunger return in full force. The food was delicious and conversation to go with it was fun too.

4:00 PM : After an exquisite lunch and chatting with the other guests, I was ready to test out the very comfy looking bed and my oh my! The feeling of a soft, warm bed after a long tiring journey is heaven.

6:00 PM: We took the opportunity to explore the nearby village, Karjan, and spoke to the all the locals we could find. Learning and interacting with people of different cultures and seeing first hand how tourism can help improve their lives are our favourite things about traveling.

7:00 PM : We got back from our little excursion, sat in our balcony and enjoyed the silence along with the cool mountain breeze as we watched the sun set on our first day here. We’re already in love with the peace and mountain air, it is very possible that we may never leave.

8:00 PM : So dinner was super exciting! The food was great and the guests talked about their day and what a contrast the quietness of this hideaway is from the hum drum of the city.

9:30 PM : Time to sleep. First day here is over, so excited to see what the next two days bring.

Day 2:

8:00 AM : The alarm was set for 7:45 AM because we knew it was going to be an adventurous and fun filled day. We took our shower and quickly got ready for the breakfast.

9:00 AM : After a breakfast of kings, we were given a tour of the resort by Mr. Sood, the owner of this place. He informed us that 100% natural materials such as wood, stone and mud were used in the construction and that the resort has a zero-wastage philosophy where they try to leave as little of a carbon footprint as they can.

11:00 AM – The activities were graciously planned by Mr. Sood himself, who was most generous in his attention. We were headed to an ‘Off Road Biking’ experience, some sight-seeing which included a visit to the Roerich Museum and Naggar Castle. The Roerich Museum is one of the more prominent museums in the area and is a must do for all art enthusiasts.

2:00 PM: After all that sight seeing, it was time for lunch. We ate at the Jana Falls, the chef prepared a wonderful picnic to take along with us – another definite must do!

6:00 PM : We came back to the resort and took a quick power nap.

7:30 PM. A barbeque was being setup in the garden as live music played in the background, it was a wonderful evening. The guests gathered around the amphitheatre and discussed their day and about their lives back home. After that, we relished the lip-smacking food followed by a desi fusion of desserts like gulab jamun ice-cream. (A must try guys!)

10:00 PM. It was time to sleep and we couldn’t believe how quickly my time here was coming to an end.

Day 3:

8:00 AM : As it was our last day at Shivadya, we woke up early, had a shower and got ready for the day ahead.

9:00 AM – Delectable breakfast was served at the in-house Restaurant ‘Taala’ – parathas, puris, omelettes,toasted bread, an assortment of fresh fruits and juices. We were powered up for another day of adventure and excitement.

9:45 AM – We went for a hike with Mr. Sood around the neighbouring villages and to the nearby Vishnu temple which holds many religious functions from time to time, we went forward to the Sajla waterfall which was further walk of about 20-30 minutes, through thick pine forest. We spent sometime gazing the beauty of the fall and walked back to resort passing through orchards and fields.It was an enlightening experience to learn about the little communities around.

1:00 PM – When we got back, it was almost checkout time and so we packed everything and said goodbye to this hidden gem and the all the lovely people we met here, with a heavy heart. We explored a little bit of Manali and Old Manali before catching the bus to Delhi at 6.

With such scenic beauty and unmatched hospitaility, we’re already excited to plan our next trip back!