Narkanda itinerary

Plan 01

1 day in Narkanda

1. 01

   Day 1: Hatu Peak and Tani Jubbar

   Start early so the mountains are clear, and drive up the Hatu road to the temple near the summit, checking locally that the road is open. Allow time for the short walk, the views and tea. Come back down to town for lunch and rest. In the afternoon, drive towards Thanedar and stop at Tani Jubbar Lake for a gentle forest-edge walk before returning to Narkanda before dark.

   Stop	Time needed	Walking	Best time
   Hatu Peak	1.5–3 hours by taxi including stops	Moderate	Early morning on a clear day; April–June and September–November for easy access
   Tani Jubbar Lake	30–60 minutes	Easy	Daytime; clear weather

   Pace: Moderate walking today — plan a sit-down break between stops.

   With parents at Hatu Peak: The road is steep with sharp turns, and the top is cold, windy and uneven underfoot with few seats. A taxi to the top works for most older travellers, but skip the trek and carry a windproof layer. If anyone feels breathless at about 3,400 m, rest and drink water.

Plan 02

2 days in Narkanda

1. 01

   Day 1: Hatu Peak

   Take a taxi up the Hatu road in the morning, when visibility is usually best. Visit Hatu Mata Temple, walk around the ridge at an easy pace, and come down for a long lunch. Use the afternoon to rest or to walk gently around the town; in winter, check the ski slope below Hatu.

   Stop	Time needed	Walking	Best time
   Hatu Peak	1.5–3 hours by taxi including stops	Moderate	Early morning on a clear day; April–June and September–November for easy access
   Hatu Mata Temple	20–40 minutes	Easy	Morning; clear days

   Pace: Moderate walking today — plan a sit-down break between stops.

   With parents at Hatu Peak: The road is steep with sharp turns, and the top is cold, windy and uneven underfoot with few seats. A taxi to the top works for most older travellers, but skip the trek and carry a windproof layer. If anyone feels breathless at about 3,400 m, rest and drink water.

2. 02

   Day 2: Thanedar and Kotgarh

   Drive towards Thanedar, stopping at Tani Jubbar Lake. Walk up to Parmajyoti Mandir on Barobagh hill and see Stokes' house from outside, then continue to Kotgarh for St Mary's Church. Between August and October, ask your hotel about orchard visits during the harvest. Return to Narkanda in the afternoon, or carry on to Shimla.

   Stop	Time needed	Walking	Best time
   Tani Jubbar Lake	30–60 minutes	Easy	Daytime; clear weather

   Pace: All the stops today are easy on the legs.

Plan 03

3 days in Narkanda

1. 01

   Day 1: Arrival and a gentle evening

   Reach Narkanda by early afternoon from Shimla, settle in and let the altitude pass. Walk the highway stretch and the nearby forest edge, and keep the evening for a hot meal. If you arrive in winter, confirm the road conditions the day before.

2. 02

   Day 2: Hatu Peak and the ski slopes

   Drive up to Hatu Peak early, visit the temple and walk the ridge. In winter, look in at the slopes where HPTDC has run skiing courses; in other months use the time for a short forest walk. Rest after lunch.

   Stop	Time needed	Walking	Best time
   Hatu Peak	1.5–3 hours by taxi including stops	Moderate	Early morning on a clear day; April–June and September–November for easy access

   Pace: Moderate walking today — plan a sit-down break between stops.

   With parents at Hatu Peak: The road is steep with sharp turns, and the top is cold, windy and uneven underfoot with few seats. A taxi to the top works for most older travellers, but skip the trek and carry a windproof layer. If anyone feels breathless at about 3,400 m, rest and drink water.

3. 03

   Day 3: Apple country

   Spend the day in Thanedar and Kotgarh: Tani Jubbar Lake, Parmajyoti Mandir, Stokes' orchard country and St Mary's Church at Kotgarh. Return to Narkanda for the night, or head on to Shimla or up the Sutlej valley.

   Stop	Time needed	Walking	Best time
   Tani Jubbar Lake	30–60 minutes	Easy	Daytime; clear weather

   Pace: All the stops today are easy on the legs.

Read before you go

Guides for the stops on these routes

Pacing

Pacing a Narkanda trip for parents and children

• Allow a full day in Shimla or Narkanda to acclimatise before long drives; altitude is moderate but cold nights can be harsh.
• Visit Hatu by taxi rather than the trek. The road is steep and winding, and the temple area has uneven ground and few seats.
• Avoid December to February unless you want snow and are comfortable with cold; roads can close without much notice.
• Choose a hotel with working heating, hot water and a ground-floor or lift-served room.
• Carry regular medicines and a layered, windproof wardrobe. Nearest major hospitals are in Shimla, about two hours away.
• Keep the drive to daylight hours; hill roads, fog and rain make night travel tiring and risky.

Narkanda with elderly parents: the full guide →