narkanda

Location: Himachal Pradesh
Altitude: 2,708m
Places of Interest: Hattu Peak, Hattu MataTemple
Best Time To Visit: December to March
Narkanda, at 8,100 feet, 440-km from Delhi and is a two hours drive from Shimla. It is slightly higher than Shimla (7,400 feet) and the road linking the two runs almost near the crest of the mountain with a gradual ascent. One is constantly treated to a bird's-eye view of the different valleys as the road twists and turns from one spur to another. Especially breathtaking is the view of Narkanda from Fagu, a small village enroute.
What gives Narkanda its awe-inspiring view of the snowy peaks is the fact that it is located on the ridge of the last watershed before the Himalayan range. Below Narkanda, to the north is the Sutlej Valley and beyond it is the snowy massif. The ridge on which Narkanda stands is the watershed between the Sutlej on the north and the Giri River. The sleepy town of Narkanda sits astride the watershed between the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal.
The area around Narkanda is also the orchard region of Himachal, where cherry, apple etc are grown. One can see empty and packed crates of these fruits on the roadside, at various points on the way. Narkanda is also an upcoming hot spot for adventure sports such as skiing.

PRIME ATTRACTION

Hattu Peak: A better view of Narkanda is obtained from the nearby Hattu peak, which is nearly 2,000 feet higher than Narkanda, and just over an hour's trekking distance from it.  
 
Hattu Mata Temple: The ancient temple of Hattu Mata is alive with skiers.

ADVENTURE: Narkanda is basically a transit point between Shimla and Rampur; the place is famous for hiking and skiing. The only peak available for skiing is Hattu Peak, which is 6-kms away from Narkanda. There are good opportunities for cross-country skiing around Narkanda, if one has required equipment and experience.    

HOW TO GET THERE

Road: The fact that Narkanda is on the National Highway connecting Shimla to Kinnaur means that there is never a shortage of buses connecting one with Shimla. Shimla is at a distance of around 60-km and it takes only two hours to drive down to Narkanda from there.

NEARBY CITIES

Hattu Peak:                                        6-km
Shimla:                                                60-km