Kalatop – A Secluded Retreat of Himachal

Khajjiar and Kalatop remain the best accessible places of visit from Dalhousie in Himachal Pradesh. Kalatop also forms an excellent trekking base for adventure lovers. Situated at a height of around 8000 feet above sea level, reaching Kalatop will be an experience of a lifetime. You will pass through a road bounded by dense forest and reach at Lakkarmandi that lies between the Dayankund and Kalatop peak. The Bhulwani Mata Temple is the main attraction at the foothills of the Dayankund peak of Himachal Pradesh. Dayankund has an elevation of 8600 feet with several military installations. Tourists and honeymoon couples will love to walk up to Kalatop from Lakkarmandi. The road is covered with pine and deodar with the Kalatop Forest Rest House situated 3 km away from central Lakkarmandi. The blissful ambience and the chirping of birds make Kalatop a secluded yet sought after tourist spot. The beautiful landscape, pine forests, wildlife and tranquility are integral to your Kalatop trip from Dalhousie.

Places to see in Kalatop

Since it is a comparatively less explored region in the state, tourists can indulge in forest trailing, wildlife safari or go on a picnic.

Kalatop - Khajjiar Wildlife Sanctuary – The trekking trails of the Khajjiar Sanctuary extends up to Kalatop and the oak, deodar and pine tress form a fine canopy. This small sanctuary in the Chamba district has an area of 20.27 square kilometers and is around 6km drive from the town of Dalhousie. This wildlife park also lies along river Ravi and has a rich forest cover. Wide variety of animal species found here includes bear, leopard, jackal and langur. Birds you will see are Eurasian Jay, black headed jay and the black bird.

Lakkarmandi – The route to Kalatop is via Lakkarmandi that is known for its dhogri family population involved in making of charcoal. Lakkarmandi has Dayankund as its right peak and Kalatop on its left. From Lakkarmandi, you can visit the Dalhousie Potato Farm and the Tibetan Handicraft Centre.

Excursion from Kalatop

Several interesting locales in and around Kalatop are easily accessible from Dalhousie:

Khajjiar – Khajjiar is around 22 km by road from Dalhousie and is a picturesque spot ideal for picnic, jungle camping and forest trail walking. The green meadow, Khajjiar Lake, a temple dedicated to Khajji Nag and the Kalatop-Khajjiar Wildlife Sanctuary are the main attractions here. Tourists can also enjoy pony rides here.

Bakrota Hills – This hill has an elevation of 2085 meters and is part of Dalhousie. The Bakrota Mall is a 5 km long pathway that is the most popular point of this hill. It offers spectacular views of the snow capped mountains in winter.