My Favourite Things to Do Around Saraaya

When we started Saraaya, we didn’t want to create a place where guests simply came to sleep in a private Safari suite.

We wanted people to experience the landscape.

But there is something else I want to say about staying at Saraaya.

I don’t encourage our guests to try and do everything.

In fact, quite the opposite.

If you have come to Saraaya after a busy few months, sometimes the best thing you can do is absolutely nothing.

Sleep a little longer.

Have breakfast slowly.

Sit in the forest.

Read a book.

Watch the mountains.

Take a walk without deciding where you are going.

That’s a perfectly good day at Saraaya.

But if you are inquisitive, curious about the place you have travelled to and want to explore beyond the property, there is plenty to discover.

These are some of the experiences I personally recommend.

Start With the Forest

Before I tell you where to go, let me tell you what I think you should do first.

Stay at Saraaya and absorb the forest.

Our location is one of the reasons we chose this place.

You don’t need to get into a car to find nature.

You are already in it.

Sit beneath the trees.

Let the sunlight come through the canopy.

Listen to the wind.

Watch the changing light.

Take a slow walk.

This is sometimes called forest bathing.

I simply call it spending time in the forest.

For me, this is more important than trying to collect a list of sightseeing spots.

The forest is not an activity at Saraaya. It is part of the stay.

1. Trek to Kareri Lake — Stay Overnight

For guests who really want to walk into the mountains

One of the special things about Saraaya is the access to the Kareri Lake trekking route.

From Saraaya, Kareri Lake is approximately a four-hour hike one way, depending on your fitness, walking pace, weather and trail conditions.

Because of this, I recommend treating Kareri Lake as an overnight trekking experience, rather than trying to rush there and back in one day.

If you are going to make the effort to walk into the mountains, give yourself time to experience them.

Walk through the forest.

Cross streams.

Stop for a while.

Enjoy the changing landscape.

Spend the night in the mountains.

And return the next day.

Kareri Lake is a genuine Himalayan trek and should be approached accordingly. Suitable footwear, warm clothing, food, preparation and appropriate local guidance are important, particularly for anyone unfamiliar with mountain terrain.

My recommendation: don’t treat Kareri Lake as something to tick off.

Stay the night. Slow down. Experience the mountains.

2. Explore Khabroo Waterfall

A day in Boh Valley

If you want a day excursion, Khabroo Waterfall is one of my recommendations.

It is approximately a 45-minute drive from Saraaya.

From the dropping point, there is approximately a 3 km hike to reach the waterfall.

The hike is as much a part of the experience as the waterfall itself.

You leave the road behind and gradually move deeper into the landscape, with the forest and sound of water becoming increasingly prominent.

And I particularly like this excursion because you can combine it with another experience nearby.

3. Visit the Trout Farms of Boh Valley

See how the mountains support local livelihoods

The Boh Valley is known for trout farming, taking advantage of the cold mountain water flowing through the valley.

Rather than simply ordering trout at a restaurant, you can see how the environment itself supports a local livelihood.

This is why I recommend combining the trout farms with Khabroo Waterfall.

A good day out:

Saraaya → Boh Valley → Trout Farm → Khabroo Waterfall → Saraaya

The order can change depending on weather, road conditions and local timings.

It’s a full day, but it gives you a glimpse of a part of Himachal that many visitors never see.

4. Visit Nauhali Village

Don’t just pass through a Himalayan village

Nauhali is part of the landscape around Saraaya and is also connected with the route towards Kareri Lake.

If you’re curious about local life, take some time to walk through the village.

Look at the houses.

See the fields.

Notice how people use the land.

Talk to local people respectfully.

Observe how life has adapted to the mountains.

This isn’t a staged tourist attraction.

And that’s exactly why I recommend it.

5. Explore Kareri Village

A village connected to the Kareri Lake landscape

Kareri Village is another place worth exploring if you are interested in the people and landscape around the Kareri Lake trail.

The village offers a different perspective on Himalayan life.

For me, village visits are an important part of travelling.

You aren’t just seeing mountains.

You are seeing the communities that have lived among them for generations.

6. Visit Tal Mata Temple

Approximately 45 minutes from Saraaya

Tal Mata Temple is around a 45-minute drive from Saraaya.

If you’re interested in the spiritual side of the region, this can make a lovely half-day mountain excursion.

I particularly enjoy visiting smaller sacred places like this because they feel connected to the local community and landscape rather than being simply another tourist attraction.

Take the mountain drive.

Spend some quiet time at the temple.

Look around.

And come back.

You don’t need to turn every outing into a full-day itinerary.

7. Trek to Rei Mata

For those who want another trail

If you enjoy hiking but don’t want to take on the longer Kareri Lake trek, Rei Mata is another experience worth considering.

The trails around Saraaya range from approximately two hours to four or five hours, depending on the route, destination and your pace.

One of the advantages of our location is that you don’t necessarily need to drive somewhere to begin a walk.

You can simply start exploring.

As always in the mountains, weather and trail conditions can change, so check with our team before setting out.

8. Discover Traditional Water-Powered Mills

Where mountain water still does the work

Around the villages near Saraaya, you can find traditional ghrats, or water-powered mills.

Locally, you may also hear them described as traditional chakki or mills.

The idea is remarkably simple.

Water from a natural source or traditional irrigation channel, such as a kuhl or canal, is directed towards the mill.

The force of the flowing water turns the mechanism and operates the grinding stones used to process grain.

Water. Gravity. A wheel. Grinding stones.

A simple piece of technology that allowed generations of mountain families to process their grain.

Some traditional systems continue to be used locally.

If you’re curious about how people traditionally lived in these mountains, this is exactly the kind of experience I would recommend.

9. Discover How Local Wool Becomes Shawls & Blankets

From wool to something made by hand

Another part of Himalayan life that fascinates me is traditional wool work.

Wool has long been valued in mountain communities for its warmth and practicality.

The journey from raw wool to a finished shawl or blanket involves several stages.

The wool is cleaned and prepared, then carded and spun into yarn. The yarn can be woven using looms and other local equipment to create fabric.

Depending on the community and product, the finished material can become shawls, blankets, wraps and other useful woollen products.

What I find fascinating is the simplicity of the equipment and the skill involved.

The finished product may look simple.

But behind it are generations of knowledge about materials, weather, weaving and mountain life.

Where available, we can help interested guests discover local artisans and learn more about these traditional processes.

10. Notice How Water Shapes Life Here

From traditional mills to modern hydro power

Water is one of the defining features of this landscape.

It feeds streams.

Supports agriculture.

Helps villages.

Powers traditional mills.

And today contributes to modern infrastructure too.

There is a small 0.5 MW hydro project in the area around Saraaya.

I don’t consider this a tourist attraction, and I wouldn’t suggest visiting it simply to take a look.

But once you start paying attention to the streams, channels and water systems around the villages, you begin to understand how deeply water is connected to life in these mountains.

If You Are Curious, Here Is How I Would Spend a Few Days

I don’t recommend trying to fit all of these experiences into one stay.

But if you are the kind of traveller who wants to explore, here’s how I would approach it.

Day 1 — Don’t Go Anywhere

Arrive at Saraaya.

Settle in.

Have lunch.

Walk through the forest.

Sit in the sunshine.

Watch the sunset.

Have a bonfire in the evening.

Let the mountains introduce themselves to you.

Day 2 — Explore Boh Valley

Start early.

Drive towards Boh Valley.

Visit a trout farm.

Continue towards Khabroo Waterfall.

Hike approximately 3 km from the dropping point.

Spend time at the waterfall.

Return to Saraaya.

Day 3 — Choose One

Don’t choose three.

Choose one.

Kareri Lake:

For the serious hiker — plan an overnight trek.

Rei Mata:

For a shorter hiking experience.

Nauhali or Kareri:

For village life and local culture.

Tal Mata:

For a quieter spiritual excursion, approximately 45 minutes from Saraaya.

Or…

Stay at Saraaya.

And That Last Option Is Important

As a founder, I don’t want Saraaya to become another place where guests feel they have to do things.

We spend enough of our lives rushing.

You don’t have to rush here.

If you spend an entire afternoon sitting in the forest, that’s not wasting your time.

If you read a book for three hours, that’s not wasting your time.

If you take a walk with no destination, that’s not wasting your time.

If you wake up early simply to watch the sun move through the trees, that’s not wasting your time.

That’s the experience.

My Way of Experiencing Saraaya

When I think about what makes this place special, I don’t think first about a waterfall or a trekking route.

I think about space.

Space to walk.

Space to sit.

Space to listen.

Space to disconnect.

The experiences around us are there if you are curious enough to explore them.

But they are not a checklist.

Come for the mountains.

Explore if you want to.

Stay still if you need to.

And let the forest decide the pace.

That, to me, is Saraaya.

— Sabhay Thakur
Founder, Saraaya Glamps Dharamshala

Saraaya Glamps

Serenity in Wilderness