Shangarh- a Perfect Hidden Beauty TO Explore in 2023

Are you bored with the crowd????… Do you want to visit an idyllic place to relax for some time???…. Then, I will suggest a perfect place to give you internal peace in your disturbed mind which is Shangarh Village, a small village in Sainj Valley, Himachal Pradesh.

Shangarh, a beauty under covered by the Himalayan mountains, is an ideal destination that combines both tranquility and serenity. The beautiful pasturelands and foliages resemble Khajjiar ( a small town in the Chamba District of Himachal Pradesh), known as the mini Switzerland of India. But, in my opinion, it is wrong to compare such beauty with another, as every place has different scenic beauty which can’t be comparable. 

The timberlands around Shangarh, a part of the Great Himalayan National Park (UNESCO World Heritage site), are the treasures of Biome, eulogizing the beauty of the Himalayas. One can’t be bored in such an environment. The color-changing day skies in different seasons, the twinkling stars in the summer night, and the foggy nights in the winter are informing everyone that no one is prettier than nature.

Now Let’s explore the Shangarh, a small part of the Valley of Gods that is the Kullu District of Himachal Pradesh, with hodophileandfoodieme.

What to do in Shangarh Village:

Visit Shangchul Mahadev Temple:

The Mythological significance of Shangarh is also interesting. The Shangchul Mahadev ( Lord Shiv) temple proves that the place is a divine village one should visit once. The temple is the symbol of love where abandoned people of society or couple receives blessings from Lord Shiv. It is believed that Pandavas hid in the temple for some time and after knowing the hiding place, Kauravs tried to attack them but Shangchul Mahadev protected the Pandavas.

The meadows around the temple are free from stones. The story behind it is also entrancing. According to locals, the soil was finely griddled by the Pandavas before layering the ground. That’s why the ground is literally free from any stone.

Trekking in Tirthan Valley

Tirthan Valley which is around 57 km from Shangarh, lies alongside the Tirthan River and is one of the best places to trek around. You can do river rafting in the Tirthan River, trek in the GHNP(Great Himalayan National Park) , and rainbow trout fishing in the river.

From Tirthan Valley you can drive to Jalori Pass which connects Jibhi Valley and Shimla in a very traitorous shortcut path which itself is very adventurous but very safe if you take help from locals. Mean while driving to Jalori Pass you can hike into Serloskar Lake. The nature in Tirthan Valley has everything a person can experience in the wilder.

Bird And Animal watching in the GHNP

The GHNP is a great source of the natural environment for flora and fauna. The long Pine trees around the village are shelter homes for many animals and birds. You can roam around the trees and silently enjoy the chirping sounds of Himalayan birds which are very soothing to hear. Himalayan Critters are also join you while wandering in the forest. Before roaming around the trees please take help from local guides so that you will not face any problems.

Enjoy the Waterfall Nearby

Meandering in the pinery, you can see many waterfalls which are flowing from the heights and engrossing everybody to appriciate their beauties, cleanliness repeatedly, like the waterfalls saying with proud that without them the mountains are incomplete.

Explore the local  art and culture

To experience the Himachali tradition and culture, you can talk to local people there. Their traditional wooden architectures, festivals, how they celebrate with each other, the local beliefs, about their ancesstors, how they live in a simple way in the tiny areas, etc. anything you want to know from them to acquire some knowledge point of view or just you want to be like them for sometime. Because, they like tourists who interact with them with a friendly manner.

Relish the Himalayan local food and cooking methods

If you want to try some authentic Himachali food delicacies, then do interact with local people to try their homemade receipies instead of going to any restaurants or cafes. We Indians love to share our traditional food with others who shows interest in our food. By meeting with people there, they will offer you their local food and give some information about traditional cooking techniques which were used by their ancesstors and the changes they made with processes eventually.

Note:

Wherever you go to travel locals are best maps and guides than google. So, I always prefer talking to locals about their lives, tradition, culture, food, etc. So, it’s my special request other than depending on internet, an offline chit chat with people will always gives you satisfaction.

How To Reach Shangarh Village:

The best way to reach the Shangarh is to travel by Bus or taxi service. There are 2 ways by which you can reach the destination. Whether you are travelling from Delhi or Chandigarh via Manali route, the common entry point is Aut Tunnel.

There are direct buses available from Kullu and Manali. If you are travelling from Kullu then there is only one bus to shangarh at 1pm which takes around 3-4 hrs. From Manali you can get the local bus of HRCTC to Aut Tunnel which takes around 1.5 hrs.

After reaching Aut Tunnel, take another bus to Sainj valley main market. From Sainj Valley you can get the bus towards Shangarh via Ropa which is 7km away from the destination.

Where To Stay At Shangarh Village

There are several homestay options at Shangarh where you can stay safely with your dear ones or as a solo traveller. I will suggest you some hotels which are best rated.

• Hotel Divine land, Sainj Valley
• Zostel Shangarh, Shangarh
• The Hosteller Shangarh, Sainj Valley
• Paradise Homestay, Shangarh
• Mysterious Meadows, Shangarh
• Tree Stays Homestay, Shangarh

Thank You for reading my blog….For any queries , please comment down below and share your thoughts about Shangarh…..