Pause, and breathe!

I craved a short weekend off, and wanted the weekend to be picture perfect - a weekend that would, in short, last me an eternity. And I needed to take the weekend off with my 'special someone'. Ok, my boyfriend. We were both broke, and we both weren't big on planning. And thus, we found the perfect holiday destination (ok, one of the many!) - Barog.

First up, here are some answers:

If you are really broke, worry not, because, if you take the train (or, the cheapest bus, in case you are like us and not inclined to book train tickets in advance), it will cost you 400 Rs per person, for the entire trip.

If you have absolutely no time, worry not, because the destination is 8 hours away from bus station to hotel, including some extra time for unplanned delays. And, there are overnight buses/ trains available both ways.

If you are worried about sneaky people wanting to know who you are, what you are doing, who are the people with you, what do your parents do, etc. etc., this is the perfect place to get away from those. Don't bother anyone, and they won't bother with you (including hotel staff!)

Don't sweat about hotel bookings either - almost no one (including locals!) have heard of this place, and you are most certain to get bookings in most seasons. A phone call ahead of your visit will help, though. :)

There are several hotels available, most of which charge vastly different rates from each other. There are roadside dhabas that serve fresh hot mouth-watering parathas and naans through the day, so your food is well taken care of, too. And yes, don't forget to try the fruit wine peculiar to the little village!

And, if you are clueless about where this place is, here's a map, if you are geographically-inclined:
View Larger Map

The weather is gorgeous through the year - a chill in the air, and sometimes, it gets really misty, with the clouds floating into the room - its breath-taking, and yet, never extreme. There are several hiking trails around the place - nothing too challenging, but that is pretty much the only thing to do in Barog. If you are particularly adventurous, Barog is on the Kalka-Shimla highway, so you can hop across to Shimla (be warned, it is around a 2 hour drive away), or go down towards Kalka to Kasauli.


The people are warm and wonderful, and it is the perfect destination for a quiet weekend getaway, or for a party night with friends outside of the city! Be careful to respect the local customs, though! And yes, pass on the word to other backpackers!