Life moves a bit slower in our little village in the Garhwal Himalayas, and that’s just how we like it. We invite you to spend time at our home in the mountains, slow down, catch up on the things you love, and soak in the natural beauty we’re surrounded by.

~ Anil & Sree, hosts at Kuflon Mountain Homestay

Overview

Deep in the Garhwal region of Uttarakhand, along a breathtaking stretch of the Himalayas, sits a beautiful little mountain village with a population of less than 30 people. Above, waterfalls of the pristine Asi Ganga river form natural freshwater swimming pools (and even a Jacuzzi!) for a refreshing dip, and below, the river flows ferociously. At 5,000 feet, the village makes a good base to start treks to the lakes of Dodital and Gangotri-Yamnotri, but an even better base to lose yourself in the tranquillity of the mountains and catch up on the things you never get time for in the cities.

A half hour drive from Uttarkashi, this homestay in the Garhwal Himalayas is nestled quietly at the edge of the village and the home of a young couple who quit their high-flying jobs in the cities to move back to the mountains they love. They have lovingly handcrafted two brick huts with five rooms and three Swiss tents to host travellers and share their slice of mountain paradise. Such comfort so high up in the Himalayas is a real treat.

Indulge in Anil and Sree’s warm hospitality, hearing tales of their adventurous lives in the mountains and their transition from city life. Stroll through the village to meet the friendly mountain folk, sample local and fusion recipes made with local ingredients often found wild in the forest, hike to neighbouring villages that sit atop pretty terraced valleys, trek into the higher reaches of the mountains, and lay back on the “stargazing rock” to spot shooting stars and constellations in a starry night sky. Most of all, savour the pristine beauty of the Garhwal Himalayas!

• Aerial view of Kuflon village. Photo by Vidur Jang Bahadur
• Inspiration for writing
• Landscapes on the drive into Garhwal
• Misty mornings
• Night view of the mountains. Photo by Vidur Jang Bahadur
• Overview of the home in the mountains. Photo by Vidur Jang Bahadur
• Snow capped peaks lurking-behind. Photo by Thad Malik
• Walk-through-the-village

Stay

The homestay is one couple’s effort to live in tune with nature, in the mighty and relatively undiscovered Garhwal Himalayas. Accommodation for travellers is offered in two aesthetically handcrafted huts, that together have 5 rooms. Each room is spacious and comfortably furnished with cushy mattresses, attached bathrooms and spectacular views of the mountains beyond. Three Swiss tents are erected for travellers looking for a more rustic and outdoor stay, with modern bathrooms a short walk away.

The lounge area aka “the hub” is where travellers gather to meet each other and the hosts, pick a book from the in-house collection, chat and have tea. The hammocks, “stargazing rock” and open meadows offer plenty of solitude to those seeking it. Meals are served in the dining hut. Your drinking water comes straight from the Asi Ganga through filters creatively fixed in the mountains; this is as pure as it gets!

You wake up to an orchestra of birds, can join your hosts in the kitchen to learn and share recipes, and practice yoga in the serene outdoors. A trap camera in strategic spots gives you a glimpse into the wildlife that crosses by these mountains when you sleep!

Note: Reaching the homestay requires 150 metres of walking up steps and a stone path in the mountains. The staff will be happy to help with your luggage ☺

• Aerial view of the homestay
• Balcony with a view of the mountains
• Bathrooms for the tents
• Comfortable rooms
• Huts built in simple, aethestic style
• Interior of the Swiss tents
• Modern bathrooms with natural light
• Room with a floor mattress
• Simple but beautiful rooms
• Stone path leading up to the home
• Swiss tents
• The hub aka lounge area
• Triple bedded room
• Your home in the mountains

Food & Drinks

From traditional Garhwali food to fusion continental and north Indian recipes, you’ll find the food at the homestay to be finger licking good!

Breakfast typically consists of Indian dishes like poha, paranthas, eggs cooked to order, fruits, bread and spreads. Homemade snacks and soups are served in the late evening at the hub. Lunch and dinner are a mix of seasonal veggies and non-vegetarian dishes, sourced from local farmers in the village. Specialties include fern, which grows wild in the forest and takes a keen eye to identify and rajma (kidney beans) grown in the higher villages of Garhwal.

• Breakfast is a hearty affair
• Forest fern and lentils
• North Indian fare
• Dining area for meals

Activities

You can plan to use Kuflon as a base for hiking and trekking, but leave space for your plans to change, because it’s the kind of place where you just want to sit back, soak in the tranquillity of the mountains, indulge in the warm hospitality and delicious food, and spend a do-nothing holiday!

Lay on a hammock and gaze at the mountains, spend time chatting with your hosts over tea, meet the village folk and learn about their lives, walk down to the ferociously flowing Ganga, hike up (10-15 minutes) to the freshwater pools made by the Asi Ganga for a refreshing dip, and find inspiration to paint, draw, write and do the things you love to do but rarely get time for.

Activities at and around the homestay include:

• Swimming in the natural freshwater pools
• Bird watching
• Bouldering
• Cooking and gardening
• Stargazing
• Yoga
• Mountain biking
• Angling for trout
• Guided hike to the lakes of Dodi Taal
• Guided hike to Gangotri / Yamnotri
• Mountain and village hikes and treks

• Angling in the Asi Ganga
• Catching up on reading
• Hiking in the mountains
• Meeting the kind village folk
• Pristine landscapes
• Sitting by the Ganga
• The pristine Ganga on the drive up
• Village walks
• Yoga with a view

Costs

A stay at the mountain homestay is priced at:

• Single Occupancy
  INR 4000 + GST per night
  Cost includes stay on single occupancy in the hut / tent, all meals
• Double occupancy
  INR 5,000 + GST per night
  Cost includes stay on double occupancy in the hut / tent, all meals
• Triple occupancy
  INR 7250 + GST per night
  Cost includes stay on triple occupancy in the hut / tent, all meals
• Extra bed (adult) : INR 2,000 per night
  Kids (6-12 years): INR 1,500 per night
  Kids (below 5 years): Complimentary
  Cost includes extra bed and all meals, excluding GST

Location

The village of Kuflon is quietly tucked away half an hour from the town of Uttarkashi. It is at a driving distance of 6-7 hours from Rishikesh and Mussoorie, through gorgeous landscapes and panoramic views of the terraced Himalayas and the Asi Ganga. A semi-deluxe public bus plies the route daily to Uttarkashi, from where taxis are easily available to the village.

The nearest domestic airport is at Dehradun, and the nearest international airport is in Delhi.

Best time to visit

The months from March to June and September to November are the most pleasant, with sunny days and cool nights. The winter months from November to March are cold, but offer spectacular views of the snow-capped Himalayan peaks, and sometimes snow in the village itself.

Average temperatures:

• Sept to Dec: 10 – 25 degrees Celsius.
• January to March: 5 – 20 degrees Celsius.
• April to July: 15 – 30 degrees Celsius.

Things to note

• Fitness: To reach the homestay, you have to walk up for 10-15 minutes on steps and stone mountain paths. The staff will be happy to help you with your luggage.
• Cash and ATMs: Only cash is accepted at the homestay. The nearest ATM is in the town of Uttarkashi, a half hour drive from the village.
• Pets: Allowed at your own risk. The owners have 2 fully grown, over friendly dogs who are allowed to roam free. No special pet food is available.

• Food: Both vegetarian and non vegetarian food is available.

• Bathrooms: Each room comes with an attached bathroom, fitted with hot water geysers, showers and western style toilets. The 3 Swiss tents have 2 bathrooms located a short walk away.
• Electricity: Like in most small villages in India, power cuts are pretty common. Please carry torches and spare batteries as needed.

• Phone, Internet and TV:There are no TVs in the rooms, but there is plenty of natural beauty around to keep you entertained. BSNL and Airtel phone connections catch erratic signals here. Wifi is not available. Slow internet can be accessed through the owner’s dongle.

Checklist

• Sunscreen, sunhat
• Walking shoes
• Insect repellant
• Torch / flashlight
• Warm jacket, woolen cap, gloves if travelling in winter
• Umbrella, raincoat
• Floaters / slippers, swimming costume if you’d like to take a dip
• Books to read and write, stationery to paint and draw, basically anything you love to do and never get the time for
• Binoculars for bird watching
• Cosmetics you need
• Prescription medicines, if any
• Camera & batteries / charger

• Aerial view of Kuflon village. Photo by Vidur Jang Bahadur
• Inspiration for writing
• Landscapes on the drive into Garhwal
• Misty mornings
• Night view of the mountains. Photo by Vidur Jang Bahadur
• Overview of the home in the mountains. Photo by Vidur Jang Bahadur
• Snow capped peaks lurking-behind. Photo by Thad Malik
• Walk-through-the-village
• Aerial view of the homestay
• Balcony with a view of the mountains
• Bathrooms for the tents
• Comfortable rooms
• Huts built in simple, aethestic style
• Interior of the Swiss tents
• Modern bathrooms with natural light
• Room with a floor mattress
• Simple but beautiful rooms
• Stone path leading up to the home
• Swiss tents
• The hub aka lounge area
• Triple bedded room
• Your home in the mountains
• Breakfast is a hearty affair
• Forest fern and lentils
• North Indian fare
• Dining area for meals
• Angling in the Asi Ganga
• Catching up on reading
• Hiking in the mountains
• Meeting the kind village folk
• Pristine landscapes
• Sitting by the Ganga
• The pristine Ganga on the drive up
• Village walks
• Yoga with a view

Reviews

We had a great time. Anil & Sree are great hosts, and their setup exceeded all my expectations. Food was perfect, as was the accommodation. Only thing is that my mother had a tough time climbing up and also navigating around, given her weak knees. They could have a warning for aged visitors regarding this, or else maybe put up some supports/props. Otherwise it was perfect”

~ N Srikanth, travelled with family in May 2018

“Anil's homestay was excellent. The environment was calm and peaceful. We had a good time with the host and his family. The food too was delicious. I have already recommended the place to couple of my friends.
Thank you for your timely support and help!”

~ Rahul Nair, travelled in April 2017

“It was a beautiful experience. Anil and Shree are really good hosts and ensured we had a superb time, everything was shipshape, the food was excellent, condition of the rooms was great, and delightful company, both the hosts and the other guests. Thanks for bringing Kuflon to my notice and putting up with the idiosyncrasies i presented you with. Now, for planning the next trip 😊 ”

~ Anirban, travelled with his wife in October 2015

To feature your review / testimonial, please write to untravel@indiauntravelled.com.

Responsible Travel

Anil and Shree left their jobs in the cities and moved to the mountains of Garhwal a few years ago. They strive to live in tune with nature and their pristine surroundings as much as possible. The huts are built using locally sourced materials, and though furbished with all urban comforts, use natural airflow techniques to keep warm in the cold winters. Drinking water at the homestay is channeled naturally from the Ganga, with filters creatively installed in the mountain paths.

The host family have been tracking weather data in these mountains to track changes in weather patterns over the years. Trap cameras are installed at strategic locations to track local wildlife. All staff is employed from the surrounding villages, and local guides are used for hiking / trekking. Wastage is minimized as much as possible; biodegradable waste is used to make compost for vegetables and herbs organically grown on the land, while non-biodegradable waste is recycled through the local rag pickers.

Below are some tips to travel responsibly while in Kuflon:

• Carry a good water bottle. Filtered water is available at the house for refilling your bottle. Refrain from buying numerous plastic mineral water bottles.
• Pack your bags with environmentally friendly things. Carry as little plastic as possible.
• Do not litter or leave behind any non-biodegradable waste. Carry it to the cities where better waste management systems are in place.
• What you wear has an impact. Dress appropriately, especially when you walk into the villages.
• Respect the local culture and refrain from physical intimacy in public places.
• Local food is great. Try it as much as possible and avoid packaged food. Ask for modifications in the food according to your taste, instead of wasting it.
• Avoid excessive consumption of alcohol and refrain from drugs, especially in public places.
• Seek permission before photographing people, so as to respect their privacy.
• Do not pluck any plants and flowers, and do not disturb the wildlife.