This was going to be a once-in-a-lifetime journey indeed. Whenever I have ample holidays in hand, it is but natural to hit the road with my EV! This was going to be one such trip to Habban Valley in Himachal Pradesh.
A Pristine Journey
Chandigarh to Habban Valley distance is around 115 Km, and it is at a distance of 70 Km from Solan, which can be considered the starting point for Habban. I had driven to Rajgarh on numerous occasions, and this was going to be the first time in a Tiago electric vehicle. I was not skeptical, though, about the range that my car could cover, as it can usually drive for 190 km on a single charge.
Moreover, I have created an arrangement for it which enables it to get charged at any location having a mere 16-ampere point, which every shop and home has! A perfect camping vehicle, I love to call it, as it runs on a meager 1 Rs./km!
With all these thoughts in mind and Habban Valley as my destination, I began the journey and made a stopover at Rajgarh in the evening at a friend’s home. With the vehicle charged up for the upcoming day, I was off to Habban Valley, which is a further 28 km away via Yashvant Nagar.
Early Morning in Rajgarh
The day begins early in Rajgarh, as it is a small town. Vegetable vendors and morning joggers make you leave your bed early as the small town, also known as the Peach Bowl of Asia, rises to a new morning. I also did so, and as I bid adieu to my host, the town was being cleaned up.
A small town, Rajgarh, which was once a small hamlet, has bloomed a lot, with many hotels, homestays, and eateries coming up.
Morning Cup of Tea
Though I did have tea at home of my host, I always have the habit of chatting with locals, which I did while having my morning cup of tea at the bus stop. My visit to Habban Valley was not much of interest to me in particular as for my Tiago EV, which I call Dhanno lovingly. Many mistook it for a taxi, and others mistook it for a government vehicle since the white car with a green number plate always gives a distinct impression. Many others were surprised: “How could a car run on electricity? However, with the Government of Himachal Pradesh popularizing the use of EVs, things are likely to change in the coming years.
Through the Peach Valley
As I left Rajgarh and drove towards Habban Valley, the memory of the Habban Valley photos that I had seen previously began appearing before my eyes for real. The image of locals working in their fields and peach, pear, and plum orchards is fresh even today as I share my thoughts with you.
The flower decked orchards were so alluring that I had the temptation of visiting one of these. Luckily, I came across a farmer who allowed me into his peach orchard. In a corner of this orchard, I saw that his family was uprooting garlic and making bundles of the same so that it could be dried. I came to know that garlic too is a major cash crop not only for this region, the Habban Valley, but for most of the Sirmaur district.
In a nutshell, one can say that most of the route, until a few kilometers before the Habban Valley, has orchards of peach, pear, and plum.
There are some Habban Valley hotels, too, where a comfortable stay can be sought, but on the way to Habban, you will find only small villages with few homestays and resorts. You can also plan to spend a day in this wilderness if you feel so.
A detour to Banalidhar
Just a few kilometers before Habban, I took a detour to Banalidhar, which is a small hilltop from where one gets a clear view of the Himalayas and the surrounding ranges. I had a local friend in this area, and he was to go to Banalidhar, so I decided to drop him off before proceeding toward Habban Valley.
More so, I also wanted to test my EV to see if it could climb the gravel road. However, to my surprise, it did so with such smoothness that I have now become a big fan of its torque, which the company talks a lot about. The car was able to crisscross the wild stretch smoothly and came to a point where a rest shelter had been put in place by Rajgarh Forest Division.
After resting for a while, it was time to head to Banalidhar and feast on a jug of homemade lassi, which was brought by my friend. The road ends here, and you can well trek to Churdhar from this point in case you are an avid trekker. The area has rich faunal wealth, and bears, leopards, musk deer, barking deer, and monal can be seen in this area if you are lucky enough!
On The Way To Habban
Well, all said and done, it was time to head to Habban, which was only a few kilometers ahead. The forest was getting dense, and, in a few minutes, I came to a place that has a few shops, a school, and a shady deodar forest. This was Habban, my destination for the day, and the Habban Valley temperature, even in the May madness, was around 22 degrees. This could be understood from the fact that the small town of Habban is at an altitude of 6770 feet, which is high enough to keep anyone cool, even in the hot climate of May!
Where to stay in Habban Valley
The Habban Valley Forest Rest House can be a good choice, but you need prior booking, which can be done at Rajgarh. Your pleading with the chowkidar can also do the trick in case you aspire to stay here only and have no booking. He might allow you a comfortable stay in case there are no prior bookings. Otherwise, there are a few good options for staying in Habban Valley, Himachal Pradesh, including some homestays, which shall give you a glimpse into the rural life of Himachal Pradesh.
Habban Valley is for someone who likes the wilderness, wants to experience the rural life of Himachal Pradesh, and wants to see firsthand how an orchard is run and maintained. The deep, calm, and relaxing Deodar forest will give you a perfect backdrop in case you have an interest in exploring and unveiling the secrets of the forest. For me, this was heaven, and I found it in Habban Valley.
For the more adventurous and religious ones, there are a few trekking options, including a 7 Km trek to Banalidhar or a 15 Km trek to Churdhar. You can also visit the Shirgul Devta temple at Shiya village, which is only 10 Km from Habban. This shall give you a glimpse into the culture of Sirmaur and also help you understand the facts that make Himachal Pradesh the “land of Gods”.
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