Experience Happier Villages – Nag Tibba

weekend treks for someone around Delhi. It is the highest peak (9,915 ft) in the Nag Tibba range of the Garhwal Himalayas. The trek takes you through dense forests rich in flora and fauna and presents stunning views of Bandarpoonch peak, the Gangotri group of peaks, Kedarnath peak in the north, Doon valley and the snow peaks of
Changabang. The advantage of this trek is that you can reach the base of the Nag Tibba range by jeep, making it possible to do it over a weekend.

ABOUT GOAT VILLAGE – NAG TIBBA

The picturesque Nag Tibba village of Tehri district is buzzing with a unique experiment in farm tourism. An organization called Green People, have taken two acres of land at the top of the village and named it Goat Village to promote goat rearing. Plants are set up to supply goat milk, goat cheese and woolens are prepared from fine goat hair. These items and farming produce is being supplied outside under the brand name Bakri Chaap. Besides providing a better livelihood to the locals, tourists at the homestay get a first-hand experience in cultivation of local vegetables and rearing of goats, cattle and hens around these cottages.

OUR TRAVEL STORY

It was relatively a long journey. To our surprise, the 2-km trek to the Goat Village was tough to start right after a long bus journey, but it was totally worth! We stayed in their cottages that have been built in more than 1000 years old
architectural technique called ‘Koti Banal’, which is indigenous to Garhwal Himalayas. These cottages are cosy and beautifully done up by local artisans to provide for an excellent living experience. We hiked around the place, enjoyed our organic dinner and spent the rest of the night star-gazing accompanied with some guitar and beautiful
songs. The next morning, we started our trek to Nag Tibba, lesser we knew that it is going to be one hell of an adventure. Bewitched by the dark green thick trees arranged in a perfect order, we were filled with both appreciation and fear. After 2 hours of rocky trek, we were greeted by few horses grazing over green meadows. We kept walking in the thick forest, while the multitude of dry leaves welcomed us along the trail. We had thought that walking on snow is difficult, but walking on dry leaves is equally challenging. You slip and the uncertainty that you have got a firm ground below is the same. At one point, some of the trekkers refused to move. The others sat on a log of wood, ate some snacks and motivated each other to go further up. And at the tip, each one of us were going through various emotions. There was a severe solitude and painful lonesomeness. A silence deeper than all silences prevailed. Each of us were into a pool of emotions – smiling, crying, braving, fearing, appreciating and cursing. Engulfed by tremendous silence, all of us looked up in the sky. Even though the journey up the hill wasn’t easy, we all had a smile of fulfilment of hope and purpose, a smile of victory.

Go to The Goat Village if you are looking for an experience out of your comfort zone, go there if you want to forget the drudgeries and impositions of city life, go there if you want to be surrounded by beautiful stretch of mountains and gardens of Chinese cabbage, baby corn, endless chamomile spreads.

It’s time to pay a tribute to our lost micro-cultures. It’s time to be a part of India goat economy. Yes, you read it absolutely correct. This experience was added to one of the ROOTS’ best offbeat experiences and we are glad we could contribute to the underprivileged families in some way.

Inspired? Start planning your weekend getaway with Roots now! Contact ROOTS for the best way of experiencing it.