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Kareri Village, Himachal Pradesh, India

Homestay at Kareri Village, Himachal Pradesh

Posted on February 1, 2015April 12, 2021

Sitting by the fire in the kitchen I tell my hosts, I can’t remember when it was last I didn’t eat anything out of a packet for so many days in a row! Kareri is a sleepy little village in Kangra, Himachal Pradesh. I was incredibly lucky to do a homestay at Kareri Village. It was cold in January but people in the hills know how to keep warm in these freezing months.

kareri-village
The Beautiful Kareri Village!

The original idea was to trek up to the Kareri Lake but due to a lot of snow on the route, the trek was abandoned immediately. I simply stayed at home and took walks around the village when the weather permitted it. It rained on one day, it snowed on another, on other two days I felt too lazy. So, in reality I did only one day hike around the village.

Mostly I sat by the fire in the kitchen and read Agatha Christie novels on Nook, finishing on an average one in a day! As Seshadri and Chhavi have stayed here before, the matter of my identity was simple. If anyone asked who I was, the standard reply was Chhavi ki Mummy (Chhavi’s mom)!

Kareri Village
The Internet Hill, Kareri Village

The day I arrived due to the avomine induced drowsiness, I went to sleep and refused to go out even for a walk in the evening. Kareri has phone connectivity. My host’s (Kamlesh and Family) home is slightly downhill, But we used to go up to what I christened ‘internet hill’ where I would get high speed internet connection but it was not reliable. But as it is Himachal Pradesh, electricity supply is like dream.  There is no shortage of water as well! Only schools, roads and hospitals come by with a little more difficulty. There is a kaccha road to the village now. I was able to take a vehicle both ways.

Kareri Village, Himachal Pradesh
A Mild Snowfall at Kareri Village, Himachal Pradesh

I would wake up leisurely everyday and run to the kitchen to get  get some hot water to brush my teeth. They do have a gas connection but they cook on wood as well. A big pot of water would almost always be on the wood fire. The chores of the day done, I would sit by the fire and wait for a cup of tea. Soon it would be time for breakfast. After that if it was a sunny day I would sit out and read a book, if not I would do the same by the fire. Thus at slow pace the life would go on.

White Capped Redstart
White Capped Redstart at Kareri Village

There were numerous birds that could vie for my attention along with the book. The mustard flowers were in bloom, painting the village pretty. If the weather was good I would go out for a walk in the evening but the view of the hills eluded me till the last morning. When I was leaving, it was of course blue skies!

The family consists of three brothers- Ravi, Kamlesh and Suresh and one sister Anu. Chhavi is a great fan of Anu. I met Ravi, Kamlesh, Anu and their parents. Both Ravi and Suresh work in the tourism industry with Suresh currently working in Goa. Ravi is living in McLeod Ganj though his wife Vandana lives at Kareri. Kamlesh looks after the home, horses, mules and fields. Their parents also live in the same two storied house which has at least 10 rooms! Auntie can still lift so much load and carry it to the fields! They treated me like a princess! So, the next time you see a person handling mules, remember they live in 10 bedroom homes!

Homestay Kareri Village
The Homestay at Kareri Village

As my holidays drew to an end I realized that I didn’t spend a single rupee (other than paying at the end of my stay) as I could see no shops in the village! I was told there was a shop but as it was winters, the supplies were low! It was an amazing experience where two things stood out, I never ate anything out of a packet and I never went to a shop for six days!

If you wish to do a homestay at Kareri village with Kamlesh and Family you could call Kamlesh at +919736246820 or Ravi at +919805934718 They usually charge 1200 rupees per person per night which includes food as well.

Girls Going to School
Girls Going to School, Kareri Village, Himachal Pradesh

The nearest big town is Dharamshala. I took a taxi from Dharamshala to Kareri which cost me 1500 rupees. I had to walk a bit from the road head to the house. There is public transport up to a village called Gera.

As I was new to the region and as I was thinking of trekking, I went with my long time trekking guide Sohan Singh Bisht (his number is +919410365281). However, if I go to the village again I am confident of going alone now.

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60 thoughts on “Homestay at Kareri Village, Himachal Pradesh”

  1. Jay Neog says:
    February 1, 2015 at 6:00 pm

    Seems like you had a lovely time.
    I just put Kareri on my bucket list and also noted down Sohan Singh’s number.

    Reply
    1. Mridula says:
      February 1, 2015 at 6:09 pm

      Thank you Jay, I hope you will go soon πŸ˜€

      Reply
  2. Anu says:
    February 1, 2015 at 6:21 pm

    now that is one vacation i would love to take someday… just go there and stay at someones place, and relax. i am sure you have returned rejuvenated, Mridula!

    Reply
    1. Mridula says:
      February 1, 2015 at 6:32 pm

      Yes Anu I think you will like it and so will Samhith πŸ˜€ I am back and the city makes you go back to sulking in no time πŸ˜€

      Reply
  3. Anita says:
    February 1, 2015 at 11:22 pm

    Lovely pics as usual, Mridula.
    I love them all especially with one with the school-girls πŸ™‚

    Reply
    1. Mridula says:
      February 2, 2015 at 9:46 am

      Thank you so much Anita. I am now clicking a few more people pictures ! πŸ˜€

      Reply
  4. Maniparna Sengupta Majumder says:
    February 2, 2015 at 12:41 am

    This account of your vacation sounds dreamy Mridula! Have included Kareri in my bucket list….already dreaming that I’m sitting by the side of the fire in the kitchen and reading a book…what a bliss!

    Reply
    1. Mridula says:
      February 2, 2015 at 9:44 am

      For that winter is ideal Maniparna, in summer I am told it gets hot πŸ˜€

      Reply
  5. magiceye says:
    February 2, 2015 at 6:30 am

    Sounds interesting. Would love to go there!

    Reply
    1. Mridula says:
      February 2, 2015 at 9:43 am

      I am sure you will like it Deepak!

      Reply
  6. Avinash says:
    February 2, 2015 at 10:54 am

    Home stays are really the future of travel. The discovery and understanding we get through these home stays are enormous

    Reply
    1. Mridula says:
      February 2, 2015 at 12:51 pm

      I agree Avinash, I really like homestays.

      Reply
  7. Swarnam John says:
    February 2, 2015 at 11:38 am

    I read your blog regularly and I find that you are a very interesting and lively person! Keep up the good work, God bless!

    Reply
    1. Mridula says:
      February 2, 2015 at 12:50 pm

      Thank you so much Swarnam for the wishes, I need them.

      Reply
  8. Charu says:
    February 2, 2015 at 11:50 am

    Sounds like a lovely holiday – read books, eat fresh food, take walks and stay warm. very tempted to try out such a vacation soon πŸ™‚

    Reply
    1. Mridula says:
      February 2, 2015 at 12:49 pm

      Thank you so much Charu, I too such a break after a long time.

      Reply
  9. Rajiv says:
    February 2, 2015 at 1:30 pm

    Seems to be wonderfully beautiful place, just the way we want to be at.
    Thanks for sharing πŸ™‚

    Reply
    1. Mridula says:
      February 2, 2015 at 3:11 pm

      Happy ro hear that you liked the place Rajiv.

      Reply
  10. Bikram says:
    February 2, 2015 at 2:50 pm

    Hello .. as I have been saying always You need ot take me with you….

    beautiful pics

    Bikram’s

    Reply
    1. Mridula says:
      February 2, 2015 at 3:11 pm

      Bikram πŸ˜€ Next time …

      Reply
  11. Mukulika says:
    February 2, 2015 at 2:57 pm

    Quaint houses, mist hanging low on the hills , lush green cover – its a sight to behold! Will be adding Kareri to my places to travel, thank you for introducing me to this wonderful place Mridula πŸ™‚

    Hope you had a good vacation!

    Reply
    1. Mridula says:
      February 2, 2015 at 3:13 pm

      Glad to know that you liked it Mukulika. I had a good time for sure.

      Reply
  12. Moon says:
    February 2, 2015 at 5:55 pm

    wow…this would be a dream vacation! so beautiful… love the photos!

    Reply
    1. Mridula says:
      February 2, 2015 at 9:42 pm

      Thank you so much Moon!

      Reply
  13. Indrani says:
    February 2, 2015 at 8:41 pm

    I want to go there now!

    Reply
    1. Mridula says:
      February 2, 2015 at 9:39 pm

      And I want to go to Greece Indrani πŸ˜€

      Reply
  14. rupam { xhobdo } says:
    February 3, 2015 at 3:08 pm

    So beautiful photos

    Reply
    1. Mridula says:
      February 3, 2015 at 10:19 pm

      Thank you Rupam.

      Reply
  15. yogi saraswat says:
    February 3, 2015 at 4:32 pm

    internet hill’ interesting. In remote areas we usually dont find network so try to get some particular place so that we can have network there , and this place is known as internet or mobile place. interesting story

    Reply
    1. Mridula says:
      February 3, 2015 at 10:19 pm

      I know Yogi, phone connection was patchy but it still worked. It worked better on the internet hill!

      Reply
  16. Chaitali says:
    February 3, 2015 at 9:30 pm

    Sounds like a dream holiday! Such a beautiful place… and gorgeous bird!

    Reply
    1. Mridula says:
      February 3, 2015 at 10:18 pm

      Thank you so much Chaitali.

      Reply
  17. sindhoooo says:
    February 4, 2015 at 5:39 pm

    I am feeling the same as told by previous commenters πŸ™‚ Lucky you, to stay in such a beautiful yet serene village!

    Reply
    1. Mridula says:
      February 6, 2015 at 1:45 pm

      Thank you so much Sindhu.

      Reply
  18. anindya basu says:
    February 4, 2015 at 10:01 pm

    Thank you Mridula for this . Wonderful . I feel like going over there now

    Reply
    1. Mridula says:
      February 6, 2015 at 1:45 pm

      Do go sometime πŸ˜€

      Reply
  19. Kalpanaa says:
    February 6, 2015 at 11:29 am

    This sounds like an ideal holiday. Thanks for the tips. I hope to go there soon. And, on a different note – I hope you are free on friday 13th at 6.30 pm. I’m organising a small blogger meet in Delhi. Details on my blog.

    Reply
    1. Mridula says:
      February 6, 2015 at 1:46 pm

      Hi Kalpana, I have an office dinner, alumni meet on 13th so really can’t make it.

      Reply
  20. Keith Hunt says:
    February 26, 2015 at 6:54 pm

    I visited Kareri in October 2013 as part of a trekking group and only walking through. I would love to have spent more time there and reading your story has inspired me to return! I work in a village school in the UK and would love to make a link between our school and Kareri.
    Thank you!

    Reply
    1. Mridula says:
      February 28, 2015 at 2:17 pm

      That sounds so so wonderful Keith. I too teach in a college in India. If I can be of any help do let me know.

      Reply
  21. abhinav says:
    April 28, 2015 at 11:38 am

    The mobile number of kamlesh has just 9 digits. Please provide me his number.

    thanks

    Reply
    1. Mridula says:
      April 28, 2015 at 1:42 pm

      Try Ravi’s number in the meanwhile. They are brothers. I will try to update the number.

      Reply
    2. Jasbir Singh says:
      June 18, 2015 at 12:00 pm

      Kamlesh’s correct phone no is +919736246820

      Reply
      1. Mridula says:
        June 18, 2015 at 12:21 pm

        Thank you I have updated it too in the post.

        Reply
  22. Jasbir Singh says:
    August 1, 2015 at 10:43 am

    I am planning to go there for three days in August with family. Booked the FRH . The only hitch is transportation, whether the road will be open during rainy season or not. Do you have any contact no of the taxi owner/driver you took from Dharamshala?

    Reply
    1. Mridula Dwivedi says:
      September 19, 2015 at 5:34 pm

      I am really sorry I saw this message late. I hope you had a good vacation.

      Reply
  23. Hargun Wahi says:
    February 1, 2016 at 12:56 pm

    Interesting recount! The simplicity of the villages situated in nature’s lap always attracts me. Such places are always refreshing and soothing to the mind- away from the hustle-bustle of the cities. Thanks for sharing the contacts- Those would be helpful if I ever decide to visit :).
    I really love the pictures too!
    Glad I came over πŸ™‚

    Reply
    1. Mridula Dwivedi says:
      February 1, 2016 at 5:39 pm

      Hargun I am a big mountains fan! Happy that you stopped by!

      Reply
  24. Elisabeth Baraka says:
    September 20, 2016 at 10:26 pm

    Thank you for this article! I just returned from 3 days with Ravi and family. Although I found them elsewhere originally, if it weren’t for your article, I probably wouldn’t have gone ahead and booked (nor found Ravi’s phone number!). I had an amazing stay and highly recommend it. The road was blocked so we walked in from Ghera – and back out to a village further. Ravi said I was the first to walk it but I am felt very fortunate as it was beautiful (though hard work up and down those hills).

    Reply
    1. Mridula Dwivedi says:
      September 21, 2016 at 10:26 am

      Hi Elisabeth I am so happy to know that you had a great time at Kareri! I think my husband has walked too but only one way. πŸ˜€ Happy to know that the blog helped you in deciding to go! Happy travels.

      Reply
  25. BornomadiC says:
    January 17, 2017 at 9:36 am

    Good Read. Wish I had read this blog before my trek to Kareri Lake. Have shared my experiences in my blog, do visit and share your comments!

    Twitter – @truebornomadic

    Reply
    1. Mridula Dwivedi says:
      January 17, 2017 at 10:28 am

      Thank you for stopping by. Now going to check your blog!

      Reply
  26. Vrinda says:
    April 17, 2017 at 9:22 am

    Thanks to your lovely blog post, Mridula, I am in touch with Kamleshji and planning to visit Kareri with my family in the first week of May. We will hire a cab from Dalhousie. I believe good road connectivity is only until Ghera? How did you reach Kareri?

    Reply
    1. Mridula Dwivedi says:
      April 17, 2017 at 11:02 am

      Hi Vrinda, when I went there the car was able to drop me right up to the village. I hope it will be the same for you. Have a great trip!

      Reply
  27. Shubham Mansingka says:
    August 7, 2017 at 11:11 am

    Fantastic read and lovely photographs! Love the candid narration.

    Shubham

    Reply
    1. Mridula Dwivedi says:
      October 17, 2017 at 2:48 pm

      Thank you Shubham!

      Reply
  28. Frenzina Dcunha says:
    October 17, 2017 at 1:16 pm

    Hi, lovely post, have put it in my bucket list… is it ok to take 5 and 4 year old children along to stay there for a week or long….. so eager to get there.

    Reply
    1. Mridula Dwivedi says:
      October 17, 2017 at 2:49 pm

      Yes kids will enjoy the village! πŸ˜€

      Reply
  29. Gurinder singh says:
    January 10, 2019 at 12:51 pm

    Sir witch time Kareri Village road open because I want to come Kareri village

    Reply
    1. Mridula Dwivedi says:
      January 14, 2019 at 6:36 pm

      I thought it is open most of the year and the last bit sometimes you have to trek!

      Reply

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About Me

I am Mridula Dwivedi and I started this blog in 2005. It has been an amazing ride. I have visited 33 countries till date! I have worked with many tourism boards and prominent travel companies. My blog was featured on the BBC and the Guardian.

I did my Ph.D. from IIT Kanpur. I worked full time in academics till 2015! I quit my job as a professor, thinking I will take a break for one year, which turned into five.

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