If you know me and have been following my blog and videos for a while, you already know about my unending love for the hills. I’m a hills lover from the bottom of my soul and there’s something so freeing about being one with nature, especially when you get to stay in the mountains or even near them. The boy loves the sea and the sand more, so we’ve struck a deal to maintain a healthy balance between the two as we continue traveling each year! Salman and I have been both so fortunate to be able to travel the world but at the same time, we have made time to explore and discover the beautiful hills of India. After all, our country has such hidden gems and so many beautiful places that are just waiting to be explored. Right from Kashmir to Darjeeling, Ooty, Shimla, Mussoorie, Leh-Ladakh and many other places in Himachal, we’ve covered almost all the hilly regions one can think of visiting in India. We often hear the “Arre phir se mountains” dialogue soo many times from people that we’re both completely used to it by now. Parvada Bungalows
This next trip was super special to the two of us since we traveled to Nainital for the first time and also experienced homestay in India for the first time ever.
Location – We stayed at “Parvada Bungalows” which is located in the beautiful village called Parvada in Nainital district’s South Gola Range. From Delhi, it’s just a drive of 6 hours and you can get here by train as well. Nainital is in Uttarakhand state which is also a part of lower Himalayas and Parvada Bungalows is located at an altitude of 7000 feet or 2135 meters.
Best Time To Visit – According to me, Summers i.e. March to May is the ideal time for anyone to visit here as the weather is very pleasant. But if you too are a winter baby like me, then you might even get to witness the magical snowy season if you visit here during winters. But remember to carry those warm coats as winters are quite freezing here.
About Parvada Bungalows
Parvada Bungalows is spread across a sprawling area of over 3 acres and the entire property is covered with so many fruit trees and plantations. Apart from the fig trees, you’ll also find many apples, silver berry, kaaphal, hisalu, oak and deodar trees here. Staying at this property is literally like an escape with Mother Nature with clean air and natural drinking water by your side.
For a bird lover like Salman this was his ultimate paradise as he spotted so many varieties of birds here every single day of our stay here, right from blue magpies to rufous treepies, wedge-tailed green pigeons and parakeets.
Parvada Bungalows – Wild Fig Villa
We stayed at one of the duplex room at the Wild Fig Villa which is right next to their main building. This can easily accommodate a family of 4 and this is such a spacious property with a huge bedroom + private dressing room + storage room and bathroom on the ground floor along with a cute and cozy attic bedroom on the first floor which by the way also comes with it’s own attached bathroom facilities.
From our window or balcony, we could see the fig tree which was full of ripe figs. We also loved the high ceiling rooms, the traditional décor and their antique furniture pieces which makes their rooms so contemporary and inviting. Plus, the uninterrupted views of the majestic South Gola Range is so breathtaking to wake up to.
Private Cottages – They also have 2 more private cottages in the same estate called – Oak Cottage and Pine Cottage. These cottages can easily accommodate 2 families travelling together which makes it an ideal option if you’re travelling in groups.
Meditation Hall At Quinta – This meditation hall is in their main building “Quinta” which is made of pinewood. I used to start my mornings here with yoga sessions under the expert guidance of a yoga teacher. This room turns into a cinema room during the evenings. What a perfect way to unwind, right?
Lunching and Dining Area – Right below the meditation hall is their dining area which is that one restaurant for all your meals – breakfasts, lunches and dinners. You can also place your meals request the previous day and we have hogged on the best authentic Garhwali dishes here.
Victor Lounge – It is a must-visit for every book lover as they have an amazing collection of both fiction and non-fiction books. Cozy reading corners, mountain views from the windows and an inviting atmosphere will ensure you spend hours reading and relaxing here. This lounge is also ideal for the entire family to get together at the end of the day and play board games, cards, etc.
Places To See Close By – There are so many things to do and places to explore close by from The Parvada Bungalows like – the famous 350 years old Mukteshwar temple, go on walking trails and hikes around Parvada, paragliding in Bhimtal, orchard hopping that starts from Parvada and so much more! We also visited the famous Bhalugaad waterfalls which is again just a quick drive from this estate. Once you get there, it’s a short 2 km trek that will lead you to the waterfall, hence please ensure you carry a bottle of water and don’t forget to wear comfortable walking shoes. Bhalu means good in Garhwali and Gaad means river in a small natural waterfall.
Other Facilities – Who doesn’t love some extra amenities when we travel right? Parvada Bungalows has free parking, a lounging area, terrace for you to enjoy your evening chais or coffees overlooking the mountains, free WI-FI, wheelchair accessibility as they have a ramp leading up to the rooms.
LOCAL HOMESTAYS EXPERIENCE AT BLUE MAGPIE, PEORA HOMESTAYS
If you are visiting Parvada, then few hours away is Peora homestays that will allow you to live with the locals, learn all about farming, go fruit plucking and enjoy some of the best homemade Garhwali meals. We were so lucky to have experienced a one of a kind homestay with Blue Magpie in Peoda which is run by Sanju, a local who now doesn’t have to leave his family to look for jobs in big cities.
This is such a great option for locals to utilize their space and talent. He spoke fluent Hindi and English and he was such a fabulous host. His wife cooked some of the most delicious meals and also treated us to chai-pakoda as we sat in our balcony with this view.
We stayed in their studio room which was super spacious, had an attached kitchen, bathroom, and a dressing room + 2 balconies. Both Salman and I were totally impressed with the cleanliness, professionalism and amenities provided here, despite it being a homestay. Truly one of the best ways to get a taste of the Garhwali culture.
Have a look at some of the other rooms that they have as a part of their homestay.
Visit to Aarohi, a local Ngo – On our way back we made a pit stop to visit Aarohi, a local NGO that looks into providing employment opportunities to the locals so that they can continue living in their own villages comfortably. We chatted with the administration and these homestays initiatives have given the locals a new hope since they also get to utilize their spacious homes why being trained professionally on how to run a business of such nature.
We also shopped from their store where you can get such amazing local finds right from hand made soaps to pickles, woolen essentials, oils and creams, etc.
We cannot wait to be back here soon. Happy and alive with the HILLS!!!!
I’m mentioning Parvada Bungalows website link in case you want to check out more details or look into availability – https://parvadabungalows.com/
