Narkanda’s where journey is as magical as the destination

It was a summer trip, but the monsoons had arrived early — an unexpected gift. For the first time, we found ourselves in the hills during the rains, a season usually shunned for fear of landslides and slippery roads. Yet, Narkanda welcomed us with a kind of quiet magic.

The journey itself was a revelation. Apple orchards lined the winding roads; their fruit protected under white nets that blanketed entire mountainsides. From a distance, it looked like fresh snowfall had kissed the slopes. We stopped often, clicking pictures, soaking in the misty charm. I’ve always believed the journey holds more beauty than the destination — and this one, with clouds hanging low and old Bollywood hits playing in the car, felt like a dream I didn’t want to wake from.

Our cottage, nestled among congested pines, offered a panoramic view of the hills. Even the coffee tasted richer here, brewed in the silence of the woods. That evening, we set out for Tanu Jubber Lake — a small, lesser-known gem that felt like nature’s secret. We reached at sunset, just in time to watch the earth romance the sky. The lake shimmered under a veil of descending clouds, surrounded by high cedar and dense forest. Snow-capped Himalayan ranges peeked through the mist, and birds flitted across the water’s edge. A temple dedicated to Nag devta stood quietly nearby, adding a touch of mysticism to the landscape.

The return from the lake was just as magical, the kind that leaves you quiet and full. Whenever someone mentions Narkanda, my mind rushes to those apple-laced slopes. I brought back a box of apples — juicy, crunchy, and tasting like no apple ever had before.

Narkanda isn’t just a place etched in memory. It’s a feeling — of mist on your skin, music in the air, and nature unfolding like poetry.

Manav Mander, Ludhiana