Hatu Peak Trek

Hatu Peak is located 7 km east of Narkanda, on a jeep road. It’s best to follow this road. Take a few easy shortcuts across the switchback turns. From the Narkanda Bazaar, take the road going east to Thanedar. It meanders through a rich conifer forest. Less than half hour along the Thanedar road, at the further end of a little saddle on the ridge to our right (south), a small road branches off, heading a little south of east. A signboard indicates that the road leads to Hatu Temple.

The entire walk is through a mixed forest covering the whole range of high-altitude conifers: blue pine, deodar, fir and spruce interspersed with the broad-leaved moru. Then come the kharsu oak, rhododendron, walnut and horse chestnut. Shaded for the most part, the climb can still make one thirsty. However, water is not available on the trail, so carry enough from Narkanda.

Every year, a fair is held here in May and several small dhabas and bustling tea shops come up for a few days. At all other times, you have to carry your own provisions.

The route heads east up the gradually ascending ridge. Half-way up is a Gujjar kotha (temporary shelters of Gujjars who come here to camp with their herds in the summer) with a little pond reflecting the tall trees, the peaks beyond and the blue sky above.

Hatu Mata Temple is located 3.5 from Gujjar Kotha at the top of a long ridge with a more or less north-south orientation. At the northern edge of the ridge is a small shelter constructed by the PWD. From here, you can enjoy a 360-degree panoramic view.

The snow-capped Himalayan peaks extend in a wide arc across the northern horizon while the hills and valleys of Rohru, Theog and Shimla spread out on the south and east. The villages of Kumarsain, Kotgarh and Nirmand can be seen amidst dense forests, terraced fields and apple orchards. An hour’s walk south-east past the temple, and then through a forest dominated by oak trees, gets you to the grassy meadows of Jor Bagh. The place is ideal for camping if one decides for a night halt !

Hatu peak is a great camping place for summer months as a cool breeze with forest smell always fills the air. Camping should be avoided in the monsoons months of July & August.

Hatu Peak trek is open throughout the year and can be done all year round. If you want to simply camp overnight in a cool breeze then go during summer. During monsoons, you will witness a lush green valley beyond Narkanda which is a delight for nature lovers, bird watchers & photographers. Choose winter months if you want to experience a snow trail on the higher reaches of Hatu Peak.

From Shimla To Narkanda, It’s 64 km/2 hrs by car or 3 hrs by bus. Taxis charge extra for waiting. Buses, both state and private in the ordinary & deluxe categories, ply very frequently on this route. The first bus leaves Shimla at 5 am and the last at 9 pm. NH-22 makes for a smooth drive all through.

Return: Take the same route from Narkanda to Shimla.

Good road connectivity in the Narkanda region makes Hatu Peak one of the best weekend treks in Himachal Pradesh.