Forktail villa built in the local Kangra Style of architecture. At the villa we have tried to incorporate the Permaculture philosophy in all areas of construction as best as we could. The house has been built with mud, stone, slate and bamboo. The idea was to create a building where very little building material had to be got from the outside to reduce the carbon foot print as much as possible.
The house is close to the village of Gamru in Dharamshala. Kotwali Bazar which is the main market of Dharamshala is 1 KM away. Even though we are so close to Dharamshala the villa is nicely tucked away from all the crowds and noise. Both the garden and backyard have spectacular views of the snow-capped Dhaulahars, there are small village shops, a large market, malls, cinema hall, restaurants etc all within walking distance of the house. You can take the short cut walk to Mcleodganj or Bhagsu Nag from Gamru, it about 30 min to an hour on foot. If walking is not your thing then you can get a cab and it is a 10 min drive up the hill. The villa offers you an interesting mix of urban and rural life and also a lot of wilderness. This leaves you with a lot of options to choose from.
The house is fully furnished and includes a main room, 2 fire places, two bedrooms, kitchen, laundry, store room and a veranda. Apart from antique furniture and heritage curios.
The large garden surrounding the house with all the fruit and flower trees is a frequent haunt for the birds. you will see loads of russet sparrows, Sibias, Rose Finches, Magpies, Bulbuls, barbets, fly catches, Redstarts, etc. You will also see lots of Himalyan Griffons, Lammergeier’s and kites trying to catch a thermal above the house during the day.
Your stay here will include a full breakfast - you can choose to either self cater other meals or the co-host can help arrange a wholesome meal for you at a small charge. The kitchen is fully equipped for your convenience with a stovetop, OTG, toaster, pots and pans, crockery, and cutlery. For your convenience, I will also ensure that the kitchen is stocked with a few days worth of basic supplies such as tea, milk, sugar, salt, basic spices and oil.
If you wish to cook, you can shop for groceries and other supplies in Dharamshala which is very close, or you could request the cook to shop for you. Specialty food and drink such as wine, premium liquor, cheese, dried fruit and nuts, packaged foods, spices, imported items, coffee etc are easily available in the well-stocked market of Dharamshala and Mcleodganj. All basic groceries are available close to the house itself.