Barot: A quite hill station in Himachal Pradesh

Barot is a hidden gem located in Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh. The entire Barot valley is one of the best mesmerizing tourist places in Himachal. Barot village is situated at an altitude of  6000 feet above sea level  on the bank of Ulh river. 

Barot, has historic connection as it was originally developed in 1920s for Shanan Hydel Project, which is situated in Jogindernagar, nearly 40 Kms from Barot. Barot is the inlet point of the tunnel that diverts water of Uhl river to Shanan Power House in Jogindernagar. Shanan Power House was commissioned in 1932 and is the second hydro-electric power station of India in Megawatt capacity.

Shanon Power House was the  dream project of  British Engineer Colonel B.C. Batty. Colonel B.C. Batty wanted to construct 5 hydro-electric power stations by utilizing the water of Uhl river. To  bring labour and material for work to Barot, a railway line was built from Pathankot to Joginder Nagar. To deliver construction material to hill top for making water reservoir at Barot, a funicular trolley way system was created from Shanon Power House to hill top. Even today if you are lucky, you can take a ride of this trolley which is operated by a cable.

Barot is a great picnic and hangout place. If you want to breath the fresh air, want to spend some time with nature, Barot is the place. The village has many spots to view, including a trout breeding centre, from where fish are released into the Uhl river. You can enjoy angling at river side. There is vertical water pipe  besides the dam, aiming towards the sky which releases water at intervals and kids enjoy the chilled shower. Possibly it was built for some technical reason but for tourists it is a fun filled experience like a big fountain of a water park.

Barot valley is not just for the wanderlust adventurist, but also a perfect destination for a family vacation. Barot offers many hotels, comfortable stay homes and camping sites. If you love trekking then you can explore Rajgundha trek via Bada Bhangal to Bir, Billing. 

You can also spot rare wild animals and birds in Barot as Barot forms the gateway to the Nargu Wildlife Sanctuary which lies across the Uhl river. This sanctuary is home to the Monal, Black bear, musk deer and ghoral etc.

You might not find very good road but visiting Barot once is worth the effort. You can reach Jogindernagar either vai road or enjoy the Himachal toy train journey from Patahnkot to Jogindernagar and travel via road from Jogindernagar. Nearest Airport is situated in Gaggal (Kangra).