If the idea of a surprise visitor in the form of a giant spider under the quilt covers does not bother you, plan a trip to Abbott Mount and stay in Abbott Mount cottage. It is nearly as perfect a get-away as you can imagine, and your experience of staying in this cottage will only leave you desiring for more (not spiders!!) when it is time to head back.

About the spider first: If you go visiting little-touched territory, surrounded by forests and peaks, it can only be a sanctuary for all forms of flora and fauna. Beautiful flowers, exotic birds and spiders are all included in these. I found this creature in my bed when I went to the room at night, but it was easy to put away. Watch your step, and you will do fine.

Click here to see more images of the cottage on Flickr. Images of Abbott Mount in general can also be viewed here.

About the cottage: It looks from the time of the earlier twentieth century when John Abbott ‘discovered’ this place, subsequently named Abbott Mount (sorry, can’t help writing so many Abbotts – but don’t let that confuse you), and got on with the business of making cottages here. The Abbot Mount Cottage (this is what the accommodation is called) is located on the site of one of John’s cottages, but it was actually rebuilt in 1959-60 by an Army Colonel who bought this for his personal use. It was subsequently sold to a Jaipur based jeweler in 1967 who needed this environment for his asthma and arthritis. The family still owns it, but they converted this into an accommodation for travellers a few years back by entering into a management partnership with Asian Adventures.

Here’s a review based on my stay in the last week of May 2008:

• The Location: Located 23 km from Champawat when heading to Pithoragarh in the Champawat district in the eastern part of the Himalayan state of Uttarakhand (formerly Uttaranchal) in India. Off the main highway, the cottage is set amongst rich forests and other vegetation, with valleys all around and an undisturbed view of the peaks in front.
• The Accommodation: Four guest rooms, of which all are en-suite except one which has its private bath but located in the corridor a few steps away. A common living room and dining area with comfortable sofas to lounge and books to read allow you to sit around with tea and chat amongst yourselves and with other guests.
• The Rooms: It was refreshing to enter a relatively spacious room smelling fresh, with bright clean bed linen, clean towels and a homely feel. On one corner is a wood/coal fired heater with an exhaust leading out for the fumes to be used during the very cold months.
• The Baths: Ample room to move around, with uninterrupted running cold water. Hot water is delivered on request in buckets in the morning hours which is heated in a wood fired cylindrical heater called a hamam. Clean towels are provided. But water is an issue in this area, and it could become a ghost town if supply stops. Residents have come up with innovative means to collect water, including building tanks for storing rainwater. A local politician has bought a property here recently, and residents are hopeful this may lead to water pipes being laid in this area to please the legislator.
• Food: A kitchen with flexible hours, and they can customize the menu to suit guests. Both vegetarian and non-vegetarian selection are available. The cooks are competent, put together a tasty fare and understand instructions (like making an omelette with less oil).
• Electricity: Did not face any problems. The management has sensibly installed inverters to keep the lights on at any given time, which is essentially all that you need power for here. No fans or air-conditioners are needed here.
• Lawns: The cottage has very well maintained lawns to sit around in on a sunny day and for children to play. You will find a variety of flowers and fruit trees, including apricots, apples, saunf (a digestive Indians have after meals), rhododendrons, sunflowers, roses and more. You can also sit in the verandah with its old fashioned lounging chairs and read a book.
• Housekeeping: The place is kept very clean, giving one a sense of comfort. It is not easy maintaining a place in the mountains, with damp, cold climatic conditions. Full marks here.
• Connectivity with the world: Mobile towers, sure to turn John Abbot in his grave, have come up at Abbot Mount ensuring all networks work here, and not just the state owned BSNL. You can connect to the net if your phone is GPRS enabled. There is a television set but only broadcasts the state run Doordarshan channels.
• Tariff: Rs. 2,200 for a single and Rs. 3,000 for a double with all meals and unlimited tea and coffee.

The final word? Visit Abbott Mount for its virgin beauty and silence, and stay at this location to feel good too. And remember, don’t go if you are going to be in a rush. This is a place where woodpeckers do not like to be disturbed, and the kitchen does not work at the speed of Mcdonalds. But then again, why would you go to Abbot Mount if you were a regular tourist.

Contact Information
Asian Adventures
B-9, Sector-27, Noida 201301. India.
Phone: (+91 120) 2551963, 2524878, 2524874
Fax: (+91 11) 9394878.
E-fax (USA): (305) 574 6230
E-mail: wildindiatours@vsnl.com
Web: www.abbottmountcottage.com

Note: Information given here is correct at the time of posting, and may change over time.

As far as first impressions go, the Wayfarer Resort in Munsiyari in the Himalayan state of Uttrakhand (Uttranchal) flatters – but it does end up deceiving you a bit on the service front. What works for it is its setting: its perfect. The view of the Panchachuli peaks and surrounding mountain ranges leaves you with no option but to keep looking at them for hours on end as long as the cloud cover allows you to.

If you are willing to take a bit of the rough and inconvenient in your stride, this is the where you should stay when in Munsiyari, a place to mark as priority in your future planned itineraries. (Actually the next best option may not even be an option if you want at least a certain degree of comfort)

Here’s a review from my stay at Wayfarer in early June 2008:

[To see more images of the resort, click here. To see images of Munsiyari in general, click here.]

• The Location: Like I said – tough to match. On elevated ground (about 90 hillside steps up, great for losing weight if you do these a few times a day) one kilometer from the town square on the Madkot Road, the mountains rise behind it while it faces the Panchachuli and other mountain peaks – it is one of the closest and clearest views you will get of these ranges. The only audible decibels here of birds and other jungle insects, the occasional blare of a horn from the sparse traffic road below, a rare election campaigner blasting out promises from a megaphone or of fellow guests.
• The Accommodation: Seven eco-friendly huts and three tents, all with attached bath.
• The Rooms: The huts have thatched roofs, clay plastered walls, cement floor and adequate lighting with CFL bulbs. Beds are the folding types with comfortable mattresses to keep your back straight after a day of hiking or driving around. A covered patio in the front allow you sit, chat, have tea and enjoy the view of the mountains. The tented accommodation has similar amenities. A wood or coal fired heater, with an exhaust leading out, has been provided for the extremely cold nights.
• The Baths: Very basic, with a WC, a small wash basin and bathing area. You get running cold water, but hot water (heated in wood fired heaters) is delivered on request in the morning hours in buckets. No showers here, only taps. Built as an extension of the rooms using tin sheets for walls and ceiling. The metal door can make a racket if not closed gently.
• Food: A kitchen with flexible hours: works only when there are guests, from early morning to late evening. The cook can put together dishes on demand, especially when there are fewer guests. Quality and taste can be inconsistent, but mostly below par although some fellow guests disagreed with me; call it good if you compare to options in these parts. Advance notice is suggested, as ingredients need to be arranged from the market most of the times; you may not always get your selection either as the markets around may not have everything you want unlike big city ones. For those on a meal plan, it is disappointing to see only limited dishes being offered which seem a bit of a let-down for the price charged (see point on pricing below).
• Electricity: Not very regular. And generators are put on only in the evening hours, and perform erratically when all rooms are full; higher capacity generators are required here. It can get quite dark and gloomy in the huts even during the day; you need to balance a torchlight as you find your way around the bathroom in the dark. If you need to charge your laptop, mobile or camera batteries, do so whenever you get power. You would not want to miss out on taking those snaps.
• Water: Did a disappearing act a couple of times, but was fixed within minutes. They have adequate storage, but we all need to go easy on use of water for environmental reasons especially in such locations where it is not easy arranging for water.
• Housekeeping: Sheets and towels are washed, but do not give a very comfortable and clean feel. An investment in a high capacity washer and dryer would be more reassuring for guests. And no one comes to you asking if you would like the rooms cleaned in the day; you have to specifically tell them to.
• Tariff: Rs. 850 for tents, Rs. 1200 for huts. Add Rs. 850 to include breakfast and dinner, and another Rs. 250 for lunch too – all for a couple, taxes included. There is an ala-carte menu too; it may make more sense to take a room-only rate as ala-carte prices work out lower for the same selection they provide on a meal plan. And you have the option to not eat if you don’t like the food.

The final word? Back of the envelope calculations suggest Wayfarer does not generate enough revenues from this property to manage it well; they would do well to raise the prices a bit and put it back in the running of the place. It is a fantastic property – a little extra effort would be a delight for travellers. But don’t let this discourage you: go to Munsiyari, and stay at Wayfarer. The trip is worth it.

Contact Information
Wayfarer Tours & Travels (P) Ltd.
9/477, R.K.Puram
New Delhi – 110022. India
Attn: Mr. Subroto Roy

Tel: +91.11.26107715, +91.9810261791 (Mobile)
Email: wayfarerindia@yahoo.co.in, wayfarerindia@hotmail.com
Web: http://wayfareradventures.com