Bir Rajgundha Road Trip

Bir Rajgundha Road Trip

Nestled amidst the Dhauladhar mountain ranges, Rajgundha Valley consists of several small villages that are slightly disconnected from the rest of the world.

This is one of the reasons why this Bir Billing road trip is more famous among the locals than the tourists that visit Bir.

The trip to Rajgundha goes through a forest and offers some amazing views that make it perfect for nature lovers and trekking enthusiasts.
Situated at a height of 8900 ft. (approximately), Rajgundha Village along with Kukkar Gundha village enjoys a pleasant climate and landscape.

Since these villages are a part of the valley, you can witness some gorgeous sunrises and sunsets from here. And the best thing about this valley is that the only way to travel to other villages is by walking on the trail or using a mule.

Life is simple in Rajgundha Valley as people are self-sustained here and believe in the old traditional ways of living. They mainly farm here and sell the produce in the markets of the towns in Himachal Pradesh. Since they have enough produce, they use it to prepare their own food which is healthy and nutritious.

Nestled amidst the Dhauladhar mountain ranges, Rajgundha Valley consists of several small villages that are slightly disconnected from the rest of the world. This is one of the reasons why this Bir Billing road trip is more famous among the locals than the tourists that visit Bir. The trip to Rajgundha goes through a forest and offers some amazing views that make it perfect for nature lovers and trekking enthusiasts.
Situated at a height of 8900 ft. (approximately), Rajgundha Village along with Kukkar Gundha village enjoys a pleasant climate and landscape. Since these villages are a part of the valley, you can witness some gorgeous sunrises and sunsets from here. And the best thing about this valley is that the only way to travel to other villages is by walking on the trail or using a mule. Bir Rajgundha Road Trip

Life is simple in Rajgundha Valley as people are self-sustained here and believe in the old traditional ways of living. They mainly farm here and sell the produce in the markets of the towns in Himachal Pradesh. Since they have enough produce, they use it to prepare their own food which is healthy and nutritious. Bir Rajgundha Road Trip

Location
At an altitude of 8900 Ft, Rajgundha lies in the Chota Bhangal region of Kangra district in Himachal Pradesh. It has been more popular as a trekking destination because until recently, it was not connected with a motorable road. Rajgundha is largely a self-sustainable village. This gorgeous place has remained crowd-free despite being very close to Bir-Billing and Barot valley. One can witness gigantic mountain ranges from everywhere in the village. Life here is simple, people have minimum requirements and are warm and welcoming. Bir Rajgundha Road Trip

How to reach starting point – Bir
Bir is a small village in the northern state of Himachal Pradesh, located in the west of Joginder Nagar Valley. This little hilltop is located at an altitude of 1525 m and is home to several Buddhist stupas and monasteries, which makes the place serene and secluded. You can reach Bir by taking a plane, a train or by simply taking a road trip and driving up there. Direct flights and trains do not ply to small town; however, you can reach Bir by travelling to neighbouring airports and railways stations. Alternatively, you can drive up to Bir or even take a bus. Bir Rajgundha Road Trip

By Air
Bir is located at a high altitude due to which there is no direct flight connectivity to the town. Since there is no direct airport in Bir, one has to travel to the nearest airport which is at a distance of 68 km, known as the Kangra airport in Dharamshala. Major airlines like Air India, Spice Jet and Go Air frequently fly to this airport from various other cities in the country. Once you reach the airport, you can take a cab or a bus from the premises of the airport to get to your destination in Bir. Alternatively, you can also travel to the Delhi airport and then travel by road to Bir. The airways are the fastest way to reach Bir. Bir Rajgundha Road Trip

By road
A number of national highways are connected to Bir, making it easy for people to travel by road. Bir is situated in the foothills of the Himalayas, which makes it a very picturesque village. Hence, taking a road trip to such a beautiful place is one of the best ways to get to Bir. Depending on the state you are driving from and the stops that are being taken, it takes anywhere between 2-5 days to reach Bir. You can also take a bus from Dharamshala or Palampur. Overnight busses are also available from the Inter State Bus Terminal in Delhi, but they might take longer to reach.

By Rail
There are no straight trains to Bir due to it being on a high altitude. Although the Ahju Railway station, located at a distance of 3 km from the village is the closest railways station, not many trains ply from major cities and they aren’t very frequent either. Therefore, the closest train station that ais frequented by trains coming from different cities is the Pathankot Railway station, which is at a distance of 143 km from Bir. You can take a cab or a bus from Pathankot to go to Bir.

Altitude of Rajgundha village
Referred often along with its twin village, Kukkar Gundha, Rajgundha village has a beautiful environmen & is situated at a height of approximately 8900 ft. The village is surrounded by majestic mountain ranges and witnesses beautiful sunsets and sunrises every day.
Trip distance
Bir to Rajgundha trek covers a distance of 14 kms and is covered in the span of 2 days. The easy-moderate considered trek starts from Bir, making its way to the pretty village of Barot and finally to the magnificent valley of Rajgundha.
Best time to visit
Ideally, you can go on the Rajgundha trek throughout the year except for the monsoons. Here is a detailed breakdown of what to expect in each season.

Rajgundha Trek in Summer Season (March – June)
If you want to escape the heat and the humidity in the summer season, then Rajgundha trek is perfect for this season. Since this valley experiences a cool temperature throughout the year, you would definitely get a respite from the summer heat.
Also, the fresh crisp air could do wonders for your mind and body. Plus, if you still feel hot, then you can always hike to the riverside and spend a better part of your day here.
During this time, you could also enjoy paragliding from Billing. And there are a few other treks like the Thamsar Pass trek, Palachak trek, etc. which you can go for here. Bir Rajgundha Road Trip

Rajgundha Trek in Monsoon Season (July – September)
As I said before, the monsoon is not an ideal time for the Rajgundha trek. This is because often the bridge over the Uhl river collapses due to heavy rainfall or the roads are closed due to landslides.
So, it is not safe to trek during this time. If you really wish to enjoy the Rajgundha trek, plan a trip post-monsoon here.

Rajgundha Trek in Winter Season (October – February)
In my opinion, October to December is the best time to experience Rajgundha trek. During this time, it is not raining anymore and the whole valley is bursting with color. Plus, it is also cooler but not so much that you cannot bear it.
And if you are lucky then you can also experience the Rajgundha trek when it is snowing here which is equally magical, if not more. However, you would need proper winter clothing and gears if you plan to trek during the snow time. Bir Rajgundha Road Trip

Highlights of the trip
Watch the Beautiful Night Sky Here
Head to Chhota Manali in Rajgundha Valley
Walk Around and Enjoy the Views
Enjoy and Wet your Feet in the Cold River Water
Experience Paragliding from the Billing Site
Go For Short Nearby Hikes
 Enjoy Fishing in the Barot Valley

Trip itinerary
Day 1:Delhi to Bir
Reach Bir on day 1 and explore the beautiful colorful town for the day and energize yourself for the trek. Majorly all the regions in Himachal are very well connected with roads. Especially with nearby states such as New Delhi, Chandigarh & Uttarakhand. The best way from Delhi to Bir for all road trip lovers is by road. You can book your bus via HRTC or private bus for the journey. The Delhi to Bir distance is 500km approx.

Day 2: Bir local sight-seeing
Known as the Paragliding capital of India, Bir attracts adventure-seekers from throughout the country and the world. Hence, spend your day 2 with your feet in the air. Visit Chokling monastery which houses a grand and huge stupa as well as an enthralling statue of Padmasambhava. This monastery is located in the Bir Tibetan colony. Spend your time near Gunehar waterfall which is the prime attraction of the Gunehar village, tucked away on a hillock around 1.5 km away from Bir in Himachal Pradesh. At a height of 100 ft., the gorgeous waterfall can be reached through a short trek from the village and is surely going to be one of the most thrilling and enriching experiences of your life.

Day 3: Bir-Billing to Rajgundha trek
The route for the Rajgundha trek starts from the Billing site, near the Paragliding takeoff point. It is a 14 km trek from Billing which takes around 5-6 hours to complete. So, make sure you start by the latest at 10-11 a.m. if you want to reach the valley before the sunsets.
Once you start from Billing, you will come across a couple of food stalls and then a sitting area. This is the actual beginning of the Rajgundha trek. From here, a trail goes straight as you can see in the below picture.
Climb uphill on this trail and after around 5 minutes, you will reach the second takeoff site of Billing. From here, very few people take off for paragliding and are usually practicing how to run during the take-off. After this, it is another 5-minute climb and you will be surrounded by the colorful prayer flags.
From here, you can also watch a few houses which are below and can still watch paragliders from afar.
Once you cross the prayer flag part, it is a walk through a narrow trail, in between the trees. Then, you have a steep ascent of 5 minutes before you reach a broken road. After this, Rajgundha trek is a pretty much straight walk without any ascents or descents.
Once you clear away from the woods, you will notice a valley on your right side. That is when you know that you have almost completed the Rajgundha trek and that village is just another 3-4 turns away.

Day 4: Rajgundha to Bir & Departure
Start your day to Billing a little early if you wish to do paragliding from the takeoff site. You can leave Rajgundha by 9:00 a.m. as it will take around 5-6 hours to reach Billing.
On the way, you will cross the Channa Pass from where you can admire the panoramic view of Thamsar Pass. Once you reach Billing, you can do paragliding which takes around 20 minutes and land directly at Bir landing point.
You can choose to leave Bir the same night by booking a Volvo bus to Delhi.

Day 5: Bir to Delhi
Take a bus back to Delhi with cherishing a lot of memories of the trip along the way

At an altitude of 8900 Ft, Rajgundha lies in the Chota Bhangal region of Kangra district in Himachal Pradesh. It has been more popular as a trekking destination because until recently, it was not connected with a motorable road. Rajgundha is largely a self-sustainable village. This gorgeous place has remained crowd-free despite being very close to Bir-Billing and Barot valley. One can witness gigantic mountain ranges from everywhere in the village. Life here is simple, people have minimum requirements and are warm and welcoming.

How to reach starting point – Bir
Bir is a small village in the northern state of Himachal Pradesh, located in the west of Joginder Nagar Valley. This little hilltop is located at an altitude of 1525 m and is home to several Buddhist stupas and monasteries, which makes the place serene and secluded. You can reach Bir by taking a plane, a train or by simply taking a road trip and driving up there. Direct flights and trains do not ply to small town; however, you can reach Bir by travelling to neighbouring airports and railways stations. Alternatively, you can drive up to Bir or even take a bus.

By Air
Bir is located at a high altitude due to which there is no direct flight connectivity to the town. Since there is no direct airport in Bir, one has to travel to the nearest airport which is at a distance of 68 km, known as the Kangra airport in Dharamshala. Major airlines like Air India, Spice Jet and Go Air frequently fly to this airport from various other cities in the country. Once you reach the airport, you can take a cab or a bus from the premises of the airport to get to your destination in Bir. Alternatively, you can also travel to the Delhi airport and then travel by road to Bir. The airways are the fastest way to reach Bir.

By road
A number of national highways are connected to Bir, making it easy for people to travel by road. Bir is situated in the foothills of the Himalayas, which makes it a very picturesque village. Hence, taking a road trip to such a beautiful place is one of the best ways to get to Bir. Depending on the state you are driving from and the stops that are being taken, it takes anywhere between 2-5 days to reach Bir. You can also take a bus from Dharamshala or Palampur. Overnight busses are also available from the Inter State Bus Terminal in Delhi, but they might take longer to reach.

By Rail
There are no straight trains to Bir due to it being on a high altitude. Although the Ahju Railway station, located at a distance of 3 km from the village is the closest railways station, not many trains ply from major cities and they aren’t very frequent either. Therefore, the closest train station that ais frequented by trains coming from different cities is the Pathankot Railway station, which is at a distance of 143 km from Bir. You can take a cab or a bus from Pathankot to go to Bir.

Altitude of Rajgundha village
Referred often along with its twin village, Kukkar Gundha, Rajgundha village has a beautiful environmen & is situated at a height of approximately 8900 ft. The village is surrounded by majestic mountain ranges and witnesses beautiful sunsets and sunrises every day.
Trip distance
Bir to Rajgundha trek covers a distance of 14 kms and is covered in the span of 2 days. The easy-moderate considered trek starts from Bir, making its way to the pretty village of Barot and finally to the magnificent valley of Rajgundha.
Best time to visit
Ideally, you can go on the Rajgundha trek throughout the year except for the monsoons. Here is a detailed breakdown of what to expect in each season. Bir Rajgundha Road Trip

Rajgundha Trek in Summer Season (March – June)
If you want to escape the heat and the humidity in the summer season, then Rajgundha trek is perfect for this season. Since this valley experiences a cool temperature throughout the year, you would definitely get a respite from the summer heat. Bir Rajgundha Road Trip
Also, the fresh crisp air could do wonders for your mind and body. Plus, if you still feel hot, then you can always hike to the riverside and spend a better part of your day here.
During this time, you could also enjoy paragliding from Billing. And there are a few other treks like the Thamsar Pass trek, Palachak trek, etc. which you can go for here. Bir Rajgundha Road Trip

Rajgundha Trek in Monsoon Season (July – September)
As I said before, the monsoon is not an ideal time for the Rajgundha trek. This is because often the bridge over the Uhl river collapses due to heavy rainfall or the roads are closed due to landslides. Bir Rajgundha Road Trip
So, it is not safe to trek during this time. If you really wish to enjoy the Rajgundha trek, plan a trip post-monsoon here.

Rajgundha Trek in Winter Season (October – February)
In my opinion, October to December is the best time to experience Rajgundha trek. During this time, it is not raining anymore and the whole valley is bursting with color. Plus, it is also cooler but not so much that you cannot bear it.
And if you are lucky then you can also experience the Rajgundha trek when it is snowing here which is equally magical, if not more. However, you would need proper winter clothing and gears if you plan to trek during the snow time.

Highlights of the trip
Watch the Beautiful Night Sky Here
Head to Chhota Manali in Rajgundha Valley
Walk Around and Enjoy the Views
Enjoy and Wet your Feet in the Cold River Water
Experience Paragliding from the Billing Site
Go For Short Nearby Hikes
 Enjoy Fishing in the Barot Valley

Trip itinerary
Day 1:Delhi to Bir
Reach Bir on day 1 and explore the beautiful colorful town for the day and energize yourself for the trek. Majorly all the regions in Himachal are very well connected with roads. Especially with nearby states such as New Delhi, Chandigarh & Uttarakhand. The best way from Delhi to Bir for all road trip lovers is by road. You can book your bus via HRTC or private bus for the journey. The Delhi to Bir distance is 500km approx. Bir Rajgundha Road Trip

Day 2: Bir local sight-seeing
Known as the Paragliding capital of India, Bir attracts adventure-seekers from throughout the country and the world. Hence, spend your day 2 with your feet in the air. Visit Chokling monastery which houses a grand and huge stupa as well as an enthralling statue of Padmasambhava. This monastery is located in the Bir Tibetan colony. Spend your time near Gunehar waterfall which is the prime attraction of the Gunehar village, tucked away on a hillock around 1.5 km away from Bir in Himachal Pradesh. At a height of 100 ft., the gorgeous waterfall can be reached through a short trek from the village and is surely going to be one of the most thrilling and enriching experiences of your life.

Day 3: Bir-Billing to Rajgundha trek
The route for the Rajgundha trek starts from the Billing site, near the Paragliding takeoff point. It is a 14 km trek from Billing which takes around 5-6 hours to complete. So, make sure you start by the latest at 10-11 a.m. if you want to reach the valley before the sunsets. Bir Rajgundha Road Trip
Once you start from Billing, you will come across a couple of food stalls and then a sitting area. This is the actual beginning of the Rajgundha trek. From here, a trail goes straight as you can see in the below picture.
Climb uphill on this trail and after around 5 minutes, you will reach the second takeoff site of Billing. From here, very few people take off for paragliding and are usually practicing how to run during the take-off. After this, it is another 5-minute climb and you will be surrounded by the colorful prayer flags.
From here, you can also watch a few houses which are below and can still watch paragliders from afar.
Once you cross the prayer flag part, it is a walk through a narrow trail, in between the trees. Then, you have a steep ascent of 5 minutes before you reach a broken road. After this, Rajgundha trek is a pretty much straight walk without any ascents or descents.
Once you clear away from the woods, you will notice a valley on your right side. That is when you know that you have almost completed the Rajgundha trek and that village is just another 3-4 turns away. Bir Rajgundha Road Trip

Day 4: Rajgundha to Bir & Departure
Start your day to Billing a little early if you wish to do paragliding from the takeoff site. You can leave Rajgundha by 9:00 a.m. as it will take around 5-6 hours to reach Billing.
On the way, you will cross the Channa Pass from where you can admire the panoramic view of Thamsar Pass. Once you reach Billing, you can do paragliding which takes around 20 minutes and land directly at Bir landing point.
You can choose to leave Bir the same night by booking a Volvo bus to Delhi. Bir Rajgundha Road Trip

Day 5: Bir to Delhi
Take a bus back to Delhi with cherishing a lot of memories of the trip along the way

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