The Lodge at Wah, Palampur

The Lodge has been built in one and a half acres and is part of the 526 acres that forms the tea estate. While setting up the Lodge right in the middle of the estate surrounded by the snow-capped mountains and sloping tea bushes of Kangra, a lot of thought and detail went in to making it unique and tailored to the needs of guests. Building the Lodge was about looking for recycled wood, slate and furniture from old homes and local court houses. The young couple Surya and Upasana who manage the Lodge, personally coated the furniture with linseed oil, laid rocks and pebbles in the garden, scrubbed the slates, and even waxed and buffed wooden floors. The way it stands today, The Lodge at Wah, Palampur blends gracefully with its surroundings.

The Lodge at Wah, Kandbari

Embraced by towering pines and with the whisper of the stream running alongside, The Lodge at Wah Kandbari is a villa with four individual bedrooms, a living room, two patios - set  at two levels and a quaint garden to muse in. The villa has plenty of outdoor space to relax, and meals can be taken al fresco on the expansive balcony whenever the weather permits. It is pet friendly too. 

The Lodge at Wah, Palampur

The stay is divided between three cottages. The six beautiful rooms are fashioned in Kangra style using river stone and slate, sun dried bricks made of excavated mud onsite, roof lining details, banisters from witness stands, and even whole doors and windows from the Old Palampur Courthouse. The main cottage has two standard rooms and is also where the family lives and shares the dining and living area with guests. The second cottage has two deluxe rooms (larger than the standard rooms) one on top of the other, while the third cottage has two standard rooms.

The cottages are named after tea – Camellia, Oolong and Pekoe. Some come with Juliet balconies to look out to the mountain views, and have nooks for lounging with a book, and a parlour to enjoy family time over tea.

Dining

Meals feature the Kangra cuisine and a smattering of other Indian and global recipes such as Khow Suey and a Mongolian stir fry, but consciously using organic and local produce as much as possible. Wheat is grown on the estate and used for breads, rotis and pizzas. The Kangra Dham is a must try as well as the pizzas made in a wood fired oven. Special requests and dietary preferences can be easily accommodated. Meals are cooked outside in traditional way over a wood stove.

The Lodge at Wah, Kandbari

The villa is set over two levels, with two bedrooms on the lower level and two bedrooms on the upper level. All rooms come with a king-sized bed with en suite bathrooms with hot water. You will not find televisions here, WiFi works best in the common areas. The menu for thebreakfast and dinner are pre-decided keeping guests preferences in mind. Inspired by local cuisine and ingredients, all meals are freshly prepared. Lunches can be ordered a la carte. 

There are a few tea bushes within the area of the Lodge and guests are welcome to try their hand at tea plucking. The Tea Estate Tour is led either by Deepak or Surya and includes a tea session. Plans are afoot to make a tea boutique where guests can try their hand at making their own teas and taking it back with them. There are walking trails marked on the Estate and guides are available if needed. The yoga shala is ideal for practise with mountains all around. A teacher can be arranged on request. Evenings can be spent by the bonfire area when possible before moving to the dining area. Private dinners for a couple can be arranged.

Go paragliding in Bir, considered the second most beautiful place to paraglide in the world. It is filled with interesting cafes and makes for an ideal day out. The narrow gauge train offers scenic vistas and guests can take a short journey. The Andretta village is not far away; guests can also take pottery classes here. For the active traveller, there are treks organised with an outdoor partner with trained guides.

Inhouse activities include excursions to the riverside, with a pristine stream and multiple waterfalls. The trek is tough for a small part and recommended for children above 10 and for those with some fitness levels. Picnics with meals can also be arranged here and in other places. The Estate is flourishing with birds and so far over 60 species have been documented.

Perfect for

The Lodge is ideal for couples, long stays, and families. There is plenty for children to do and keep occupied even without televisions. 

Operational status

The Lodge at Wah, Palampur and The Lodge at Wah, Kandbari are open all year.

"We are deeply passionate about sustainable and responsible tourism, as we realize every day the lasting impacts, small decisions and actions we take can make on nature, the environment, and our everyday lives." - Deepak Prakash, Owner, The Lodge at Wah, Palampur and The Lodge at Wah, Kandbari.

The Lodge was built by the Prakash family specifically as a home to lead a wholesome, healthy lifestyle away from city life. While the Wah Tea Estate has been in the family since 1953, there was a general inclination to protect the natural beauty of the area. Thus, there begun a quest to protecting natural resources, using best practices, adopting the architectural style of the area with local materials and craftsmen, ensuring no wastage of electricity and avoiding use of harmful chemicals.

No Single Use Plastic: There is minimal use of plastic and there is every attempt to reduce its usage and the idea is to move to a zero-waste lifestyle. Toiletries provided are made from natural ingredients, and, are filled in reusable ceramic dispensers. They are sourced from a small local business in reusable bulk containers. Drinking water is provided in glass or copper bottles.

Safe Garbage Disposal: The property has done away with plastic garbage bin liners and lined the bins with tin making it easy to clean and wash. Housekeeping uses soapnuts to clean floors along with essential oils to ward off insects and mosquitoes. Cling wrap has been replaced with beeswax wraps as well. Dry waste is segregated and recycled, and wet waste is used for permaculture techniques of organic farming.

Water Conservation: Rain water is harvested for use in the gardens and part of the tea estate. Guests are encouraged to keep showers short.

Energy Efficiency: The large windows in the common room let in plenty of natural light and fresh air. Energy efficient appliances and lighting are used reducing electricity wastage. Very little cement has been used during construction and its use restricted to largely the kitchen. Mud bricks made with mud extracted during construction have been used for the main walls. In the summer, the mud walls keep the interiors cooler thus reducing the need for use of air-conditioners. In the winter months, the mud retains heat from the energy efficient all-weather air-conditioners, and the double insulation in the wooden ceilings further traps the heat, therefore requiring them to be switched on for a few hours only.

Nature and Biological Diversity Conservation: The tea gardens follow the same principles of no toxic chemicals and Wah Tea is wholly pesticide and weedicide free. Neem oil and chilli paste are used to get rid of pests naturally, biochar is being brought in to replace fertilizers and the tea waste is used as natural mulch material to increase productivity of the land.

Local Community Engagement: The entire team at Lodge at Wah are from the local community and nearby villages, and come with stories, experiences and anecdotes about their life in the region. Guided treks and hikes are conducted by a company that employs young men from the villages who know the terrain and are happy to take you on untrodden paths. The toiletries are sourced from a local establishment that runs a small batch factory.

Produce is sourced from the inhouse organic garden and selected local farmers who follow organic farming practices. Dairy is procured from the cowherd who lives behind the house, while raw and natural honey is sourced from a local apiary not far away along with spices, Himalayan rock salt and cold pressed cooking oils. Pickles and sauces are made either by the ladies on site or sourced locally from the village. Peaches and apricots are used to make ice creams and jams for the guests. Wheat is also grown within the Estate and used for making breads and rotis.

Light Footprint Tourism: The Lodge has taken steps to ensure that harsh toxic chemicals are not used. The home was built without the use of these chemicals; instead, a natural white clay was used to add the white colour to the indoor walls. The wood is polished naturally with linseed oil and beeswax. Mosquito repellent is made in house with natural oils.

Sensitive Destination Discovery: Offering plenty of activities that are easily accessible on foot or a short drive away, these are done with sensitivity with insights to the region, and through the eyes of the local guides who are from the nearby villages.

Heritage Preservation: The Lodge has been built in the traditional ‘Gaddi’ or Kangra style of architecture. The Gaddi tribes build their homes using slate roofs and mud flooring. Materials used at the time of construction was sourced from less than two miles around the estate and have a backstory. While walking through Palampur town, the distinctive aroma of pine wood led them to the Old Palampur Courthouse which was being demolished. The Prakash family jumped at the opportunity and brought the wood including roof lining details, banisters from witness stands and whole doors and windows.

The Lodge serves the Kangra Dham's local thali with ingredients either grown in-house or sourced locally.

Human Touch: The Lodge would like to be increasingly involved in the local community by starting a reading program for the children and helping women switch to environmentally safe feminine products.

Future plans include moving to renewable energy such as solar energy and increasing rain water harvesting to use the water in the tea gardens and organic kitchen garden, where eventually they would like to grow even more fruits, vegetables and herbs to provide guests with 100% organic meals thus providing the farm to table experience.

The RARE Sustainability Quotient is a self-audit tool that is used by our hotel partners to measure, document and assess their planet and people friendly practices and is based on the RARE Touchstones.