ABHA (About Best Himalayan Adventures) – July 2019

Parking Fee: ₹100 per vehicle

Cycle Rental: The sanctuary offers

cycles on rent.

Cycle with gear: ₹300 per day

Cycle without gear: ₹200 per day

Birdwatching Guide

Fee of a professional well-informed

birdwatching guide ranges from ₹2,000

to 3,000 per day because s/he will

come from Delhi or Dharmshala. A

local guide charges nominal fee (₹300-

500 per day) for just taking you to the

birding areas. The latter may not know

anything about the birds.

Boating

Boating rates vary from hotel to hotel.

I observed wide difference between the

rates: ₹400-550 per day, per person

for island visits (Pong Eco). ₹1,000 per

day, per person (Campong)

Forest Department office in Dhemta

and Nagrota Surian sells government-

run boat tickets for island visit and

sightseeing.

Equipment

Bring binoculars.

Mobile Network, Internet,

and STDs

Signal quality of both Airtel and

B.S.N.L. networks was good at Katrah,

Bhatari, and Nagrota Surian.

Info Bytes

Location

District Kangra, Himachal Pradesh,

India

Attractions of the Route

Birds

Boating

Lake islands

Pong Dam

Pong Lake

Season

Winter for watching migratory birds.

Money, Bank, A.T.Ms...

Khattiyar does not have an A.T.M.

Jawali and Harsar along Khattiyar –

Nagrota Surian road have A.T.Ms.

Nagorta Suriyan has a branch and

an A.T.M. of the State Bank of India

(S.B.I.) and branches of Punjab

National Bank (P.N.B.) and UCO Bank.

Variants of Spellings

Bhatari, Bhatadi

Khattiyar, Khattiyad

Tips

Bring good quality binoculars.

I observed and experienced that

taxi drivers buy liquor en route to

save money and accommodate their

relatives and cronies in the non-shared

booking taxis. The latter group do not

share the taxi tariff. Sort out these

things while hiring a taxi.

Negotiate rates for boating, food, guide,

kayaking, and rooms.

On Sundays, the sanctuary office

remains closed, so do not expect

brochures or any other literature about

the birds.

Permission from the Beas Bhakara

Board (BBB) in Talwara (Punjab) is

required to see the dam.

Parking, photography, and walking

on the Pong Dam are prohibited. Only

vehicles can cross it.

Regional Water Sports Institute at

Pong Dam organizes various affordable

water sports courses.

Use watchtowers.

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Volume 4, Issue 1 | June 2019