Eagles Nest, Dharamkot

Mountains

Eagles Nest, Dharamkot

A rebuilt mission house in the deodars, above McLeod Ganj.

setting

Mountains

where

Upper Dharamkot, above McLeod Ganj, Himachal Pradesh, India

best season

March to June and September to December, whe…

ideal for

Wellness in the Wilderness

( the feeling of it )

An old stone house rebuilt in the deodars, on a hill with no traffic. You come up to Eagles Nest to breathe, behold and belong.

( the story )

A small, family-run eco retreat on a quiet, car-free hill in Upper Dharamkot: a yoga hall above the valley, a spa and sauna, forest trails from the door and food from its own garden.

More than 150 years ago an American Pentecostal mission built a stone house on this hill, which locals call Dhongri. The great Kangra earthquake of 1905 left it a ruin for decades. Bo and Sheila first camped under the stars in its broken walls in the 1980s, when there was no road at all from McLeod Ganj, and in the 1990s they began rebuilding it from local materials in the middle of the forest. Sheila is still part of the family that runs it. Today it is a small retreat for people who come to look after their wellbeing: yoga and meditation, nature walks, a sauna, and very little else to do but breathe, behold and belong.

The house, glowing at dusk
The house, glowing at dusk

( field notes, dawn to night )

A day here

Dawn

Yoga in Balance, the wooden-floored hall that opens onto pine forest, valley and snow peaks.

Morning

A walk from the door through the deodars to the old Shiv temple, or on towards Triund.

Afternoon

Tea and a book in the greenhouse among the saplings, then the sauna at Elevate as the light goes.

Night

Nettle soup and rhododendron chutney from the garden, the fire lit, the lights of the valley far below.

( what stays with you )

The experience

The house

The house

Timber, firelight and deep armchairs, in a stone house rebuilt by hand from a Victorian mission's ruins.

Stillness

Stillness

A yoga hall above the valley, a greenhouse of books and saplings, quiet corners for sitting. Wellness in the Wilderness programmes bring yoga, pranayama and meditation together.

The wild

The wild

No road, no traffic: leopard and black bear in the far forest, griffon vultures overhead, minivets and verditer flycatchers in the trees.

Winter

Winter

In the cold months the snow comes down to the ridge and the whole Kangra valley lies open below.

Night

Night

From the hill, the lights of Dharamshala far below, and stars above the Dhauladhar.

The rooms

The rooms

Rooms and suites in timber and stone, most with a balcony over the forest, a fire in the colder months and views of the valley.

The long table

The long table

Meals gathered around one table, with vegetables and herbs from the house's own garden.

The trails

The trails

Forest paths from the door, on foot or on one of the house's own mountain horses.

( on foot, from the house )

Trails from the door

The hill has no road, so every walk begins at the door: short loops through the deodars, sunset points, temples in the forest, and the classic treks of the Dhauladhar.

The deodar loop

easyabout 20 minutes

About a thousand steps through the deodars, the snow peaks above you the whole way. A quick, easy first walk.

The old Shiv temple

moderatebest at sunset

A trail to a small, ancient Shiv Mandir with one of the finest views on the hill: the Kangra valley, the Dhauladhar, and the sun going down.

The waterfall

moderate to difficultabout an hour

Through dense forest of rhododendron, with langurs and birds all around, to a waterfall in the hills.

Naddi at sunset

easylate afternoon

An easy late-afternoon walk through quiet jungle to a sunset point in Naddi village, the Himalayan barbet calling as you arrive.

Triund

Triund

moderateMar – May · Sep – Dec

The classic weekend trek to a grassy ridge at about 2,850 m: short but steep, through rhododendron and oak, the Dhauladhar close enough to touch.

Alok Kumar · Wikimedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Kareri Lake & Indrahar Pass

2 – 5 dayswith a guide

For more days: a glacier-fed lake at about 2,930 m, frozen from December to spring, or the high pass over the Dhauladhar into Chamba, through the country of the Gaddi shepherds.

( bookmarks )

Useful links

( worth underlining )

What sets it apart

Rebuilt from a 150-year-old mission house, on a hill with no traffic

Balance, a light-filled yoga hall opening onto pine forest and snow peaks

Elevate, a spa and sauna rooted in Himalayan wellness traditions

Trails from the door: the old Shiv temple, Naddi at sunset, Triund, Kareri Lake

Food from its own garden: rhododendron jam, nettle soup, wild fiddlehead ferns

Hundreds of bird species, and the house's own mountain horses

What you can do

Yoga & Pranayama
Meditation
Spa & Sauna
Nature Walks & Treks
Birdwatching
Horse Riding

On the property

Yoga Hall
Spa & Sauna
Greenhouse Library
Organic Garden
Billiards Deck & Fireplace
Mountain Horses

( plan your stay )

Here wellness is not performed but felt. After days of forest, breath and simple food, you leave quieter, closer to the hills, and a little more yourself.

A small house in the deodars above McLeod Ganj, with the Dhauladhar for company.

best time to visit — March to June and September to December, when the Dhauladhar stands clear. Winter brings snow to the door; the monsoon (July and August) is green and very wet.

before you book

getting there
Fly to Kangra (Gaggal) airport, about 45 minutes by car from McLeod Ganj, or take the train to Pathankot, about 2 hours 25 minutes away. Chandigarh is about 5 hours 40 minutes by road, Delhi nearly 10.
getting around
Take the road towards Galu Temple from McLeod Ganj. The hill itself has no road and no traffic, so expect to walk the last of the way.
good to know
Run by a small family team on solar-assisted hot water, harvested rainwater and drinking water from its own spring.

From hoteleaglesnest.com, checked October 2026. Prices change, so confirm with the property when you book.

book with Eagles Nest ↗

you book directly with the property · HAWA Club members can also ask the HAWA assistant, in the seal below

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