Abola Gunth Village, Dhumakot
Pauri Garhwal,
Uttarakhand
Travel long enough through the winding roads of
Dhoomakot, and you eventually reach Abola Gunth, the kind of village most people miss on tourist maps, yet it is exactly the kind of place travellers dream about when they say, “I need to disappear into the mountains for a while.” Here, the hills open up gently, forests breathe from all directions, and time moves like a stream slow, cool, unbothered.
The Land & Weather
Abola Gunth sits on the gentle folds of the middle Himalayas, surrounded by oak and chir pine. The terrain breaks into steps of green fields, each terrace catching light at different hours of the day. Summers are soothing, with breezes that sense freshly rinsed by way of the jungle. Monsoon wakes each inch of earth, turning slopes into dwelling carpets. Winters are crisp, sometimes frosted in white, the air sharp enough to make every breath feel new.
People & Rhythm of Daily Life
Life here is simple wonderfully, unhurriedly simple. Most households develop their food on terraced farms, raise livestock, and live in homes that appear like they belong to the hills, not simply built on them. You’ll listen to Garhwali in normal conversations, Hindi when human beings speak to visitors, and greet in each greeting, whether you’ve acknowledged someone for a minute or a month.
Evenings come slowly, settling softly like smoke from a chulha. People gather on verandahs or by the fields, children run freely on slopes, and meals carry the taste of firewood, millet flour, and fresh greens.
What You Feel When You Arrive
A traveller doesn’t merely reach Abola Gunth they slow into it. The noise you carried from the plains falls silent here. Bird calls replace traffic, wind replaces notifications, and mornings bring the kind of stillness that makes you breathe deeper without trying.
Little things that stay with you:
- Sunrise cutting gold through layers of hills
- Mist hanging low between pine trunks
- Terraces shining after a rainfall
- Nights so quiet, you can hear your own heartbeat
It is difficult to take a bad photograph here; the village is framed by nature from every side.
How to Get There
Closest railway access is Kotdwara, roughly 90–110 km away. Rishikesh is another possible entry point, depending on where you travel from. Buses and shared jeeps commonly run toward Dhoomakot and nearby markets, from where local vehicles connect deeper towards Abola Gunth. The final stretch is a typical mountain road narrow, slow, and beautiful.
If You Plan to Visit A Few Real Tips
- Accommodation is limited; expect homestay-style living rather than hotels.
- Hospitals are not within the village — consider this before travelling with elderly or ill persons.
- Mobile networks may fade in and out — carry cash and offline maps.
- Best weather for relaxed travel is March to June, then again post-monsoon till November.
- Avoid night driving — hills deserve daylight.
Why This Village Matters
Not every destination needs adventure parks or advertised viewpoints. Some places heal simply by existing. Abola Gunth is one of them, a small circle of homes within the Himalayas wherein the world stands still for you. If you arrive with persistence and leave without rushing, this village will live with you long after the journey ends.
