Do you day dream of curling up with a book and a cup of hot chocolate by a crackling fire with views of mountains, fruit orchards and forests? Then you need a break at Sitla Estate, a homestay set in 40 acres of land that is a mix of apple, peach, plum and apricot orchards and forests in Uttarakhand’s beautiful Kumaon. The centrepiece is the ivy-covered British-era bungalow, which is where guests dine on fresh hearty meals, ranging from chicken dosas and deconstructed shepherd’s pie to traditional Kumaoni dishes, made all the more delicious thanks to the crisp mountain air. 

Guests have a pick of 11 rooms—some built in the colonial British style and some in the contemporary modern style that bring to mind the minimalist Swedish cabins we see in chic architecture magazines. All rooms have cozy fireplaces. If you want to take a break from curling up beside the fire and from all the good food, there are guided birding walks and forest hikes. Jageshwar, Nainital and Binsar Wildlife Sanctury make for good day trips from Sitla. But the best activity might just be walking through the lovely fruit orchards in the Estate’s grounds. And when you go back don’t forget to stock up on local produce like jams, chutneys, handmade soaps and all-natural scrubs from the Estate’s shop.

Price: From Rs 5,800 for a couple, includes breakfast 

Read More: http://www.sitlaestate.com/

Slow Travel

The roofs of the rooms at Sitla Estate are made of wood wool—wood shavings bound together with an adhesive—that is great for insulation. This roofing, along with the fireplace in each room, is enough to keep residents warm even in the harsh winters of the region. So heaters are not needed. About 85% of the fresh produce the Estate serves its guests comes from its organic farm and it reaches the dining table in less than three hours. The Estate collects non-biodegrable waste and sends it to a recycling plant in Haldwani. The staff at Sitla are either locals or from neighbouring villages. The Estate is also involved in a number of welfare programmes like covering the cost of education of local children from poor families. A part of the income is used to promote medical camps organised by a local NGO and to ferry people from villages to the medical camps.