The Uhl river and the Barot barrage
The Uhl barrage at Barot, commissioned in 1932, diverts the river to the Shanan power house; the river below it carries trout, and the valley is a quiet stay.
Himachal Pradesh⛰ 1,819 m1 itineraries
Barot
Barot at 1,819 m: the 1932 barrage and reservoir on the Uhl, trout in the river, the Nargu sanctuary and the Dehnasar trek, with measured times.
Itineraries you can copy
All 1 →Barot is a village at 1,819 m in the valley of the Uhl river in Mandi district, set between parts of the Dhauladhar range. It was developed in the 1920s for the Shanan hydro project and was reached only by a funicular trolley until a road opened in 1975. The Uhl barrage, commissioned in 1932, and its reservoir are still its main feature.
The Uhl river and barrage are in the village. The river supports trout breeding, and the Nargu Wildlife Sanctuary lies across it. Several treks pass through Barot, among them the trek to Dehnasar Lake, a high lake sacred to the Gaddi community.
A day covers the river and the village; two days add a longer look at the valley. See the one-day plan, things to do in Barot, when to visit and how to reach Barot.
Photos: Timothy A. Gonsalves (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Timothy Gonsalves (CC BY-SA 4.0) — via Wikimedia Commons, resized.
Places worth the drive
On the map
Open the Barot map →The places a Barot day reaches, with the road time from town. Each opens on the map with its plans and pages beside it.
Before you go
All articles →
Things to do in Barot — 4 things, and what each needs
Four things to do in Barot in the Uhl valley: the 1932 barrage and reservoir, trout and the Uhl river, the Nargu sanctuary and treks such as Dehnasar Lake.
How to reach Barot — distances and drive times
How to reach Barot by road from Joginder Nagar, Mandi, Bir, Palampur and Chandigarh, with measured distances and drive times and the nearest airport.
Dehnasar Lake trek from Barot — what is published, and what is not
Dehnasar Lake sits at 4,280 m above Barot; the trek is 14 km each way from Polling and takes at least two days. June and September are the ideal months.
Best time to visit Barot — the valley and the high lake
When to visit Barot in the Uhl valley: no weather table exists for the village, but June and September are the ideal months for the Dehnasar Lake trek above it.
Questions people ask
What is Barot known for?
The Uhl barrage and reservoir, commissioned in 1932 for the Shanan hydro project, and a quiet valley village at 1,819 m reached by road only since 1975. The river supports trout breeding and angling, the Nargu Wildlife Sanctuary lies across it, and several treks pass through, including the one to Dehnasar Lake.
How far is Barot from Joginder Nagar?
About 39 km by road, roughly 106 minutes by car, on a mostly single-lane road through terraced fields and cedar forest. It branches off the Joginder Nagar to Mandi highway. Mandi is 63 km and about 153 minutes away, so most visitors approach from Joginder Nagar or Mandi.
When can you trek to Dehnasar Lake?
June and September are the ideal months. July and August bring heavy rain, landslides and sometimes cloudbursts, and the lake lies under thick snow in winter. The trek is moderately difficult and takes at least two days, so it is for prepared walkers or guided groups.
Photographs by Wikimedia Commons contributors (CC0, CC BY, CC BY-SA), resized; each picture is credited on its own page.