Tani Jubbar Lake
lake · 3.8 km away
town43 min from Narkanda
Kotgarh and the apple belt
Kotgarh, 43 minutes from Narkanda, is where Satyanand Stokes planted the first American apple tree in India in 1916; orchards now cover the slopes around it.
What it is
Kotgarh is a village and sub-tehsil in the apple belt below Narkanda. It was the capital of the Kotkhai-Kotgarh princely state, and it is where Satyanand Stokes planted the first American apple tree in India in 1916, which is why Himachal Pradesh is called the apple bowl of the country. Orchards now cover the slopes.
Photos: Ashish Gupta from Noida, India (CC BY 2.0) — via Wikimedia Commons, resized.
Getting there
By road it is about 19 km and 43 minutes from Narkanda, a detour off the main highway. The village itself is small, so most of the visit is the drive and the orchards around it.
The visit
Walk the lanes between the orchards and ask before entering any, since they are working farms. The belt looks its best in spring blossom and at the autumn harvest. Little is published about visitor facilities here, so this guide lists none.
When to go
Spring for the blossom and autumn for the harvest. See when to visit Narkanda.
Around it
Hatu Peak and Tani Jubbar Lake are on the other side of Narkanda. The two-day plan puts Kotgarh on the second day.
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Questions people ask
Why is Kotgarh famous?
It is where Satyanand Stokes planted the first American apple tree in India in 1916, which began the apple economy of Himachal Pradesh. Kotgarh was also the capital of the Kotkhai-Kotgarh princely state, and orchards now cover the slopes around the village and the road to it.
How far is Kotgarh from Narkanda?
About 19 km by road, roughly 43 minutes by car. It is a detour off the main road, so it suits a second day, with Hatu Peak and Tani Jubbar Lake on the first. The apple belt is most striking in spring blossom and again at harvest.
Can you visit the orchards?
The orchards are working farms, so ask before walking in and do not pick fruit. Harvest is in the autumn, and trees flower in the spring. We have no verified entry or tour arrangements to list, so ask at a homestay or in the village.