Village · Shimla, Himachal
Day out to Kotgarh's apple orchards
Drive 80 km up the old Hindustan–Tibet road past Narkanda to Kotgarh, where Samuel Evans Stokes planted American apple varieties in the early 20th century. Walk through orchards, see grading sheds at harvest and return via Narkanda's ridge views.
Photo: Ashish Gupta from Noida, India · CC BY 2.0 · CommonsKotgarh sits on slopes above the Sutlej at roughly 1,800–2,000 m, about 80 km from Shimla by road, which takes 3 hours each way. It is where Samuel Evans Stokes, an American who came to the hills as a young man and later took the name Satyananda, planted improved apple varieties from the United States. Farmers who had grown grain and old local apples found they could sell this fruit in the plains, and orchards spread across Shimla district over the following decades.
In August, September and October the orchards are being picked, graded and packed into cardboard boxes stacked along the road for trucks to Delhi. Many families are happy to let visitors walk through and buy a few kilos at farm prices if you ask politely, and our drivers know who to ask. In April the same trees are in blossom. Stokes also built a small temple near his home in the Kotgarh area, which locals can point you to.
On the way, Narkanda at about 2,700 m has ridge views of the high Himalaya and, in winter, a small ski slope. Hatu Peak, a few kilometres above Narkanda, has a wooden temple and a 360-degree view on clear mornings. Leave Shimla by 8 am to avoid Dhalli traffic. The road is good but busy with trucks at harvest time, so build in an extra hour.
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Questions
Before you book
When is apple season around Shimla?
Picking in the Kotgarh and Narkanda belt runs mainly from August to October, depending on altitude and variety. Lower orchards are picked first. April brings blossom. In winter the trees are bare, though the drive and Narkanda's snow are still worthwhile.
Can I buy apples directly from orchards?
Often yes, especially at harvest. Ask politely at orchards or packing sheds along the road; many families will sell a box or a few kilos. Never pick fruit yourself without permission, as orchards are private property and a family's main income.
Is Kotgarh worth an overnight stay?
If you have time, yes: a night at Narkanda or in an orchard homestay lets you see Hatu Peak at sunrise and the orchards in morning light. Otherwise it works well as a long day trip from Shimla, or as a stop on the way to Kinnaur.