If you have always wished for non-touristy Shimla then take a 20 kms detour to this quaint little town, Fagu that resonates Shimla of yesteryear.
Give a breather to the queen of hills, Shimla, which has been quenching the wanderlust of thousands of people for decades beyond its capacity, an eventually running out of crucial resources, such as water. Skip the saturated Shimla and take a 20 kms detour to this quaint little town, Fagu. Fagu – a sleepy town is believed to be what Shimla used to be in its olden days. Fagu got eclipsed by the supremacy of the popular and crowded capital and therefore has been able to protect its richness in resources from mass tourism. To ensure that Fagu does not have the similar fate as that of Shimla, MylocalDost is empowering the locals of the place to organize and manage the tourism activities. Locals are the real stakeowners of the place, and they know how to protect their homeland while offering amazing experiences to the avid travellers, as who knows places better than a local.
Local Dost - Rakesh Thakur
The Local Dost at Fagu, Rakeshji is a family man and loves to treat every guest as his own family. His hospitality is incomparable and is always available for the guests even during the wee hours of the day. He's our super local dost who knows Fagu, Shimla and surroundings like the back of his hand. You can go for exploration is his vehicle or take him along in your own vehicle and explore like a local. He can also take you to small jungle treks and visit to his own apple orchard. Pluck and relish the fresh farm Himachali apples.
A beautiful and a modern homestay in the lap of Himalayas, surrounded with lush greenery and snow clad mountains. The experience would be warm, welcoming and homely. One can also prepare his/her own meals in en-suite kitchen.
3 Rooms – One room on the ground floor and two floors of first floor.
You can engage in the following activities to get the most out of the place and live it like a local.
Jungle Walk – Take the untrodden trails that pass through the quaint Himalayan villages of Fagu and get lost into the tranquility of the place. There are many places from where one can get a perfect view of the snowline.
Apple Orchard Visit – The local dost has his own apple orchard and one can go on a beautiful farm walk with him. Pluck and relish the farm fresh Himachali apples.
Chillax – You are already doing so much in your fast-paced life so be here and just do nothing at all. Sleep in the lap of nature, breathe in fresh air around, eat organic meals and chill.
Tani Jubber Lake – Tani Jubber is a beautiful lake lying between lush green slopes on one side and red ripe apple orchards on the other with snow-covered mountains in the backdrop. This lake at Thanedar is like a beautiful picture postcard.
Hatu Temple – Hatu Peak is one of the highest points in Narkanda and offers spectacular views of the snow peaked mountains. Hatu Peak is a 7km trek from Narkanda.
The following are the measures that the local dost has adopted to ensure tourism does not impact the place and boost Responsible Tourism.
100% local staff – Empowering rural lives by giving them the opportunity to host travellers and earn a living directly.
Organic and local food – Relish the authentic cuisine which is made of fresh farm-picked ingredients to ensure healthy living.
Green Building – Accommodation is made from locally sourced materials mostly wood and represents the traditional architecture of the place. This ensures minimum impact to the environment and keeping alive the traditional architecture.
Energy Efficient Lights – Accommodation is equipped with energy efficient lights to ensure minimum load on the power grid.
Rainwater Collection – The host has a rainwater harvesting setup in place to reduce demand on ground water, flooding and erosion.
No road destination – The homestay is away from the main road, one has to take a 2 km off-road to reach the property making the place free from vehicular pollution.
Waste Management – One needs to dispose plastic in the dustbins available in the premises and need to take back the waste in case of bulk plastic waste. Bio-waste is taken care by the local dost for the purpose of farming.
Accommodation
Rooms - 3 Rooms
A beautiful and a modern homestay in the lap of Himalayas, surrounded with lush greenery and snow clad mountains. The experience would be warm, welcoming and homely. One can also prepare his/her own meals in en-suite kitchen.
3 Rooms – One room on the ground floor and two floors of first floor.
You can engage in the following activities to get the most out of the place and live it like a local.
Jungle Walk – Take the untrodden trails that pass through the quaint Himalayan villages of Fagu and get lost into the tranquility of the place. There are many places from where one can get a perfect view of the snowline.
Apple Orchard Visit – The local dost has his own apple orchard and one can go on a beautiful farm walk with him. Pluck and relish the farm fresh Himachali apples.
Chillax – You are already doing so much in your fast-paced life so be here and just do nothing at all. Sleep in the lap of nature, breathe in fresh air around, eat organic meals and chill.
Tani Jubber Lake – Tani Jubber is a beautiful lake lying between lush green slopes on one side and red ripe apple orchards on the other with snow-covered mountains in the backdrop. This lake at Thanedar is like a beautiful picture postcard.
Hatu Temple – Hatu Peak is one of the highest points in Narkanda and offers spectacular views of the snow peaked mountains. Hatu Peak is a 7km trek from Narkanda.
Living Responsible
The following are the measures that the local dost has adopted to ensure tourism does not impact the place and boost Responsible Tourism.
100% local staff – Empowering rural lives by giving them the opportunity to host travellers and earn a living directly.
Organic and local food – Relish the authentic cuisine which is made of fresh farm-picked ingredients to ensure healthy living.
Green Building – Accommodation is made from locally sourced materials mostly wood and represents the traditional architecture of the place. This ensures minimum impact to the environment and keeping alive the traditional architecture.
Energy Efficient Lights – Accommodation is equipped with energy efficient lights to ensure minimum load on the power grid.
Rainwater Collection – The host has a rainwater harvesting setup in place to reduce demand on ground water, flooding and erosion.
No road destination – The homestay is away from the main road, one has to take a 2 km off-road to reach the property making the place free from vehicular pollution.
Waste Management – One needs to dispose plastic in the dustbins available in the premises and need to take back the waste in case of bulk plastic waste. Bio-waste is taken care by the local dost for the purpose of farming.
Factsheet
How to Reach:
Public Transport: You can reach Shimla via overnight Volvo. Fagu is just 20 kms from here and one can reach via frequently-running local bus or private taxi as per the budget. Get down at Fagu bus stand and your local dost will receive you.
Personal Vehicle – Driving Directions: Delhi-Chandigarh-Shimla. Take the Narkanda route from Shimla, Fagu is 20 kms from Shimla.
Weather Condition: Fagu is a 365 days destination. Cooler in Summers and receives heavy snow during Winters. Avoid during heavy Monsoons.
Best for:
This place is a couple’s retreat – mostly visited by couples who wish for a serene stay, unlike typical crowded hotels, with a comfort of a home.
Families who wish to give their loved ones fresh air to breathe, sound of pure nature, exposure to local culture, and all this being at home away from home.
Friends who are done with touristy Shimla and looking for alternative places around to relax.
Responsible Tourism Features/Tips: “Keep the place as you wish to see when you come back”
Resources: Hills have scarcity of water as you have come across news of Shimla and Nainital running out of water. This will be the fate of most hill stations if we continue to consider water as a free resource. So, do use water judiciously for the sake of the local people who thrive on this limited resource.
Stay: This being a homestay, you feel no different than you were in your own home. The host is warm, the chef is cool and will be at your disposal to make you feel comfortable. You can cook your own food as well for a change. So, be like our family and not just guests.
Garbage Management: There is a complete ban on burying, burning or otherwise disposing non-biodegradable or toxic waste in the area. Dispose waste responsibly: carry back all non-
biodegradable litter, and leave the place litter-free before departing.
Essentials 
Heater 
Geyser 
Television 
Self-cooking 
Wi-Fi 
Bonfire 
Parking 
Review Taking a detour to Uncrowded Shimla.