My Yulla Kanda Trek Experience 🏔️
**My Yulla Kanda Trek Experience 🏔**️
I started my journey from Jaipur, because there is no direct connectivity from Jaipur to Himachal. I took the 9:30 PM Volvo from Jaipur to Shimla. It was a seating bus, not a sleeper. If you prefer a sleeper, you can take a direct bus from Delhi or Chandigarh towards Shimla or Reckong Peo.
Because of traffic, I reached Shimla around 5:30 PM. My next bus to Tapri was at 9:45 PM, so I had around 4 hours in between.
I booked a bed at Zostel for around ₹300 for 3 hours, took some rest, freshened up, explored Shimla for a couple of hours, had dinner, and then went back to ISBT.
The 9:45 PM bus from Shimla to Tapri leaves from the first floor of the new ISBT. I took the Tapri bus and reached Tapri around 5:15 AM the next morning.
From Tapri to Yulla Village
Once you reach Tapri, you basically have two options.
If you reach early in the morning, you can take a homestay either in Tapri or Yulla village. Otherwise, if you find a shared taxi, you can go directly to Yulla village.
From Yulla village, you can start your trek. There are also camp providers along the route, but reaching the camping area itself requires an initial hike of around 2–3 km.
And honestly, this trek is not easy from the beginning. 😅
You get steep stairs and uphill sections almost immediately, so be prepared.
I would also recommend carrying a water bottle and some food from the starting point. Things get more expensive as you go higher, and water is not always available further up.
Once you reach the camp, you can leave your heavy backpack there and take only your essentials for the actual trek — water, snacks, medicines, a trekking stick, etc.
The Actual Yulla Kanda Trek
From Yulla village, you can reach the camp in around 2–3 hours, depending on your pace and breaks.
After resting at the camp and getting ready, the actual Yulla Kanda trek begins.
There is one point that can give you a false sense of achievement. 😂
Once you cross the Yulla Kanda gate and the forest ends, you start seeing open meadows and beautiful views.
At that point, you might think:
“That’s it… the temple must be right there!”
But NO. 😂
The actual trek starts from here.
You still have to cross three major mountain sections, and they are quite steep.
I started my trek from the camp at around 2:30 PM and reached Yulla Kanda temple at around 5:15 PM.
One important thing — before the last mountain section, you will find a water source coming from the waterfalls. You can refill your bottle there because after that, the next water source is near the temple.
The Most Important Tip
Don’t rush this trek.
Walk slowly, take short breaks, drink water and keep your breathing controlled.
At this altitude, you can start feeling breathless after walking for a short distance, so don’t try to maintain a fast pace.
And one thing I personally recommend:
Don’t keep looking up to see how much is left. 😂
When you look at those steep mountains above you, it can get really demotivating.
Just focus on the next few steps and keep moving.
Slow pace + controlled breathing + consistency.
After crossing all three mountain sections, you finally start seeing the temple flag.
And that moment…
**makes all the effort worth it. ❤**️
**Finally, Yulla Kanda ❤**️
Once you reach the temple, take your time. Have darshan, sit somewhere around the temple and enjoy the mountains and the views.
But don’t stay too late if you still have to descend.
Because honestly, the downhill can be just as challenging.
While climbing up, your stamina is being tested. But while coming down, your balance and grip become more important.
The steep sections can be slippery, so be careful.
I started my descent around 6 PM, and by then it was already getting dark.
And here’s where I made a mistake. 😅
I didn’t carry a torch.
I had to come down using my phone’s flashlight, which was honestly risky.
So please — carry a proper torch or headlamp.
I made the mistake, you don’t have to. 😂
Food & Energy
Keep some chocolates, candies or energy snacks with you. They can give you a quick sugar boost when you need it.
I carried apples with me, which worked really well because they’re easy to carry and give you some energy.
And obviously, carry enough water, especially for the upper sections.
**Stay at the Camp 🏕**️
Once you come back to the camp, have dinner, rest and enjoy the camping experience.
If you want to come down the same day, you can reach Yulla village and stay at a homestay.
But personally, I would recommend staying at the camp.
Camping in the middle of the forest and waking up there is an experience in itself. 🌲🏕️
Then you can start your descent early the next morning.
Overall Experience
Honestly, I wouldn’t call Yulla Kanda an easy trek.
It’s definitely doable, but you need proper rest, patience and preparation.
The steep climbs, altitude, long walking sections and difficult descent make it a challenging experience.
But when you finally see that temple flag after all those climbs…
you understand why you came all the way here. ❤️🏔️
If you’re planning Yulla Kanda, prepare properly, maintain a slow pace, keep yourself hydrated, carry enough snacks, and most importantly, try to descend during daylight.
And don’t forget your torch/headlamp. 😅
Don’t rush the mountains.
**Enjoy the journey. ❤**️
This was my Yulla Kanda experience.