The approach to this place was from near Dalhousie. At the entrance they shall seek a charge of Rs. 250 to visit this place. We had booked this place for a night so these charges were not applicable. We drove up the forest - a 3 km rough drive. Lot of dust rammed up as a vehicle would pass. It is even walkable and that would have been more fun. The Kalatop Forest Rest House is an amazing place to stay. Stayed in a very cozy Log Hut that accomodates 2 persons. The weather being very cold (around 0 degrees C), there was access to continuous hot tea/coffee. The staff serving this place was very helpful and would prepare basic stuff like vegetables, chapati, rice, dal. For non-veg food, you need to inform them in advance for them to make provisions. Overall an excellent stay completely away from buildings and city-life.

Kalatop Wildlife Sanctuary offers a relaxing one day picnic from Dalhousie. If you are staying in Dalhousie and thinking of choosing between Khajjiar (which is further away) and Kalatop, then undoubtedly Kalatop should be your choice. A short 30min drive from Dalhousie, the sanctuary amidst cedar and pine trees can be walked up from the main road (3kms from the toll gate) or drive upto the entrance of the sanctuary. The place offers a few eateries, but better to carry your own lunch/snacks. There is also a good ziplining and adventure/obstacle course offered by Mr. Vipan and his team (Mobile#9882733392). The kids and family enjoyed the activities. We also did a couple of short treks inside the sanctuary. If you are upto it, you can also arrive early in the morning and have a guide trek you down to Khajjiar (10kms) amidst the scenic forest trails. Absolutely worth a visit if you are in Dalhousie.

We visited Kalatop wildlife reserve during our stay in Dalhousie. If you are into nature this place should absolutely be on your list of places to visit. Whether you see birds or wildlife depends on the time of day. For the less mobile you can hire a small car to drive you to the top of the reserve. Hardy trekkers can hire a guide who with a few short cuts will swiftly get you to the top in approximately 40-50 minutes. Your level of fitness will dictate whether you will find the trek hard or easy. I am of an average level of fitness and have to admit I found it hard going but well worth doing especially when you get to the top. Going downhill is easy bit! Whether you opt to take a car to the top or trek up, this reserve is well worth a visit.