Himalayan Village: A Charming Mountain Resort Made of Local Materials in Northern India

Looking to retreat to the mountains of Northern India? You could certainly do much worse than <a href="http://www.thehimalayanvillage.in/index.html">The Himalayan Village</a>, a charming eco resort in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kasol">Kasol</a> that showcases the traditional architecture, culture and food of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pahari_people">Pahari</a> people. The unique guest cottages are made using traditional Kathkunia building techniques, which involve stacking dry stones and wood without any cement. Some of the more striking cottages stand on tall stone-and-wood pedestals, towering several stories above ground.

The Himalayan Village is located in northern India's Parvati Valley, which has become a destination for backpackers, rock climbers and nature lovers in recent years because of the pristine natural beauty of the area.

The resort, which is situated on the banks of the Parvati River, is surrounded by a thick forest of deodar pine trees.

The cottages look out on distant snow-capped mountains.

There are a total of eight cottages, including two Machan- style rooms at the Himalayan Village.

The resort also includes spa services, a traditional bar, and multiple on-site restaurants that serve a variety of Indian, Himachali and continental cuisines.

The interiors of the 600 to 750-square-foot cottages are decorated with handcrafted wood furniture, handmade tussle silk curtains, and traditional brass fittings, and the walls are plastered with dark brown mud.