Tea, churpi and stories at the Hilley gate

Hilley's tea stalls exist for walkers and drivers, and they open early in the busy months. A glass of sweet milk tea costs about ₹20–40, instant noodles or Wai Wai about ₹50–80, and some stalls sell churpi, the hard dried cheese that people chew slowly on long walks. Buy a few pieces for the trail; it lasts for hours and gives steady energy.

The stall-keepers and homestay families around the gate know the forest better than anyone. Ask when the rhododendrons peaked this year, whether there has been snow, which birds they see, and how life changed after the sanctuary was notified in 1996 and grazing ended. You will hear first-hand versions of how homestays and walkers became part of the local economy. Listen and do not press for more than people want to share.

In winter and on monsoon weekdays, stalls may be closed, so carry your own snacks and a flask of tea. Pay in cash with small notes. Take your rubbish back down with you; there is no waste collection at the road-end, and plastic wrappers blown into the forest stay there for years.