A pilgrimage to a hidden wilderness lodge that can only be reached on foot

There is a great sense of achievement upon reaching a destination on foot. Staff at Shakti Panchachuli, our penultimate homestay, embellish that sense of arrival with buransh, a health-giving rhododendron juice, copper buckets of salted hot water for sore feet and cool flannels. Panchachuli has three custom-built barns of blackened wood and thatch cantilevered into the hillside, showcasing Indian artisanal skills. It is so spoiling and stunning a retreat I could easily hole up here for days,…