Travel Tips & Guides
ARKI FAQs
Here are the answers to some of the top questions on Arki, the former royal capital…
Here are the answers to some of the top questions on Arki, the former royal capital…
Arki is in the Solan district of Himachal Pradesh. It’s located a little far off from the Solan town. It was the former capital of erstwhile Baghal state. Gorkha army commander Amar Singh Thapa had also made Arki his capital in the beginning of the 19th century.
Arki is famous because it’s a historic town. Besides being the capital of erstwhile Baghal state, Arki also used to be a major cultural centre where once ‘Arki style of paintings,’ a branch of ‘Pahari school of paintings,’ developed and flourished.
Yes, especially for curious travellers with a thing for history. Some of the places of interest here include the Arki fort, which is more than 300-year-old, and the historic Lutru Mahadev and Laxmi Narayan temples.
No. There are no good staying options in Arki. You can stay in the nearby Kasauli, Barog or Shimla towns and then plan a daytrip to Arki. Till few years back, a part of the fort was run as a hotel but it’s shut now.
You can reach Arki via Dharampur and Shimla. From Dharampur, which is near Solan, Arki is about two hours’ drive as you follow the Dharampur-Sabathu-Kunihar-Arki route. From Shimla, it takes about almost the same time.
Arki is situated at a comparatively lower height of around 1045 meters. The weather here is not one of the nicest but quite bearable in summers. In winters, it gets a little cold but not harsh.
