Embark on a 6 hour guided tour to Andretta Artists Village, founded by Norah Richards in the 1920s who worked to transform the village into a center for artists, potters and theatre artists.
Experience stress free travel with a convenient pick-up and drop-off from the hotel, making your journey smooth and comfortable.
Stroll through the tea estate and receive insights from an expert guide about the process of tea making and get an opportunity to taste the flavour of the tea.
Explore Sobha Singh Art Gallery in Andretta, previously the residence and now an art gallery of a Punjabi artist Sobha Singh who was famous for his paintings of Sikh gurus.
Witness live pottery-making at the Andretta Pottery & Craft Society which promotes, preserves, and revives the traditional pottery crafts of the region.
About the Destination
Andretta is a small village near Palampur in Himachal Pradesh, located in the Kangra Valley with the stunning views of the Dhauladhar range. The village during the 1920s got transformed into an artists’ colony from a quiet village. This transformation was brought by Norah Richards, an Irish theatre artist and an environmentalist who had a vision to create a center of artists. Other artists like Sobha Singh and Sardar Gurcharan Singh also played a vital role in the transformation of Andretta to an artists’ village. The village became a center for painters, theatre artists, play writers, and other creative minds over the years. The Andretta Artists Village tour from Palampur is a 6 hour guided tour that takes you to the artists’ village along with a visit to a tea estate, blending scenic beauty with cultural exploration.
Highlights of the Tour
This is a guided tour offering a personalized experience with pick-up and drop-off services from your hotel in Palampur. The tour begins with a visit to a local tea estate where a presentation is conducted on tea cultivation and processing. The visitors also get an opportunity to stroll through the tea garden including hands-on plucking and a tea-tasting session with the guide. After a satisfying visit to the tea estate, the tour takes you to Andretta village. The picturesque scenery and the sense of its artistic atmosphere can be felt as soon as you enter the village. The quiet village which was transformed into an artists’ village features various art galleries and art and craft societies. One of the famous art galleries in the village is Sobha Singh Art Gallery. This gallery was previously the residence of the Punjabi painter Sobha Singh who was famous for the paintings of Sikh gurus. The next stop during the tour is to the residence of Norah Richards. Norah Richards was an Irish artist and environmentalist who was also the founder of Andretta Artists’ Village. She worked towards transforming the village into a center for artists. Andretta Pottery and Craft Society is one the art centers where you can see live pottery making and a terracotta museum featuring works by local and international artists. The society is working towards sustaining the local craft art. This tour is an opportunity to interact with artists and experience the unique community spirit of the village. The tour concludes with a return journey to Palampur.
This tour is a reflection on how Andretta village became a center for artists and how the legacy of the artists are being continued in the village.
Activity Duration: 6 hours
Activity Timings: 9:30 AM to 3:30 PM
Pick-up & Drop-off Point: Hotel centrally located at Palampur
Places Covered: Tea factory, Andretta Artists Village, Sobha Singh Art Gallery, Norah Richards’ House, and Andretta Pottery & Craft Society