Do you want to have an adventure of off-roading? No need to go to Himachal Pradesh. The tiny, quiet hamlet of Kukanet, falling just along Dholbaha in Hoshiarpur, offers a much better experience.

The 8-9 km of alley of the village neither has nor can have a metalled road. This stretch is filled with sand and gravel over which a steady stream of water keeps flowing throughout the year. The water originating from underground springs is quite clean for anyone to jump off the vehicle and enjoy standing in the ankle-deep stream.

But what is even more enticing is the play of sunlight and shade through a canopy of bamboo formed over it. The entire stretch has a huge natural plantation of bamboo on either side. A lot of peacocks, peahens, monkeys and butterflies can be spotted here and there.

As one goes deeper, it is common to spot caves of the wild animals. Locals tell that they have been sighting leopards almost every other day. They have frightening stories to share of leopards taking away their domestic animals. Their claims are corroborated by the fact that every house has set up its own small watch tower to spot the wild cats from a distance before moving ahead.

The serenity and tranquillity of the place is astounding. The sparsely populated village does not have any market, public transport owing to which it is only about 10-20 odd tourists who can be spotted here. Most of these tourists are young men on SUVs or bikes.

These boys ride up to the forest guest house, which is lodged in the thick of jungle. The guest house has a lawn with bamboo furniture placed here and there underneath thatched canopies. Some tourists combine this trip with a visit to an adjoining Dholbaha dam.

Notably, except for one tiny dump of few paper plates, the entire stretch to Kukanet forest guest house was clean. The villagers shared that they have been telling to the visitors that they are certainly welcome but they must ensure that they do not litter the place and do not harm its peaceful environment.