Bookmark This Travel Guide To Kasol: Planning, Weather, Adventure And Local Experiences

Situated in the lap of the mighty Himalayas, Kasol is a little hamlet in Parvati Valley, Himachal Pradesh. Located around 32 km from Bhuntar and 500 km from Delhi, this beautiful village is surrounded by alpine and coniferous forests with the Parvati river flowing right through it! Once regarded as a hideout for just hippie backpackers, Kasol has become one of the most sought-after weekend getaways around Delhi and Chandigarh in recent times. With multiple cafes and boundless serene beauty, it’s not difficult to understand why Kasol is reckoned as every youngster’s favourite destination! If you’re visiting this hippie’s paradise for the first time, make sure you take a look at this detailed travel guide to Kasol curated for first-time travellers.

Why Kasol?

From beautiful cafes to bustling markets, from hikes like Kheerganga and Waichin to serene Parvati Valley, and from hippie culture to a spiritual retreat at Manikaran Gurudwara, Kasol has everything to satisfy your wanderlust! Whether you are looking for a simple location to spend some peaceful time with yourself or a space to party till you drop with college friends, whatever your reason, Kasol never fails to impress! So, the real question is, why not Kasol?

Best Time To Visit Kasol

How To Reach Kasol

 Kasol is well-connected via road, railway, and air to almost all parts of India. Looking for the most scenic yet budget options on how to travel to Kasol by different mediums? Our special travel guide to Kasol will give you just that.

How To Reach Kasol By Road:

Kasol is easily accessible by road. Take a private Volvo or an HRTC/HRTDC bus from Delhi going to Manali and get down at Bhuntar (60 km before Manali). Now comes the question of how to reach Kasol from Manali. Easy peasy! You’ll find a number of local buses and cabs, both sharing and private, willing to take you to Kasol from there. If you are coming from Chandigarh, you can board a direct bus to Kasol or Manikaran.

How To Reach Kasol By Train:

The nearest railway station to Kasol is Pathankot Railhead (150 km away). Private and sharing cabs, as well as local buses, can be availed near the railway station too. From here, you can reach Kasol in two ways. One, get to Chandigarh, take a bus to Bhuntar, and then another to Kasol. Or take a bus to Dharamshala and a cab or bus from there to Kasol.

How To Reach Kasol By Air:

Kullu Airport located 32 km away from Kasol is its nearest airport. Take a private or shared cab from here to Kasol and you’ll reach in about an hour.

Things To Do In Kasol

With an endless array of activities like trekking and riverside camping, Kasol is a hotpot of adventure! However, despite there being plenty of articles on the internet talking about the major tourist attractions of Kasol, not every travel guide to Kasol among them will let you in on the unconventional and even hidden places to see and things to do there.

1. Trek to Kheerganga

The first thing every Kasol tour guide will suggest you experience is the mighty Kheerganga trek that takes you deep into lush jungles, over steep trails, past blooming apple orchards, and through the stunning Parvati Valley! Kheerganga is probably the most famous place to visit in Kasol. Mounted with surplus beauty, it’s also a place of holy significance. And the best part, after a taxing hike of about 14 km, the Kheerganga valley rewards visitors with a revitalising dip in natural hot water springs that instantly washes away all fatigue! To reach it, all you gotta do is take a bus from Kasol to Barshaini, the starting point of Kasol’s most famous trek.

2. Hike to Tosh Village

From Tosh, you can also go for a trek to Kutla Village, for which you may need a local Kasol guide to show you the way.

3. Watch Sunsets At Chalal Village

Covered with apple trees, the tiny village of Chalal is the laid-back version of Kasol and is among the best weekend getaways from Delhi. A few specific spots in Chalal offer some of the most gorgeous sunsets you’ll ever see in the hills! Chalal is a mere 1.5 km from Kasol and can be easily covered on foot. A walk from Kasol to Chalal along the Parvati river and amidst pine woods is truly an enchanting experience!

4. Taste Honey & Adventure At Grahan Village

Other than this, the village serves as the base camp for the Sar Pass trek. The trek from Kasol to Grahan and then from Grahan to Sar Pass leads trekkers through surreal pine forests, rhododendron meadows, milky waterfalls, and past snowy mountains. The last point of the trek is a frozen lake that is nothing short of a vision!

5. Visit The Quirky Malana Village

Malana is about 20 km away from Kasol and is undoubtedly a unique settlement in Parvati Valley. The unique culture, trippy vibes and claims of the locals make it worth adding this little village to your Kasol guide.

6. Trek To Waichin, The Mini Kheerganga

Blessed with tall pine and coniferous trees, dazzling views of the snow-covered Himalayas, and minimal commercialization, the beauty of Waichin is unmatched! The charming valley and local village life offer absolute peace and calm that’ll make you want to stay longer and keep coming back!

7. Discover The ‘Magic’ Of Rasol

In addition to watching friendly village dwellers grow and reap this wonderful plant, you can learn a great deal about the hardships of these farmers in the hills. Discover the peaceful and eco-friendly methods that help them overcome these hurdles with ease without needing technology and the comforts of the cities.

8. Scale The Pin-Parvati Pass

This taxing 100-km long trek through the splendid Parvati Valley and the barren landscapes of Pin Valley are recommended only for proficient trekkers who are physically fit to undertake it.

9. Take A Spiritual Journey To Manikaran Sahib

Enveloped in mist oozing from the hot water springs surrounding the shrine, this gem of a place is known to embrace visitors in a refreshing and peaceful aura! When here, you can attend the heart-warming prayer, treat yourself to wholesome ‘langar’, enjoy some natural sauna inside the caves, and take a dip in hot water springs.

10. Wander In Pulga’s Apple Orchards 

When here, you can interact with the friendly locals, try Himachali cuisine at Boom Shankar Café, meet a cool sadhu baba at the Pink House, and revel in the utter serenity and peace of this hidden abode!

11. Go Fishing In Naggar

Don’t forget to visit the majestic Naggar Castle and take Lord Shiva’s blessings at the ancient Shiva Temple, two charming aspects of Naggar that put it on every travel guide to Kasol.

12. Taste The Thrill Of Riverside Camping

Set up camp near the gushing Parvati river and catch up with old friends over a bonfire, music, and roasted marshmallows! Add a zest of fun to your holiday in Kasol with a night (or two) or riverside camping that will leave you and your gang with memories for life. It is anyway the best way to wear down your fatigue after all those tiring sessions of trekking or to intoxicate your mind, body, and soul of those long hours at the office!

Give yourself and your amigos a relaxing night in the lap of nature and the canopy of a thousand stars, another privilege our bustling metros don’t grant us!

13. Chill At The Peppy Cafes In Kasol

What’s more, Kasol is now home to India’s first ever hemp cafe – Off Limits! It serves a wide range of food and beverages, including pasta, burgers, breakfast platters, and the best hot chocolate you’ll ever have, all infused with the goodness of hemp! That sure gives us a great reason to visit, doesn’t it?

Places To Stay In Kasol

There are ample accommodation options in Kasol for all types of travellers. Our travel guide to Kasol gives you the best ones right here!

Riverside camps: Kasol Sanjh, Kasol Camps, Moksha Riverside Cottage

Resorts: The Himalayan Village, Echor Palm Bliss

Homestays: Backpacker’s Nest, Moksha Riverside Cottage

Hostels: The Hosteller, GoStops

Kasol Travel Guidelines

• Plan your holiday a month or two in advance. Kasol is a pretty popular among tourists, so chances of getting a good stay are really thin if you delay your booking procedure.
• Carry sufficient amount of cash. Don’t waste time hunting ATMs in the valley.
• Carry a water bottle and fill it up whenever you get a chance. Don’t keep purchasing and discarding numerous plastic bottles.
• Do not litter! Discard waste only in designated waste bins and keep the surroundings clean.
• Respect local customs and laws of villages or towns that you visit or trek to. Not all local settlements allow strangers in their midst.
• Do not take pictures or shoot videos of locals without prior permission.
• Make sure to hire an experienced Kasol guide for offbeat treks and hikes.
• Wear comfortable clothes and a good pair of hiking shoes without embarking on a trek.
• Many villages in and around Kasol produce Hashish as Cannabis grows naturally in these parts owing to favourable climate. Do not, however, carry it home with you as Hash is illegal in other parts of India.

1. How many days is enough for Kasol?

 3 to 4 days are enough for a trip to Kasol unless you wish to embark on a hardcore trek like the Pin Parvati or Sar Pass. Consult our travel guide to Kasol to know the best treks in the region and plan accordingly. Also, make sure you leave room for leisure activities and shopping.

2. How much will it cost for a trip to Kasol?

  A Kasol trip will cost you around INR 3,500 to INR 7,000 depending on your mode of transport, choice of accommodation, and duration of the trip.

3. Is it safe to travel to Kasol now?

 While Kasol is generally safe to travel in all seasons, monsoon is not considered an ideal time to visit as the roads and hiking trails of Kasol turn muddy and slippery.

4. How do you travel around Kasol?

 Local HRTC buses ply at several tourist spots in Kasol along with many private and shared cabs. Other than this, you can simply choose to get around on foot as many of the main tourist hubs in Kasol are within walking distance and nothing beats the joy of hiking amidst towering pine trees, green hills, and chirping birds!

5. How to reach Kasol from Delhi by bus?

Travellers mostly opt for an overnight journey to Kasol in either a private Volvo or an economical HRTC bus bound for Kullu Manali. Get down at Bhuntar and take another bus or a private cab to Kasol. You can book a seat on Volvo or state-run buses online or directly at the ISBT-Kashmere Gate bus stand in Delhi from where these buses normally ply. A bus journey from Delhi to Kasol typically costs around INR 1,000-1,500. You can also hire a private cab or rent a vehicle to drive there yourself.