Well, we the 2itchyfeets are non smokers and always thought of Kasol as a place for smokers. This time we wanted to see whether we will be able to find our go to spot which is purely nature, there in Kasol.
If you are also like us and want to go on a trip to Kasol for its natural beauty and breathtaking places, this guide is for you.
After Manali, Kasol has become a hub for backpackers. It may have become commercialized from outside but as you go deeper and plan it right, you will find its real beauty.
Gushing Parvati River, fresh mountainous air of Tosh and treks like Chalal, Malana and Kheerganga are sure to make your trip a memorable one.
Read this post to know how!!!
Also read our Andaman Post to plan an epic trip to one of the most beautiful place in India.
Table of Contents
How to reach Kasol
By Road – Kasol is around 520 kms from Delhi. Except Monsoon season, the road from Delhi to Kasol is in good shape. You can hire a taxi, book a bus/ Volvo or take your own vehicle.
We traveled to Kasol by an overnight Volvo Bus. It started around 7:00 PM from Delhi and reached Kasol around 11:00 AM, the next day.
How to book a Volvo Bus from Delhi to Kasol
You can easily book a comfortable Volvo bus online. We booked it through Go Trip Holidays. You can contact Shivam @ +91-8800154496 for volvo bookings. It is recommended to book at least 1 week prior to your trip.
As we do not prefer driving a car at mountainous terrains, we won’t recommend taking a car unless you have a prior experience of driving at rough mountainous terrains.
By Train – The nearest railway station to Kasol is Joginder Nagar which is about 145 kms away from Kasol. From there, either take a taxi or a local bus to reach Kasol.
Best time to visit Kasol
Except the monsoon season (August to October), Kasol is round the year destination. April to June is the best time to visit Kasol if you don’t prefer extreme cold.
November – December is a good time to enjoy the cold weather. It is preferable to visit Kasol in shoulder season to avoid crowds (shoulder season means when the tourist season has not yet started or after it has just finished).
We visited Kasol in May. At that time, the mornings and evenings were pleasant and afternoons were hot.
Where to stay in Kasol
From luxury stays to budget options to backpackers’ hostels, there are multiple options of stay in Kasol for every budget.
We were there in Kasol for two nights. For one day we stayed in Sandhya Hotel and for the other in North Deodar Camps. Both of them are amazing stays if you are looking for decent places to stay in Kasol.
Sandhya Hotel is a luxury hotel equipped with all the modern amenities. The rooms are super nice and highly comfortable. The cherry on the cake is that it is located right next to where the bus from Delhi to Kasol drops. Also, the mall road is at a walking distance from Sandhya Hotel.
North Deodar is a luxury camp stay. It has super comfortable Swiss camps with attached washrooms. With the comfort and cleanliness of a luxury hotel and charm of a camp, this stay will not disappoint you. Just a few meters ahead of your camp, you will find yourself under tall pine trees and lush greenery followed by gushing Parvati River which flows through its premises. If you are looking to unwind yourself from all the hustle bustle of a city life, we recommend this stay. The restaurant at North Deodar is a delight in itself. Not only do they serve delicious mouth smacking food, but also the ambiance of the place is sure to give one goosebumps. Don’t forget to meet the host and their super cute dog. By the way, the stay is pet friendly too.
How to roam around in Kasol
You can hire a scooty or rent a taxi to roam around in Kasol.
We found hiring a scooty, the best and an economical way to roam around in Kasol. On the Scooty, we even went upto Tosh village, Malana Village and Barshaini (base of Kheerganga Trek).
We hired it from Laxmi Travels near Sandhya Hotel. You can contact them @ +91-9018920003. It cost around INR 300 – 800 per day depending on the season.
Cafes in Kasol
Jim Morrison, Kasol
Jim Morrisson café is situated in a secluded place which is around 20 minutes hike from the hustle bustle of the main town. The location of the café is very picturesque and its ambiance is amazing. There are large windows all around with a view of mountains and farms. The feel of the place is relaxed. It is a vegetarian café and Italian cuisine dominates the menu. We loved their Pizza.
A few people were smoking on their seats when we visited. But as the sittings are quite far, it did not bother us.
Café The Evergreen, Kasol
Located at the Mall road of Kasol, this is a vibrant café with Italian and Israeli Cuisines. The best thing we liked about this café is that it has got separate sections for all kind of people. They have proper restaurant like sittings, bistro sitting and a separate area for smokers. We ordered their Lebanese platter and it was amazing. We totally recommend this café.
Panjtara Bar & Grill, Kasol
Another café in Kasol with really nice ambiance. The food is also very good here.
Moon Dance Café & Bar, Kasol
The café is famous for its shakes and smoothies. It has got both outdoor and indoor sitting. Indoor is more for families. And outdoor is a vibrant place to relax with your partner or friends. We ordered their Oreo shake and cold coffee. Both were good.
Pinki Didi Café, Tosh
The café is located right at the starting of Tosh Village. A very picturesque café and home stay where you can enjoy 360 degree views of Tosh and its surrounding mountains. This was one of the first café in Tosh started by a local lady Pinki Didi. Now she has converted the place into a luxurious stay where you can book room with Jacuzzi as well. We tried their Sizzler and Chocolate brownie. The preparation of the food and its taste are really nice.
Pink Floyd Café, Tosh
The café with bistro sitting which serves good food. As it is very famous café in Tosh, expect some crowd here.
Our itinerary of Kasol
Day 1 Reach Kasol after an Overnight Journey
- Check in your place of stay. We stayed in Sandhya Hotel.
- Hire a scooty/ Rent a taxi.
- After Lunch at our hotel, we left for Gurudwara Manikaran (4km from our stay). Manikaran is a small town famous for its Gurudwara, temples and hot springs. The roaring Parvati River beneath the Gurudwara and hot springs are something one should not miss here.
- After parking our Scooty on the Mall Road, we started walking towards the Chalal Village. A narrow bridge connects Kasol to Chalal village. It takes around 45 minutes to reach the village. But whether or not you complete the hike, you will feel yourself in a different world altogether. Roaring Parvati River flows beside the narrow path of the trail. A lush forest area with long Pine trees is where you will find yourself just after 15 minutes of the walk. We went upto Freedom Café and came back.
- Dinner at Panjtara Bar & Grill.
Day 2 Unwind in Kasol
- After breakfast at Sandhya Hotel, we left for our next stay in Kasol, North Deodar Camps.
- After checking in to North Deodar Camps, we left for Malana Village. Around 20 kms from Kasol, Malana is a mysterious village and is considered the World’s oldest democracy. The people here consider themselves descendants of Alexandra the Great. We went upto the base of the village on our scooty and went on a 3 km hike to reach Malana Village. We loved the hike and the stories of the village. We also went a few meters ahead of the village, to a café called Kabila Tribe for some refreshments and breathtaking views of the valley.
- Dinner at Café The Evergreen in Kasol
Day 3 Tosh
- After an elaborate and delicious breakfast at North Deodar Camps, we left for Tosh Village. Tosh is a small mountainous village, around 21 kms from Kasol.
- To reach Tosh one can hire a taxi or rent a scooty. We went on our scooty. Vehicles are required to be parked outside Tosh Village as it is located on a hill. The only option to roam around and to reach your place of stay in Tosh is by foot.
- First we had Lunch at Pinki Didi Café.
- We stayed in 11:11 Bunker House in Tosh, which is one of the topmost stay in Tosh. We hiked for around 20-25 minutes to reach our place of stay. It is a hostel with bunk beds. The place is decent and the best thing about this place is stay is the view of snow clad mountains.
- Dinner at Café Pink Floyd.
Day 4 Morning in Tosh and Left for Kheerganga Trek
- We woke up early in the morning and went upto Tosh Waterfall. It takes around 40-45 minutes hike to reach Tosh waterfall from the 11:11 Bunker House. The hike is quite easy and goes through fields, apple orchards and breathtaking views. We loved the hike and the waterfall. Having started the hike early in the morning, we had the place all by ourselves.
- After the delicious breakfast at 11:11 bunker house, we left for Kheerganga Trek. Tosh is located near the base of Kheerganga Trek. So, we reached the base of Kheerganga trek i.e., Barshaini in around 15-20 minutes, parked our activa and started the trek.
- It takes around 3:30 to 4:30 hours to complete Kheerganga trek. We stayed in Kheerganga Trekking Camps. The camps are very tidy and the camp area is pretty nice. If you also want to book them contact @ +91-7807705257.
- In the evening we went to take bath in hot water springs, located at 10 minutes walking distance from the camping area. To our surprise, despite the rush, we found the hot spring area well maintained and clean.
- Dinner at our camping site i.e. Kheerganga trekking camps.
Day 5 Morning in Kheerganga
- We wake up early in the morning, went on to explore the beautiful views of Kheerganga.
- After delicious breakfast at our camping site, we started the downhill trek which took around 2 – 2:30 hours, to reach where we started i.e., the base of the trek(Barshaini).
- Headed back to Kasol and had lunch at Jim Morrison Café
- In the evening, we went to Moon Dance Café and returned the scooty.
- We caught the overnight bus and journey back home to Delhi.
Budget of our trip to Kasol
Accommodation
We stayed for 1 night in North Deodar Camps, Kasol, 1 night in Sandhya Hotel, Kasol, 1 night in Bunker House, Tosh and 1 night in Kheerganga trekking camps in Kheerganga.
North Deodar Camps, Kasol range between INR 2500 – 3500, Sandhya Hotel in between INR 4000 – 5000, Bunker House Tosh range between 500-1000 per person(dorm bed) including breakfast and Kheerganga camps INR 1500 per person (including all the meals).
So, for 5 days and 4 nights expect to spend around INR 9000-10000(for two people) on accommodation, if you choose your stays in the similar range.
Transport
We rented a scooty for our stay in Kasol, Tosh and Kheerganga. It cost around INR 300-500 (+ fuel) per day depending on the season.
Food
If you are on budget, you can easily get Thalis and other local food for INR 100-200 per person. And if you are a foodie and love exploring cafes/ restaurants, expect to spend around INR 600-800 per meal for two people.
Other
We did not hire a guide for Kheerganga Trek. We booked our camping site (Kheerganga trekking camps) in advance by calling them. If you want to hire a guide, it might cost you a few extra bucks.
Virtual trip to Kasol
We have a YouTube Channel where we post our travel videos. We have posted videos from Kasol, Tosh and Trek to Kheerganga on our channel to help you plan your trip better.
Do watch these videos and let us know how you think of them. Also, if you like our videos, do subscribe to our channel. It really motivates us to create more such content.
Things to do in Kasol
Tosh Village and Cafes in Kasol
Trek to Kheerganga
Hope you find the guide useful. Do let us know in the comments.