Solo Trip to Kasol: Motorcycling to the Heavenly Himalayas

“Travel is the only thing

you buy that makes you richer”

-Anonymous

The best things that happen on planet Earth are often unplanned. Something similar happened to me when I took my first solo trip to Kasol, a heaven that lies in the Parvati valley in Devabhoomi-Himachal Pradesh-land of the Gods. My trip to Kasol led me to the Parvati Valley which is the home of the hippie town. Located at an altitude of 5,100 feet, Kasol is surrounded by lush green forests and is a getaway for people looking for the lap of mother nature.

As I mentioned, my solo trip to Kasol was completely unplanned. After a tiring day at work, I got up the next day and thought of riding to a place that I had never been to. I searched for places and found Kasol(Himachal Pradesh) worth visiting.

I have always loved the Himalaya for its sheer size and beauty. So I packed all my stuff and left for Kasol on my motorcycle which is located on the banks of the Parvati river. The trip to Kasol from Delhi is almost 600 kilometers and after a grueling 12 hours of ride on my motorcycle, I finally reached the place.

Solo motorcycling to Kasol

The roads are fine and if you follow the basic rules of driving or riding in the mountains, you should not be facing any issues to reach the hippie town. When you’ll reach Kasol, you’ll find that it is surrounded by forests of Fir and Deodar trees, the rushing Parvati river with its booming sound and mountains touching the sky.

A view en route Kasol (Malana Valley)

Other transport options for a solo trip to Kasol

If a private vehicle is not an option for you then public transport is also available from Delhi to Kasol. There are buses from Delhi that go to Manali, board them to reach Bhuntar and then take another from Bhuntar to reach Kasol.

Places to stay on your trip to Kasol

Kasol has numerous hotels and guest houses so getting an accommodation is not an issue. The places to stay in Kasol can vary from cheap hotels to some costly ones, a decent hotel room should cost you around Rs.500-Rs.600(Do Bargain).

Kasol has gained popularity, so the weekends are crowded, especially long weekends. If you are planning to visit on a long weekend, it will be good if you book in advance.

Getting KASOL-ed

You will have a lot to do at Kasol. Like:

• Going to trekking
• Relaxing in the hot springs
• Trying out various cuisines
• Chilling out on the banks of the Parvati
• Visiting Temples and Gurudwaras

A thing that you’ll notice when you will reach Kasol, is the presence of a lot of Israelis who come there to spend their vacation. The presence is so much that there are now restaurants that serve Israeli cuisine, and you can find boards written in Hebrew at many places in Kasol. Do try out Falafel and Schnitzel with a sauce called Hummus. You’ll find it delicious!

There is a famous German bakery at Kasol where you can enjoy cakes, pastries and sip a hot cup of coffee.

Display Board Written in Hebrew in Kasol

A large number of Tibetans make sure that Tibetan cuisine is not far away, try Thukpa and tofu. Kasol is always Bon appetite!

After all that food, one can go for a hike or trek as it is trekkers paradise, or just relax at the banks of the gushing Parvati river gazing at the mountains.

The Parvati river

Solo Trip to Kasol: A constellation of places to visit

A plethora of places surround Kasol that are worth visiting, so do not forget to visit the below places on your trip to Kasol:

Malana Village: The touch me not beauty

The Malana village lies around 21 kilometers from Kasol. The road leading to it is very beautiful and surrounded by the greenest of the greenery. I thoroughly enjoyed riding on the road to Malana village.

I reached the point where the trek to Malana village starts. The Malana trek took me around 2 hours, and if you are fit, you can do it earlier but the views during the trek will leave you spellbound, so be prepared to spend more time than desired.

https://realbharat.org/malana-village-the-touch-me-not-beauty/

Tosh Village: Base for trekking to paradise

The cousin of the Malana Village is the Tosh village, which again is a 20 kilometers ride from Kasol with a few bad patches of road, there is no trek, unlike Malana village. While riding through to Tosh village, I saw the various moods of the Parvati river as it flows down. The beauty can’t be defined and has to be seen personally to be experienced.

https://realbharat.org/tosh-village-base-for-trekking-to-paradise/

Kheer Ganga Trek: A walk to the snowy bosom of the Himalaya

The Kheer Gang trek is a 14 Kilometres long trek and leads you towards a hot spring where you can take a bath to sap the exhaustion from the trek. It is also a pilgrimage and the waters are considered to be sacred, having medicinal properties.

Do not miss to take your natural Sauna bath at Kheer Ganga among the mind-boggling views.

https://realbharat.org/kheer-ganga-trek-a-walk-to-the-snowy-bosom-of-the-himalaya/

Seeking blessings of the Gods: Manikaran Gurudwara, Lord Rama, and Lord Shiva Temple

Himachal Pradesh is called Devabhoomi(Land of the Gods) so a visit to the Gods is a must. And nothing can be better than the Gurudwara and countless Temples it has for the faithful. The temples have the wooden architecture with beautiful carvings on them.

Apart from the trekking, cuisine and fun activities, there is a spiritual aspect which an individual can discover during his/her trip to Kasol. The Parvati valley has many legends associated with it, which therefore gives rise to various Temples and a Gurudwara.

The name Manikaran has significance in both Hindu and Sikh beliefs.

https://realbharat.org/seeking-blessings-of-the-gods-manikaran-gurudwara-lord-rama-and-lord-shiva-temple/

This trip to Kasol was my first solo trip and inspired me to take many more trips in the future years.