Kasol is a well-known hill station in Himachal Pradesh, full of lush foliage and beautiful beauty, and it is a popular tourist destination for obvious reasons. Kasol is located in the Kullu district of Himachal Pradesh, in the Parvati Valley, halfway between Bhuntar and Manikaran. It’s about 30 kilometres from Bhuntar and 3.4 kilometres from Manikaran.
Because of the large number of foreigners and Israel visitors, Kasol is also known as mini-Israel and India’s Amsterdam. They prefer to call this place home. It’s not uncommon to see more Israelis than Indians here.
Weather in Kasol
Kasol is blessed with wonderful weather throughout the year and experiences all four seasons. In the summer, you will enjoy lovely weather, and in the winter, you will enjoy delightful snowfall. Kasol’s weather is funny in every season.
The Kasol monsoon is a joy to behold. A beautiful landscape awaits you, with thick foliage blanketing the valleys along the Parvati river. The climate is good throughout the year. It’s only that in the winter, temperatures might drop to as low as 0 to -1 degrees.
You can choose which season you want or how you want to entertain yourself, whether it’s snow in the mountains or lush greenery all around the mountains. It’s entirely up to you!
How To Reach Kasol
There are a variety of ways to get to Kasol; you can choose any of them.
Airway: The nearest airport is Bhuntar, which is 31 kilometres away. However, keep in mind that there are just a few flights to Bhuntar. Chandigarh Airport, which is 295 kilometres distant, is the other nearby airport. If you take this route, you may order a taxi from Bhuntar airport and arrive in Kasol in under an hour.
Railway: The nearest railway station to Kasol is Joginder Nagar, which is 144 kilometres distant. The journey to Kasol will take about 4-5 hours. After arriving at the station, you can immediately hire a taxi.
Things to Carry
Handy Backpack – You need to have a handy backpack with you for the trek as you cannot carry heavy luggage, the handy backpack will help you store the essentials for above.
Sweaters & Jackets – The weather throughout the year follows as cold, colder, coldest. A chilled breeze is always flowing through the valley. Sweaters and Jackets become almost necessary after June.
Medicines – It is very important to carry a medicine box along with you for basic medication such as for cold, cough, vomiting and acidity and also prescribed medicine (if any).
Energy Drinks – Not the kind of energy drinks that came to mind when you first thought of them. Because the walk is so energy-intensive, carrying a glucon-d, ORS is a good idea.
Trekking Shoes – Trekking shoes are an essential aspect of any expedition, and the word “essential” cannot be overstated. On the excursion, you’ll need to bring a pair of hiking shoes. For the trek, regular athletic shoes will not suffice. There is no other option if the shoes become ruined in the middle of the walk. You can’t go back, can’t buy/borrow shoes in the interim, can’t continue forward, and you can’t walk barefoot. So, don’t forget to bring a nice pair of shoes that you can trust.
Places to Visit
1. Tosh Village
Located at 20 km from Kasol, Tosh is also a small village established at a height of 2,400 meters above the sea level, along the shores of river Tosh. The culture followed at this village will definitely attract those travelers who have the soul of a hippie. The breathtaking views will simply make this place one of the highlights of your Kasol trip.
2. Tirthan Valley
To reach valley, you’ll have to drive from Kasol for 60 km, which would be totally worth it. This valley is considered to be one of the secluded places located around Kasol and will definitely help you find the refuge that you have been looking for. A one-day trip to this valley is all it takes to make your travel experience more wonderful.
3. Kheer Ganga
Lying at the region where Parvati Valley ends, Kheer Ganga is the last village that is inhabited by people that you will come across as you trek your way through the Pin-Parvati Pass. The whole vista will simply steal your heart and you will end up wanting to stay a little longer. The lush greenery beneath the wide blue skies enveloped within the awe-inspiring mountains will be a treat to your eyes. The village stands as the base camp for Kheer Ganga trek and Pin Parvati trek.
4. Rasol
Established at an altitude of 10,000 feet above sea level, the village of Rasol has only a few number of inhabitants. Just like Kasol, this village is visited by the backpackers who love to explore the different corners of this place. The people residing here are quite welcoming and one of the strangest things you’ll find here would be that every second person living here is indulged in spinning wool.
5. Naina Bhagwati Mandir
The mystic legends of the stories of gods and goddesses is what this temple is all about. It is a popular Hindu Temple that sits among the Himalayan foothills and on the banks of the beautiful Parvati river. The temple is renowned for its wooden architecture and which from far away seems like a Buddhist monastery. Stay here for an hour or two to get some spiritual rejuvenation.
6. Manikaran Sahib
A place of faith and God, Manikaran can cast spirituality over the heart and mind of all the tourists and visitors. Manikaran has its sacred sphere at an altitude of 1760 m in the Parvati Valley between river Parvati and Beas, about 5 kms from Kasol. With Hindus preaching their belief that human life was recreated here after the flood, a miracle indeed, turned the place sacred and one of its kind. People who travel to Manikaran come with the ultimate motive of visiting the sacred Gurdwara, Manikaran Sahib. You will find a large number of Sikhs and Hindus here, who serve, believe, and imbibe their soul in the worship with all their heart. Manikaran Sahib is one of the top pilgrimage centres for Sikhs as well as Hindus and it is believed that by taking a dip and drinking water of this holy place, people get rid of their sins. Another site not to miss around Manikaran Sahib is Harinder Mountain which is situated in the northern side, and is reckoned to be a place that can deliver a person from evil, if he looks at the mountain.