Walking Wanderer

Kasol is what they call is the stoners Paradise or smokers Paradise. Kasol is the relaxing getaway for people coming here. The town hasn’t  got monuments or other such sightseeing points but the natural beauty that the heart craves for, is in abundance. You need to walk in order to commute here. Kasol is also known to be as the mini Israel of Himachal Pradesh because of the many Israeli inhabitants one can see there. The sign boards of many cafes and restaurants are in Hebrew. The food that you get here is to die for. You have options from Israeli, Italian, Indian cuisines. One should not leave the place before trying the famous food and desserts. Also, one can also try the famous rice beer. So today I am going to bring you the list of Top 7 best places to visit in and around Kasol.

Manikaran

Manikaran is a holy destination in the Parvati valley of Himachal Pradesh along the banks of river Parvati. This place lies at an distance of 34km from Bhuntar (nearest airport) and lies at distance of 4km from Kasol which is also referred to as mini Israel. Manikaran is holy center for both Hindus as well as Sikhs. The legendary tales states that once the wife of lord Shiva, Parvati dropped her earings in the spring of Manikaran which led to the uprising of hot water from the place. On the other hand Sikhs believe that the third Udasi, Guru Nanak Dev Ji came to this place in 1574 with his disciples.

After some time one of his disciple felt hungry. So they went to collect food but the only problem was that there was no fire to cook. Then Guru Nanak lifted the stone in Manikaran and the spring of hot water came out of the earth Surface. So if you are planing a trip to Kasol then Manikaran is the must visit place in Kasol. Here you can stay and have food in Gurudwara without any cost.

Malana

Malana is beautiful and peaceful village situated in the adjacent of Parvati valley. This village has long been hidden in the laps of Himalayas beholding some untold stories and secrets. Malana is a village which lies in close proximity to Kasol and everyone knows why it is so famous. Yes definitely it’s the M cream or the Malana cream. You can hire a taxi to get to Malana from Kasol or Jari. But I will recommend you to trek to this place as the trek will offer you some exhilarating scenic views of the snow capped mountains and the gurgling Parvati river. The cultivation of the famous Malana cream makes it very popular. The village is a little isolated from the rest of the world and has its own unique rules and regulations.  So If you are looking to explore something new and unexplored around Kasol then Malana is the perfect option.

Tosh

It is a village situated at the farther end of the valley and is the last stop of the bus route. It is at height of about 7874ft above sea level. The distance is around 20kms from Kasol and is considered as one of the most beautiful place around kasol. You need to get to Varshaini from where you can either trek your way up to tosh or hire a taxi or the other way is to first explore Kasol and then you can hire a taxi to Tosh from Kasol. Tosh is a beautiful place at the top of a hill with majestic mountains all around.

The place is flooded with hippies. The spectacular landscape that you will witness from up there will definitely make your heart skip a beat. So if you are looking out for some trekking options around Kasol then Tosh can be one great option apart from Malana and Chalal.

If you ask me then I can say that Tosh is among the best place you can visit in or around Kasol.

Read: why you should not visit Kasol

Chalal

It is a small village near Kasol. It is an easy trek and you can casually walk your way there for about in 30 minutes only. It is a perfect place deep into the wood for the psychedelic parties. The parties are hosted by the world class DJs during the music festival. Chalaal is also one of the places which is well known for its Hash. Chalaal is great to relax and has some amazing cafes with great food. Rave party is one of the top things to do in Kasol.

These parties involve unrestrained fun, music, boozing, and just chilling out. Recently these parties have got embroiled by controversies due to the number of cases of drunken brawls and drug consumption. But still they are the best so if you are planning to visit kasol make your visit around April and May because maximum number of parties take place during this time. Hence I would say that Chalal is one the must visit places around Kasol.

Bijlimahadev

Bijli Mahadev is a Kash style temple that has Shiva linga. This beautiful temple is situated at a distance of 14 km from Kullu town and 64 Km from Kasol. One can reach Kullu first and then get a bus from the bus stand for Bijli Mahadev which goes up to the nearby ‘Chansari’ village. Otherwise one can book a private cab from the Kasol. One has to climb stairs from ‘Chansari’, the distance being about 3 km uphill. You get to see a panoramic view of Parvati and Kullu valley from this peak. When you turn around, there are no higher peaks to block your view in the close proximity.

So if you are looking for the places to visit around Kasol then I believe that Bijli Mahadev can be one great option. The beautiful trekking experience and the perfect view of snow capped mountains will make your heart skip a beat. The best time to visit Bijli Mahadev is around the month of Savann.

Read: 10 interesting facts about Malana

Dechen- choekhor- Monastery (Sarabai)

Dechen- Choekhor Monastery is beautiful Tibetan monastry in village Sarabai, tehsil Bhuntar, district Kullu. This monastery lies at a distance of 4 km from bhuntar and 37 km from Kasol. One may find resemblance of all the Tibetan monasteries to be similar but each monastery has its own story to tell. The opulent and unique architecture of this monastery is worth admiring tourist not only from India but also from abroad come to visit this amazing yet peaceful destination. So if you are planning a trip to Kasol then you can definitely make a pit stop at Dechen- Choekhor monastery as this lies on the way to Kasol.

Kheerganga

Kheerganga is situated at an altitude of 2960m approximately. 12km trek to kheerganga falls under the easy category of difficulty level, half of which is normal walk till Rudranaag and another half is mild climb, covered with pine tress which soon opens to the meadows of kheerganga.The charm which kheerganga had, has been reduced. Factors that account for this may be lot of tourist attraction to this place which creates hustle and bustle and this hustle and bustle is due to two bollywood movies i.e. Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani and Zindagi Milegi na Doobara which made every youngster of India a hell of a trekker,

I have visited Kheerganga number of times and it is among my favorite places around Kasol. The lush green meadows and the gurgling sound of water flowing along the trek is magical. So if you are planning a trip to Kasol then I would suggest you to never ever skip Kherganga from your travel list.

Pulga

Pulga is beautiful and peaceful village situated in Parvati valley of Himachal Pradesh. This village is situated at a height of 9498 feet above the sea level and at a distance of 17km from Kasol. In order to reach Pulga village one need to get a bus or rent a bike from Bhuntar, then one has to travel till Bharsheni from where the small walk or trekking will lead you into the village or you can even book a cab from Kasol. One has to walk down the dam construction and after 30-40 minutes of walk one can reach this opulent  village in Parvati valley. The first sight of village is amazing you are going to witness a cluster of wooden houses designed in very unique way. The houses are made in such a way that they could store wood for entire year. Due to heavy snowfall in winters it becomes very difficult for the people to collect fodder and wood for keeping themselves warm hence they collect wood before the winters starts.

In the center of the village a temple dedicated to lord Naryana is made which is there local deity. The most common thing which I have noticed in Parvati valley is that in every village temple of one or the other deity is built in the center of the village which act as an assemblage point for the local villagers.

So if you are ever planning a trip to Kasol then I will suggest you to definitely visit Pulga because it’s among my favorite places to visit around Kasol

Rasol

Kasol is a name which everyone knows now a days but have you ever heard of Rasol. This beautiful village lies few kilometers from Kasol and takes around 2-3 hours of trekking to reach this village. To reach this village one need to travel from Bhuntar to Kasol and then head toward the famous bridge which connects Challal to Kasol. After 20 minutes of trekking small village challal comes from where 2-3 hours of further trekking leads to Rasol. The trek is not difficult, it is simple and easy hence a person of any age group can accomplish this trek. My only suggestion to you would be that never visit Kasol with your family members always visit this land of wanderlust with your buddies. On the way to Rasol you will spot number of sign boards leading your way by the sign Magic Rasol.

The food items are little costly in the village as compare to Kasol because the goods are carried manually without the use of any transportation method. The village have guest houses where one could stay and enjoy the calmness and peace offered by the nature. So if you are planning a trip to Kasol never ever skip this beautiful village from your wish list because it is among the top places to visit around Kasol.

Kalga Village

If you are seeking for peaceful holidays with some luxury then this place is not for you but if you want peace along with activity packed getaway then this place is perfect destination for you guys around Kasol. Kheerganga has recently become so famous that youth not only from our country but also across the globe is flocking in large number to enjoy the peace and hot water springs on the top of mountain. Kalga is perfect place to break your journey to Kheerganga, a day trek from village Kalga will take you to Kheerganga.So if you are planning a trip to Kasol or Kheerganga then you should definitely visit this beautiful village around Kasol.

So this was the list of 10 best places to visit in and around Kasol and I will suggest you to not even skip a single place if you want to explore something unique