Manali doesn't need any introduction. It’s on everybody’s checklist and the place hasn’t disappointed any of those who planned a the trip. On the other hand, Kasol is a small village in Parvati Valley, housed on the banks of Parvati river, has recently become the top offbeat destination in the country. Also known as Mini-Isreal, Kasol's natural beauty, flora and fauna are no less than Israel.
Best Time to Visit:
Summer (March to May) - The ideal time to explore the wilderness of the place. Trekking to Kheerganga, Pin Parvati Pass and Sar Pass is something you can do during these months. At this time of the year, the weather is pleasant with enchanting landscapes that will leave you mesmerized as the temperature varies from 15 - 22 degrees Celsius.
Winter (October to February)- However, if you are fond of strolling in chilly nights and snow all around you, winters i.e. from October to February is the right season for you. This blog specifies the details about the trip during winter season. The temperature during the season usually varies from negative to 8 degrees Celsius. Yes, it’s cold, during night and early morning But when sun rises temperature, it becomes much tolerable and you could actually enjoy small treks. Prefer February for visit as it will be towards end of the season.
How to Reach from Mumbai:
1. Air
Limited non-stop flights (Air India) available between Kullu–Manali Airport (KUU) - an airport located in Bhuntar and Mumbai at an cost of around Rs. 10000-15000 with 5 hrs travel time.
2. Air + Bus:
The budget option to reach Manali from Mumbai is the combination of Flight and Bus. Take flight from Mumbai to Delhi (Rs. 3000 maximum). From Delhi (ISBT) book HRTC Himsuta bus for Manali (Rs. 1600 - Volvo AC semi-sleeper). Last bus starts at 10 pm (Prefer 6 pm one) and will take 14 hours to reach Manali.
Budget:
Total budget of the trip will be around Rs. 25,000 per head if you travel in a group of 5/6 people. Detailed breakdown is given below;
Two way flight tickets from Mumbai - Rs. 8,000
Delhi - Manali - Delhi bus and cab/rickshaw charges - Rs. 4,000
Local travel for 7 days (Rs. 700 per day) - Rs. 5,000
Stay charges for 6 days (Rs. 500 per day) - Rs. 3,000
Food and Beverages for 7 days (Rs. 700 per day) - Rs. 5,000
Summary of 7 day itinerary:
Day 1 : Manikaran, ascend trek to Tosh village and stay in Tosh
Day 2 : Descend trek from Tosh village and stay in Kasol
Day 3 : Ascend trek to Malana village and stay in Malana
Day 4 : Descend trek from Malana village and stay in Kasol
Day 5 : Kasol to Manali and stay in Manali
Day 6 : Solang Valley Visit stay in Manali
Day 7 : Manali City Sightseeing and travel to Delhi by overnight bus
Day 1: Ascend Trek to Tosh Village and Stay in Tosh
Bus from Delhi will reach Bhuntar bus stand at around 6.30 am. Bhuntar is the place from where you need to take a diversion for Manikaran. This is the last place to take out cash from ATM before heading to Kasol. Do not take a cab from Bhuntar to Manikaran. They will charge you Rs. 2000-2500 for 4-6 people whereas Bus will cost you Rs. 60 per head and will take same time to reach (2 hours).
Last stop for bus is Manikaran (though on bus it is written as Barshaini). In winter season it will be freezing cold (3-4 degrees Celsius temperature) once you get down at the bus stop and you will snow all over the place. There will be 2-3 cafes (don't expect cafes like city) which will be enough to get freshen up and light breakfast. However strong you are, in this cold you will be afraid to touch the water.
If you have not got the winter wear, you can shop for the same in Manikarna near the temple. Prices subject to negotiation Rs. 400 for shoes, Rs. 150 for gloves and Rs. 80 for muffler. Prefer to carry good branded jacket with you to save from cold.
From Manikarna bus stand you have to take a cab to Barshaini (Near to Dam). In winter season this is the last village which can be reached by vehicle. Cab will cost you between Rs. 1000 - 1200 for 6 people and will take 1 hour to reach. Try to reach Barshaini by 12 pm and have lunch in any of the cafe (all are same and very limited menu, sometimes restricted to only Maggi / Omelette / Tea)
Tosh is 4 km away form this place and full road will be covered in snow. You will not find anything for food/water along the way, so keep the stock with you. It will take around 4 hours to reach the top with all the breaks in between. Below pictures will speak more about the trek.
It is not advisable to go ahead of Tosh if weather conditions are bad. You can settle down in Pinki didi’s The Last Resort and cafe 360’ - a top rated cafe in Tosh. We were the only one checked-in on that day. He rented out whole top floor of cafe to us for Rs. 2800. You will be amazed with the setup and location of this wooden cafe. Host is prompt and polite, you can get anything arranged from him.
Day 2: Descend Trek from Tosh Village and Stay in Kasol
The sunrise and morning view from the cafe was mesmerizing. However the weather condition, host at Pinki Didi cafe can cook anything from Indian, Italian to Continental.
Start your descend trek at around 12 pm. You will again need 3-4 hours to reach Barshaini.
Don't take any shortcuts. Prefer to follow the road. You will not find any localite to help you on shortcut routes if you are lost. Mobile GPS will not help.
Book a cab from Barshaini to Manikarna and tell your cab driver to drop you at Manikarna Gurudwara. Manikaran Gurudwara is a holy place for Hindus and Sikh community. It has free food served at langar and natural hot water spring to bathe and refresh. You can spend around 1 hour here.
Your stay for the day will be in Kasol. Kasol is hardly 10 km away from Manikarna. Wait for the bus (half hourly) near to Gurdwara gate. It will take hardly 15 min to reach at a cost of Rs. 10 per head.
The tourist season is not at the peak during winter time so availability of accommodation is slightly easy, but services and staff will also be on lower side. Prefer the accommodation which have generator options as there is a chance of electricity breakdown. For the first four days of this trip, there was no electricity, no hot water, no comfy beds and limited transportation options. So don't really expect the five star treatment. You have to handle everything on your own.
Day 3: Ascend Trek to Malana Village and Stay in Malana
After morning breakfast, book a cab to Malana from Kasol main circle. Cab will cost of Rs. 1000-1200 for 6 person and will take 1 hours to reach. Try to reach the base before 12 pm. Cab will drop you at water-dam gate. From here, there are two options to reach Malana village;
Option 1:
Shortcut route from dam to back side of village. If you are naive trekker then I suggest not to go for it. It is a difficult 5 km+ route and not at all advised to take during winter.
Option 2:
Book a cab from base which will cost you Rs 5000 for round-trip and will drop you at Malana Gate. This is 7 km (30 min) ride and totally depends on snow conditions. We have seen multiple vehicles stuck on our way. Cab will drop you at Malana village gate, from where it is about 3 km moderate trek to Malana village. It will require 3 hours to reach Malana. Cab will drop at on adjacent hill and village is on the adjacent one, so first you can to trek down from first one and the ascend to adjacent one.
A tiny village amidst the lush green and shimmering snow-capped mountains of the Parvati valley, 9500 ft above sea level. Coveted as the city of the best hashish in the world, the villagers of this ancient city have been keeping several secrets to themselves. Everybody sells stuff here. Don't expect to get 'Malana Cream' as most of it is being exported out of India. Price will start from 4-6k but don't pay more than 2k for T. Price in other places of valley is 1k for T. Don't get the stuff down because you can get caught and it will be big harassment and monetary loss.
Do not touch the structures and do not leave the main road while roaming around the village. There is one shop near the temple which sells good on MRP (surprisingly). Get your snacks and water stock there. Previously there was ban on overnight stay of tourists in village but it is being ignored now. Still home stays are not available and there are hardly three places to stay in this season. 'Mountain View' at the start of village and 'Hill Top' is at the end of village. We were unable to spot 'Rudra Cafe'. Prefer 'Hill Top' over 'Mountain View' for a splendid view of the valley. In this season, do not expect any amenities in the hotel like electricity, water, heater, etc. We got only Dal-Chawal in food that too when host cooked for himself. Temperate will drop below zero in night so brace yourself.
Day 4: Descend Trek from Malana Village and Stay in Kasol
Get your breakfast (Maggi / Omelette / Tea only) done in cafe. Start the descend trek by 10 am and reach Malana Village Gate by 1 pm. Two cabs, one from Malana gate to base and from base to Kasol. You will reach Kasol by 4 pm. On the way back from Malana, make a stop at 'Snow White View Malana Cafe'.
You can explore the Kasol in evening. It is very well know for its cafe culture but during winter times, not all cafes are open. There are selected cafes that are open (Evergreen Cafe, King Falafal, Moon Dance Cafe, Stone Garden, Namaste, etc). These cafes must be real good in summer but during winter you won't get that charm and buzz, what really matters is the place which serves hot food.
Day 5: Kasol to Manali and Stay in Manali
Option 1 (Good weather conditions):
Book a cab (Innova / Tavera) from Kasol to Manali at an cost of Rs. 4000-5000. You can take in-between stops at Kullu and Naggar and reach Manali by evening 5 pm. Kullu and Naggar sight-seeing are not so great compared to Manali and Kasol. So if you are tight on budget and time, you can skip the same.
Option 2 (Bad weather conditions or you are late in the morning):
Get a bus to Bhuntar (Rs. 60 per head and 1 hour time). From Bhuntar you will get a bus for Manali (Rs. 90 per head and 2 hour time). Try to reach Manali by evening 5 pm.
There is lot of options for accommodation in Manali compared to Kasol. Prefer to stay in Old Manali to get to know the city culture which is 2 km from Bus Stand. Rikshaw will charge you Rs. 100. Moustache will be the first choice for stay (Rs. 1000 per room for three).
Day 6: Solang Valley Visit and Stay in Manali
Always keep buffer days and be flexible to change the plan in between according to weather conditions. We decided to visit Solang Valley but stuck in hotel for whole day due to heavy snowfall.
Solang Valley is 15 km (45 min ride) away from Old Manali. It is one of the most gorgeous and adventurous places to visit in Manali. It’s not just another skiing paradise, but a lot more than that when it comes to the unique experiences of snow sports it offers. Solang Valley is not that good in other seasons as they offer only Zip-line and Rope-way. Families with kids can visit in non-winter season and others can opt out from the same if they are on tight time and money budget. You can cover Nehru Kund, Cafe 1947 and Vashisth Temple on your way back.
You can have your dinner at Cafe Kathmandu opposite to Moustache in Old Manali. Great food along with Hookah. Special brownie cake at an cost of Rs. 3000 (enough for 10 people to get high).
Day 7: Manali City Tour
This is the last day of the tour and reserved for sight seeing in the city. You can go for a morning walk to Manu Temple in Old Manali. Later after breakfast visit Hadimba Devi Temple. Rikshaw will charge you around Rs. 100 from Old Manali.
Visit Mall Road in the end which is close to the bus stand and famous for street shopping and food. HRTC Volvo Bus parking is 2 km away from main bus stand and rikshaw will charge you Rs. 100.
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