When you drive up into the Parvati Valley, the first bigger town you encounter is Kasol. From here you can easily reach popular sites like Manikaran and Kheerganga. We decided not to stay in Kasol (a bit too touristic for our taste), but to just pay a visit later on.
With its status of ‘backpackers hotspot’, Kasol has turned into quite a touristic place – it’s nickname is also ‘Mini Israel of India’ we heard, due to the many Israeli travellers. That’s why we didn’t want to spend too much time over there.
But if you’re into camping, smoking, relaxing, you should definitely check the place out. The main street is very crowded and full of shops, but on the other side of the river, more up the hill top, you can find many camping spots and more peace and quiet.
We were staying in Manikaran and found out that you can easily make a 4km hike from Manikaran to Kasol, on the other side, along the river bank. A really nice walk, with scenic views over the river.
There’s also a little nature park in the middle of the town. It’s kind of a big garden, with playgrounds for kids as well. You pay 30 rupees to enter and can sit at the river bank. Around the small stream it’s quite full of people and a bit polluted though..
Another tip is to walk through the only street with an ATM, and take a left at the end, after the big bridge. Here starts a hiking path of approximately 7km (we only did the start of this trek).
Other than that, we mainly spent time in Kasol to have French pastries, good food, to have our bike fixed at the local mechanic and work a bit in one of the many restaurants on a rainy day.
#6 Tips in Kasol – shortlist to screenshot
- Visit The Nature Park & have a picnic
- Plan a camping trip
- Go shopping or try one of the many restaurants
- Hike from Kasol to one of the nearby villages (Malana, Kalga, Pulga, Rasol or Manikaran) or start the Kheerganga Trek from here
Tips @breuhuys
Kasol, Himachal Pradesh 175105, India
Breuhuys 
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