I heard a lot about Kasol and it is more beautiful in the reality. Being one of the most popular tourist destinations in Himachal Pradesh, getting information from friends who went there so that was the great thing for me to know about the Kasol. Therefore, I and my friends started journey towards Kasol via taxi and the taxi we have booked from New Delhi. Well, the destination is the hub of hippies and the home family for several Israelis who fell in love with Himachal Pradesh. As we all knows Himalayas is a natural beauty and is a must visit destination in India if you love mountains. Apart from, Kasol is a type of area which bustling with many cafes serving authentic Israeli and Labanese cuisine with the special European arrangements coming now and then. So, you’ll not face any food problem here. Okay, next is when you reach Kasol the roaring of Parvati will greet you and that stunning river won’t let you sleep in the star dotted night. The Parvati River is absolutely gorgeous and is so deep and unsafe that there is no water sports activities have ever been performed. Thus, be careful whenever you are near to this river because just one mistake could land you into deep trouble.
After this, we started searching for something to eat because we were hungry. So our group decided to explore Evergreen Café which is located in the main market Kasol. This is a most popular café in Kasol and always full with crowd. Accordingly you have to wait for at least 15 minutes for the food. I ordered Pizza and that was so cheesy and loaded with colorful veggies. Although, the shake was good enough but the pizza was outstanding. The food of this café is super delicious so I recommend this Evergreen café. Another dish was penne pasta in white sauce with luxury cheese, which was nice but not that much scrumptious. Also, I have ordered a glass of mint mojito and cucumber juice which was freshly prepared.
In the evening, we have decided to visit the holy Manikaran Gurudwara where meals are ready for almost 100k devotee with the hot waters of the Manikaran geyser. It is counted in a top tourist attraction and here both the arrangements and management are very worthy. We had seek blessings here and prayed to God. After that, we returned back to our hotel for a comfortable night stay.
Next day early in the morning we enjoyed breakfast in the hotel and started our journey towards Barshaini from which the Kheerganga trek begins. The road trip from Kasol to Barshaini via Manikaran was not so smooth, though it was so much bumpy and that will leave you exhausted. We already visited in the weekend of June month and there was already jam packed with pilgrims who had decided to park their vehicles on the road. So it was a lesson for us that never ever visit these beauties during weekend or summer vacations. Okay, you must know about the Barshaini which is a beautiful site where the Parvati and the Tosh rivers meet together and flow as Parvati. There was a dam constructed when we went there and I was thinking why this dam is to be constructed and what will this do to the natural beauty of Kheerganga. When you start this trekking then blazing Ra will leave you sun burnt because the trek is about 40-50 heavy steps and it is very much difficult for everyone. When you proceed first 2-3 km then the occasional chants of Om Namah Shivay at local temple will surely leave you mesmerize.
After about 3 km, you’ll move forward and you will start facing small cascade and it will be very amazing where you can also fill your water bottle. Going a little further, you will also see apple orchards which will tempt you but you are not allowed to break them.
Post 3 hours, you will reach the Nakthan village which has lovely small cafes where fresh pineapple and watermelon drinks are served. It is recommended to have these energy booster drinks because it will help you in trekking. Since you will be exhausted from the sun burnt so must have these juices. Apart from, washrooms are also available here but they are not clean. After 2 km we have decided to have lunch and we enjoyed lunch at Midway Camping at Rudrang which specializes in providing breakfast, lunch and dinner. I ate Pahadi Thali which contains yellow dal, tangy pahadi Kadhi, sautéed potato cauliflower and fulkas chapatis. The meal was super delicious. Post meal, we proceed faster and after a while we meet a dangerous bridge which crosses the wild Parvati River. Here it is slopes from a vast cascade and is frightening to expression at, specifically when you have acrophobia. Just when the bridge finishes, the flourishing greenery of coniferous plantations with little hints of sunlight begins. The air is aromatic with the fragrance of mountain flowers and alpine grasslands. This strain extends till the Kheerganga meadow and is relatively chiller. The calming air rectifies your tanned skin and sleepy eyes. But the gradient returns with an even more infidel mark. Since it is a humid zone with occasional stones, the track is slippery and is rigorous to climb with a 4kg backpack without a stick. I from time to time wonder where I would have been if not for the useful wooden stick and the protective hiking shoes.
So here the final trekking point which is the last 1km is the most difficult one. The sharpness confuses you and one has to prance every step with rearmost caution. The cliff are slack here and you have to use your wooden stick to find the stable ground first.
It was last 400m and I was seriously marvel how I trekked this specific quota. Since we travelled during peak time, the field was not that much perfect as we have seen in the movies. Actually, it was overloaded with the crowds and too many tourists definitely ruin the experience of going to a quiet place.
The major charm apart from the 360 degree view of the mounts is the prominent hot spring. There are separate divisions for both men and women, you do need a Jacuzzi to relax in. Except that this is a natural one soothing your painful nerves and sore muscles. But it is recommended not stay in the hot waters for more than 20 minutes as it tends to make you feel snoozing. While waiting for our jeep, we had a cup of tea at a local café where a mother-daughter duo serves the most delectable dishes with so much love! I also tasted the Thukpa, parathas and all of them were excellent. Do visit this Prem café when you are at Barshaini while returning from Kheerganga.
Some important note that you should know. The best time to travel this place is from March to May. I would not recommend you to visit in peak season because during the peak season there is much crowd and that is not good for traveling. Travel essentials that you should carry such as water proof trekking shoes, SPF 50+ sunscreen, full length clothes with a trekking jacket, high grade sunglasses that provide side protection, a proper backpack, fruits and chocolate bars, and ORS mixed with your water.
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