“Amsterdam of India”, “Mini Israel of India” or “Hippie Trail of India”. A beautiful natural setting on the banks of the Parvati river in Himachal Pradesh, India. It is a popular site among trekkers, backpackers, and nature enthusiasts. Moreover, during the past few years, it has become more and more popular among digital nomads. Especially to stay longer and explore Kasol till its depth.
As a digital backpacker, it’s always necessary to keep track of two things.
1. Your Expenses, and
2. Essential things for work. i.e. Wifi, Power backup, and a quiet area for meetings
Ready to dive in? Let’s Explore Kasol while working remotely!
Reach Kasol before your workday
Bus travel is the easiest method to go to and explore Kasol from Delhi. There are many buses that go to Kasol. I reserved mine through Zing Bus, which offers numerous options to surrounding locations from Delhi and, what’s best, has its own waiting area. The bus ride will take about 12 hours, and at Bhuntar, the bus will change to a taxi (included in the fare). There are several ways to get to Kasol, like hiring a taxi or flying to Kullu Airport and then taking a taxi to Kasol. However, flights to Kullu are not regular.
Digital Nomad TIP 101: To settle in and prevent any unexpected meeting situations, try to arrive at your destination on a non-working day.
Places to stay for ease of work
Kasol has become quite famous among digital nomads. Kasol offers a wide range of lodging options, from inexpensive lodging to luxurious hotels, on both sides of the Parvati river. Booking a hostel with adequate wifi and power backup is crucial if you’re a digital nomad. To explore Kasol, I stayed at these two locations:
Whoopers Kasol
A Game of Thrones-themed backpacking hostel, situated 4 km before the main Kasol market. The Parvati river flows just behind the hostel and the front side is lined with large pine trees. With an in-house cafe, free wifi, and multiple activities to do in a common area, this hostel should be on top of everyone’s list who’s going to Kasol for workcation.
Jungle Hostel
A Jungle-themed hostel, situated on the other side of the river named Chalal Village. To get to this hostel, one must walk about 1 km through the local village. Surrounded by mountains on all sides and overlooking the Parvati river, working from this heavenly place gives complete focus.
Other popular places to stay include Wabi Sabi, and The hostellers.
How to Explore Kasol on
Weekdays
There are plenty of things to do in Kasol depending on your job, whether it’s 9 to 5 or flexible. Starting with the most popular destination for everyone, Kasol Market, also known as the Hippie Market. It is well-known for its hemp products and cozy cafes that line the market. Along the Parvati River, there is also a small nature park. You can also rent a bicycle and ride along the river, or simply walk and listen to the gushing sound of the Parvati. At around 8.30 p.m., the market begins to close.
Moving forward on Kasol’s roads, we reach the small town of Manikaran. It is well-known as a Sikh pilgrimage site, with hot springs, valley views, and food. Furthermore, along the river’s edge, there are numerous camping sites organized by various groups for those who want to experience camp life along the river.
Subsequently, on the other side of the Parvati river, there is a small but spread-out village called Chalal. This area has many small trails along the hills with hidden waterfalls that are worth visiting during the week. Furthermore, there are several locations where psychedelic trance parties take place, which can be discovered while exploring these areas.
Weekends
Finally, the best two days of the week have arrived, and it’s time to go on treks and explore Kasol thoroughly. In fact, the Kheerganga trek is one of the most popular among backpackers. It’s a 13-kilometer hike with night camping and stargazing at the top. There is a temple with a hot spring at the top, and taking a dip in the hot spring relieves all body strains. I booked my trip with Thrillophillia, which included dinner, camping, and a guide. The trek begins in Barshaini, another small town. Many different treks begin here, including Kheerganga, Kalga, and Tosh.
In addition, Tosh is another less explored yet slowly getting commercialized place which is worth visiting. There are many hostels to stay here and explore the valley, amazing cafes, and food. It’s becoming quite famous among the blooming hippie culture in the region.
Subsequently, there is another gem in this region, a village with the utmost beauty that will make you go silent. Malana is a place rich in culture, customs, and religious beliefs. The residents of Malana don’t like to be touched by an outsider and also maintain the purity of the region. Malana is also famous for its cream, a product of cannabis that is regarded as the highest purity of hash found anywhere in the world. Malana is accessible via Jari a small village before Kasol.
Where to eat
Because Kasol is also known as the “Mini Israel of India,” Israeli cuisine is a must-try in the area. However, Kasol also has some of the best German bakeries, with Tiramisu and brownies being must-tries for the ultimate trip. Furthermore, as in any other hilly region, one can find a variety of Tibetan and Chinese foods.
Some of the recommended cafes and restaurants:
Foodl
A good rooftop cafe with live music and great food near the Kasol market crossing.
Ming’s Tibetan Kitchen
All round meal restaurant to get one of the best Tibetan food. At night, the place glows like a Tibet beauty.
Pirates of Parvati: Freedom Cafe
The atmosphere of this place changes completely from day to night. Having the biggest trance club in the area with amazing food and a view from the hilltop. One has to hike through the village to reach here.
Other popular cafes to visit include Panjtara Bar & Grill, Little Italy, and Moon Dance Cafe & Bar.
How to manage traveling around
Kasol is well served by the HPRTC, which runs buses at regular intervals to all nearby areas such as Manikaran, Barsaini, and Bhuntar. Buses are available until 6.30 PM in the evening, after which cabs are available until 10.00 – 11.00 PM. There are also several bike and scooter rentals available on a daily basis. In fact, if you’re a backpacker like me, you can explore the mid roads while walking through the mountain roads.
What’s next?
Thank you so much for your encouragement. It means a lot to me that you’ve come to learn more about my journey. Kasol was the trip that turned me into a Digital Backpacker and inspired me to embark on my first solo trip to Rajasthan.
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Hello.
The whole narration of your travel experience has been done in such a minimalist yet engaging manner keeping in mind the importance of the places as a whole. Be it about the stay locations or the cafes and not to miss the whole idea behind working and travelling at the same time. Looking forward to more such blogs with different perspectives. Keep traveling.
keep capturing.
keep sharing the stories.
Very detailed yet simple and short, liked the way you have covered each segment. Bookmarking this for my trip. Thanks, and keep sharing