Kasol itinerary for 2 days will be very helpful if you are planning a quick weekend getaway from nearby cities like Delhi or Chandigarh. There is no dearth of mesmerizing places to see in Kasol, therefore it can get a little confusing as to what places should one cover on a short trip to Kasol.
Kasol, a scenic hamlet located in Parvati valley in the state of Himachal Pradesh is the hippie capital of India. Kasol was already on the hippie trail for quite a long time but only a handful of people knew about it. Off late more and more people have started visiting this place, making it a favourite among backpackers
In my current blog, I will guide you on how to best spend 2 days and 1 night in Kasol. This guide will come in handy for travellers who are visiting the place for the very first time.
Kasol Itinerary for 2 Days: Perfect for a weekend getaway!
There are many things you can do in and around Kasol. Kasol has plenty of Cafes, quaint villages, and beautiful trekking trails. A pre-defined 2-day Kasol itinerary can help you get the most out of your couple of days here.
This Kasol itinerary for 2 days can be a perfect weekend trip if you are looking to escape your mundane routine for a couple of days. For the sake of convenience, I am assuming that the trip starts from Delhi.
Here’s a quick look at the ideal itinerary I would suggest for 2 days and 1 night in Kasol:
| Day 1
Reach Kasol from Delhi Café Hopping in Kasol/ Visiting Manikaran Spending the evening by the Parvati River |
| Day 2
Hike to the nearby village of Chalal or Katagla Head back to Delhi |
You start by boarding an overnight bus from ISBT Kashmere Gate, Delhi. You can take an HRTC Volvo bus, tickets to which you can book in advance online. These are quite comfortable and convenient options for budget travellers. Board any bus that goes to Manali.
Take a pick – Cafe Hopping or Visiting Manikaran on Day 1
Reach early morning to Bhuntar and board local buses or cabs going towards Kasol. Check into a hostel/ hotel/ guesthouse. Once you have dropped your stuff, you have two options- go Café hopping in Kasol or visit Manikaran.
Go Café Hopping in Kasol for the foodie in you
There are a ton of different Cafes in Kasol and you probably require 2 days to cover all of them. I visited quite a few them and the food was extremely delicious. Bhoj Café, Evergreen Café, Freedom Café, Moondance Café, Jim Morrisons Café, Little Italy, Panj Tara Café are among the popular ones in Kasol.
Though cafes predominantly serve Italian and Israeli food, most of them offer multi-cuisine including Indian food in some cafés. Israeli food like hummus, falafel platter, etc. will be readily available and is a must-try when you are in Kasol. Italian food served in most of the cafes is extremely delectable. Apart from Italian and Israeli food, traditional Indian food is also readily available in and around Kasol.
Kasol is also famous for its mouth-watering desserts like cakes, pie, croissants, etc. There quite a few bakeries here which serve these kinds of deserts. Germany bakery being the most popular one out there with its apple pie, cheesecakes being a must-try.
In my opinion, Evergreen Café, Jim Morrisons Café, Little Italy are a must-visit as they serve lip-smacking food. Personally, my favorite is Jim Morrisons café as the café inspired by Jim Morrison the lead singer of the classic rock band “The doors”, classic rock numbers are played during the day. The café has a very chill vibe to it and is heaven for vegetarians as the café serves only vegetarian food. To reach this café you would have to hike uphill for 10 minutes from Hotel Sandhya.
Manikaran is a Sikh and Hindu pilgrimage centre less than 5 km from Kasol. You can easily reach Manikaran from Kasol by bus or shared Taxis. Manikaran is famous for hot water springs and temples and Gurudwara.
Visit Manikaran for a serene experience
If you are not interested in Café hopping, you can head towards Manikaran. Manikaran is a Sikh and Hindu pilgrimage centre near Kasol that attracts many visitors. Here you can take a dip in the hot water springs and visit the temples and the Gurudwara. It is a very serene experience
In the evening, you can enjoy some quiet time near the bank of river Parvati or you can or spend some time in the woods near Kasol.
Hike around Kasol before heading back on Day 2
On the second day, checkout from Kasol and take a short hike to Chalal. Chalal is just 30 mins hike from Kasol It is one of the shortest and easiest hiking trails around Kasol.
The trail to Chalal passes through a beautiful deodar forest. You can even go further into the valley to Katagla. Spend some time at Chalal or katagla and head back to Kasol. You can now board an overnight bus to Delhi.
How much will this 2-Day Kasol Trip cost you?
One of the main reasons why people head to Kasol and nearby places is because it is light on the pocket as there are is no scarcity of decent budget options for accommodation except for a few months when it is peak season. The internal transport in and around Kasol is also very cheap.
Accommodation is fairly inexpensive in and around Kasol. If you choose Backpackers hostel the cost can come down to around 300-350 INR per dorm bed. The guesthouses will cost anywhere between 500-800 INR.
If you have someone to share a room with, then guesthouses and hotels can be a decent option as well. You can opt for Luxury hotels, guesthouses in Kasol but your cost will go up. Kasol also has a lot of campsites around the bank of the river Parvati. But they tend to be a little bit more expensive than Hostels, Guesthouse, and hotels.
The only thing that is a little bit expensive is the food. If you are going to visit the famous cafés in Kasol then it will cost you a bit but trust me it is worth it since the food is just amazing here.
Food is going to a bit expensive here, So I would say it will be around 500-700 INR per day depending on how many cafes you visit. Though it is a little bit on the expensive side, trust me, you will love all the Multi-cuisine delicacies that Cafés in Kasol offer.
For this Kasol Itinerary for 2 days, I’ll consider that you are staying for one-night in Kasol and travelling to Kasol from Delhi. The approximate costs will be:
| Accommodation cost = 500 INR
Food cost for 2 days = 1200 INR Bus fare to and fro = 2000 INR Internal Transport = 300 INR Therefore, the total trip including the bus to and from Kasol will cost you anywhere between 4000-5000 INR. |
The Parvati river in Kasol might look harmless, but do not make a mistake of undermining its flow. Do not venture deep into the river, it can be fatal.
4 Best Stays in Kasol that are actually affordable
The accommodation shouldn’t be a problem as there are plenty of budget hostels, hotels, and guest houses. As soon as you enter Kasol, you will spot clusters of Budget hotels and guesthouses the rooms there are not fancy but are decent enough.
They can be priced anywhere between 500 – 800 INR. The prices can be exorbitantly high during the peak season even for even basic rooms. I stayed in a couple of hotels in that area that were decent and were priced at INR 500, but it was in February which can be considered as off-season and it did feel like off-season as the foreign travellers were almost absent.
| Though sometimes Kasol is swarmed by tourists during summer months and new year, accommodation can be easily available in the nearby villages Chalal, Katagla, Choj. Chalal is just 30 mins hike from Kasol with plenty of budget options around. |
For all you backpackers and solo travellers, backpacker hostels will come to your rescue as there a couple of popular hostel chains in Kasol. Some of the best hostels here are:
| The Hosteller
The hostel s located above the main market in Kasol. You can reach the place by walking for 10 minutes from the Kasol bus stop. Prices start at 400 INR per person |
| Moustache hostel
The hostel is located on the banks of river Parvati and is about 1 km from the bus stop. Prices start at 350 INR per person |
| Nomads hostel
This hostel is located near Choj village which is a walkable distance from Kasol Market. Prices start at 400 INR per person |
| Whoppers hostel
This one is located in Katagla village, another beautiful village located at about 2.5 km from Kasol. Prices start at 300 INR per person. |
How to reach Kasol- the Easiest & Cheapest Way?
There is no direct bus for Kasol from either Delhi or Chandigarh. Therefore, for a first-time visitor, reaching Kasol can be a bit confusing.
Reaching Kasol by road- Recommended for budget travellers
Kasol can be only reached by road. For those making a solo trip to Kasol or are on a tight budget, Volvo buses will be your best bet. First, you need to board buses going towards Manali. There are a lot of Ordinary and Volvo buses of both private operators and HRTC plying on Delhi – Manali route from ISBT Kashmere gate.
Then you need to get down at Bhuntar since this is where the road to Kasol in Parvati valley diverts. From Bhuntar you need to take to local buses or shared cabs going towards Kasol.
There are a couple of HRTC buses from Delhi in the evening that directly go towards Manikaran. In case you don’t want to do a break journey and save time then it is the perfect option (Kasol comes before Manikaran). Of course, there are only two buses so it might not be convenient for everybody.
| Assuming you are coming from Delhi this would be the route.
Delhi – Chandigarh – Bilaspur – Pandoh – Mandi – Bhuntar – Kasol |
If have self-driven cars or private vehicles, then just make sure you take the diversion at Bhuntar. On average Delhi to Kasol bus journey would take around 13-15 hours.
Reaching Kasol by Air – Not recommended for a budget trip
The nearest airport is in Bhuntar, but the frequency of flight to Bhuntar is very less. So, the fares are on the higher side. From Bhuntar, you can take shared cabs or local buses going towards Kasol. I might not be a budget-friendly option, but if you short on days and budget is not a constraint then this option should be considered.
A total whiteout near Malana gate. If you want to experience snowfall, then heading to Malana can be wonderful to
experience it as it is just 2 hours from Kasol. Though it snows in Kasol, if you visit in February or March then the chances of experiencing snowfall are very less in Kasol.
When should you visit Kasol for the best experience?
This is very subjective as this would depend on what kind of colours and landscapes one wants to see. But one thing is for sure the weather remains very comfortable throughout the year except for cold winters which start from late November to early March.
| Winters for snowfall
If you want to experience snowfall, then the best time to visit is the months of December and January. Spring season can be one of the best times to visit as its not too cold as compared to winter but there is lots of snow on the mountains. |
| Summers for Hiking
Summers months are usually the best time for hiking and trekking around Kasol as the snow melts completely in the upper reaches. |
| Monsoons for the Greenery
Monsoon is when everything seems to be lush green due to rains but be careful while trekking trails become slippery and sometimes Landslides can block a lot of roads in Himachal. September is when the monsoon withdraws and makes way for beautiful clear skies. |
| Autumn for the landscapes
Autumn is also a wonderful time to be around, as the landscapes would start turning in to golden brown as the winter approaches. |
If you time your visit to Kasol during off-season months like January, February, March in winters, or in September, October, November during Autumn, then you would enjoy it a lot more as there would be no crazy tourist rush when compared to Summer months or the period of Christmas and new year. There would be no problems whatsoever for Backpackers and Budget travellers as the accommodation prices would not be exorbitantly high.
Is Kasol really safe for travellers?
Kasol is very safe irrespective of gender. In fact, all of the Himachal is very safe and you will find lots of solo travellers backpacking around Kasol and Parvati valley. As you might already know Kasol is infamous for people looking for high-quality hashish called ‘Malana Cream’, so please make sure you don’t engage in such illicit activities as possession of Hashish is illegal and you can even be arrested.
Apart from this, locals are very amiable and approachable, and they will help you out in any situation, so don’t hesitate and approach them if you need help. While hiking and trekking around this pristine valley avoid taking shortcuts unless accompanied by a professional guide.
It’s always easy if have some sort of itinerary before travelling as it helps you plan better. I hope my Kasol itinerary for 2 days will help you make the most of your weekend trip to Kasol.
Happy Wayfaring 🙂