Kasol and Manikaran are two retreats into nature. Situated in Himachal Pradesh near Manali, they are quite and beautiful towns. Situated in the Parvati Valley on the banks of Parvati, they are the best place to relax and ideal for a two to three-day getaway.
Starting your day by relaxing in the hot springs Manikaran to ending it star gazing in the camps of Kasol, the place is best if you are looking for some stress-relieving. In addition to hot water springs in Manikaran, the place is good for some adventure sports.
This place is also ideal for trekking by beginners. The trekking opportunities range from easy to difficult depending on your choice.
Do read our article on Things To Do in McLeodGanj and its Tourist Destinations and Things To Do in Kaziranga National Park, Assam.
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Best time to visit Kasol and Manikaran:
The ideal time to visit here is during summers. The place receives heavy rainfall and thus there is always a danger of landslides. Thus monsoon is not much favorable. The details of Manikaran weather with Manikaran and Kasol temperature are given below.
Summer: The summers start in March and end in June. This is the ideal time to visit these wildernesses. The temperatures range from 10 to 30 Degree Celsius.
Monsoon: After the summers, next comes monsoon. Monsoon months are July to September and these months are risky in terms of landslides taking place due to heavy rainfall that the town receives. The temperatures in this season range from 15 to 25 Degree Celsius.
Winters: Winters here are beautiful. With snowfall and snow-capped mountains all around, the place is heaven. These months are from October to February and the temperatures range from 3 to 22 Degree Celsius. If you can withstand the cold and are a winters fan, this is the best season for you to visit the place.
So, we recommend visiting these towns in summers when temperatures are fine and nature is in its full bloom.
How to Reach Kasol and Manikaran:
Manikaran to Kasol is just 3.5 km. You can take a cab or an auto Rikshaw or just walk between the two towns.
By Road:
Bus or hiring a private Taxi is by far the best way to reach here. It may take longer but, you can enjoy the beauty en route to the town. The lush green valleys and beautiful flowery shrubs and even monkeys somewhere. You can take an HRTC (Himachal Road Transport Corporation) bus from your Bus Depot. They offer state of art Volvo buses, which are very comfortable and have qualified drivers.
By Rail:
The nearest Railway Station from here is Pathankot, at a distance of 150 km. Chandigarh is another option, which is at a distance of 275 km and taxis or private cars can be hired from here.
By Air:
The nearest airport to Kasol is Bhuntar Airport at 31 km. Flights from Delhi, Pathankot, and Shimla can land here. If you want to board a flight from somewhere else, then you can take a flight to Chandigarh Airport which is 295 km from the two towns. From here a taxi or bus can be taken.
Places to visit in Manikaran and Kasol:
1. | Manikaran Sahib | 2. | Lord Shiva Mandir |
3. | Naina Bhagwati Mandir |
Things To Do in Kasol and Manikaran:
S.no. | Treks | S.no. | Hot Water Springs |
1. | Kheer Ganga Trek | 1. | Manikaran Hot Spring |
2. | Pin Parvati Pass Trek | 2. | Kheer Ganga Hot Spring |
3. | Sar Pass Trek | 3. | Vashisht Hot Spring |
4. | Trek to Tosh | 4. | Kalath Hot Spring |
5. | Chalal Trek Trail | ||
S.no. | Other activities | S.no. | |
1. | Camping | 2. | River Rafting |
3. | Paragliding | 4. | Israeli Food |
5. | Shopping |
Places to visit in Kasol and Manikaran?
Kasol and Manikaran are two beautiful towns always bustling with Israeli and Indian tourists that come to immerse in the beauty of nature and enjoy chilling with friends and family.
Manikaran Sahib:
Manikaran Sahib or Manikaran Gurudwara devoted to the Sikh guru, Guru Nanak Sahib. But what touches your heart is that you can also find idols of Jesus and Hindu Gods.
The beautiful and serene place is situated between Parvati and Beas rivers. A hot spring can be found inside the Gurudwara and the food of the Langar (free holy lunch) is made from the water of this holy hot water spring.
You are required to cover your head with a piece of cloth to go inside the temple, so it is a piece of advice that, carry a convenient piece of cloth with you like a handkerchief for males and a Dupatta for females.
2. Lord Shiva Mandir:
Lord Shiva Mandir is located in Manikaran and is devoted to Lord Shiva. Here Lord Shiva is carved out from a single black stone. The specialty of this temple is that once an earthquake hit the place, and the temple was not at all destroyed only it got tilted to an angle. And it stays firmly at that angle to date.
People rever Lord Shiva and Mondays and Shivratri are packed with devotees that come to worship the Lord. It is believed that Demi-Gods from above comes down to worship the Lord in this temple.
3. Naina Bhagwati Mandir:
Naina Bhagwati Mandir is a temple devoted to Goddess Naina Bhagwati who emanated from Lord Shiva’s third eye. It is based on a legend. The legend goes like- Once Lord Shiva and his wife Goddess Parvati meditated here for eleven thousand years. But when Goddess Parvati went into the river to bathe, she lost a jewel in the river.
After trying her full, she could not find it, so she called Lord Shiva, but even he could not find it. The Lord got angry and his third eye opened and from that emanated Goddess Naina Bhagwati. She found the jewel which was with the serpent king SheshNag. Then a frightened SheshNag hissed and the jewel came afloat. So, a temple was founded here. It has gone through several renovations.
Things to do in Kasol and Manikaran?
Kheer Ganga Trek:
Opening Hours: 8:00 am to 6:00 pm
Cost per Person: Approx. Rs. 5,000- 7,000 per person
Duration: 1 Day
If you want to spend one day in the lap of nature, absorbing in the tranquillity of its less frequented areas, then Kheer Ganga Trek is the ideal option for you. It is a 9km trek, four-hour steep climb and is one of the most beautiful treks in here and the cherry on the top is the hot water spring at the top of the trek. Cheap accommodation and wonderful meal arrangements are done by the localities residing above.
2. Pin Parvati Pass Trek:
Difficulty: Difficult
Duration: 11 Days
If you want to face some real challenging trek but do not have much practice then this 110 km and 12-day trek is the most suitable option for you. Some courage coupled with some guidance would pull the task.
It includes crossing Parvati Valley to ultimately reach the Spiti Valley and is one of the most beautiful and sought after treks of Himachal Pradesh. The ultimate height you reach is a spine chilling 5,319 meters.
3. Sar Pass Trek:
Difficulty: Easy
Duration: 5 Days
Sar Pass Trek starts from Kasol. It is a beginners treat. This trek is quite easy and passes through green meadows, forests and small villages all against the backdrop of snow-clad mountains. It is really beautiful and perfect if you want to spend a week amidst nature trekking, but you do not have much experience and skill.
4. Trek To Tosh:
Difficulty: Easy
Duration: 5-6 Hours
Tosh Himachal Pradesh is more European than Israeli. The first thing you would notice on entering Tosh is the distinct smell of Marijuana in the air due to its extensive plantation taking place in the town.
Tosh to Kasol is 18 km and a journey of approximately 5-6 hours. Like Kasol even Tosh has multiple dining and lodging options ranging from cheap to expensive. The best time to come to Tosh Kasol is April to October when the day temperatures are relatively warm.
5. Chalal Trek Trail:
Difficulty: Easy
Duration: 30 minutes from Kasol
Chalal is a 30-minute walk from Kasol alongside the beautiful green river Parvati. Like Tosh even Chalal is full of options of dining and lodging, so, just relax in the evenings in any café watching the sunset whereas dancing in the night in the thronging best ever DJ nights. DJs from every corner of the world play here.
It is the Kasol party destination. These parties are most common in the months of April and May. At a height of 5300 feet, immerse in the exotic combination of trance and tranquillity.
6. Manikaran Hot Spring:
Manikaran Hot Spring is situated inside the holy Manikaran Sahib Gurudwara. The waters of the spring are so hot that food for Langar is made by immersing a pot of rice in the hot water. You can try it for yourself by buying a handful of rice from the market and cook them in a bag of muslin cloth!
7. Kheer Ganga Hot Spring:
This place can be reached by taking a trek from the town. After a tiring trek, you can immerse yourself in the comfort of hot water. This will do away with all of your tiredness. It is a medium-sized pool amidst a natural setting. You will not be able to forget it soon.
8. Vashisht Hot Spring:
These hot springs are named after the sage Vashisht who meditated here for years. Also, the mythological angle behind these springs is that once Lakshman (from Ramayana), shot an arrow here and the springs emerged!
9. Kalath Hot Spring:
A well-hidden spring near the town is the Kalath Hot Spring. These springs are located about 6.5 km from Manali and the water comes from the depths of the Earth and is found on Beas river. There are about 6 springs in this little known village of Kalath.
10. Camping:
Camping is an ethereal experience that is best taken at Kasol. Bonfire and star gazing at night are the two most beautiful and memorable activities one must undertake if you are out there in Himachal Pradesh. The pollution-free atmosphere means there are uncountable stars twinkling above and dancing and singing around the fire is just awesome.
11. River Rafting:
River Rafting over the Beas and Parvati river is one adrenaline-pumping adventure that you must definitely undertake here. In monsoons, the rafting becomes too bumpy and dangerous but summers and winters are good seasons to undertake River Rafting here.
12. Paragliding:
Paragliding is another cool adventure sport that can be taken here. Gliding under the guided supervision of experts, it is the best way to admire the panoramic views of the snow-clad mountains, the lush green forests, deep valleys, and gushing rivers all at the same time.
13. Israeli Food:
The town is flocked by a huge number of Israeli people all round the year. Their abundance is such that Kasol and Manikarana have signboards in Hebrew too. So, it is impossible to keep dining unaffected by the Israeli influence. Thus, you find many cafes serving Israeli food like Evergreen Café, Moon Dance Café (do try the bakery), and Turquoise Kasol while for continental and other cuisines do visit Buddha Place and Evergreen Café. These popular cafes are usually full, so you need to book a table prior to coming.
14. Shopping:
Shopping is another area where Israeli influence is clear. The flea markets are full of Israeli fashion clothes and accessories. You can also find semi-precious stones and pendants and trinkets like anklets and earrings, etc. The markets also house Bob Marley T-Shirts and Shiva T-Shirts which are so iconic that you just want to take them back with you. Hand Woven woolens are another major attraction.
So, guys, this was all about the beautiful towns Kasol and Manikaran. Do visit these towns if you want to go on a weekend getaway or even if you are looking for a month somewhere peaceful, hidden and offbeat amongst the mountains. Take sauna in the hot spring waters.
I am telling you from experience this is one of the best things to do in the world. Treks in and around are definitely enough beautiful to satiate anybody’s wanderlust.
Do read our article on Things To Do in McLeodGanj and its Tourist Destinations and Things To Do in Kaziranga National Park, Assam.
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