Kalga Kasol trip Sept-Oct 2021
It had been a long time since I ventured out to some place in Himalayas, since onset of Corona pandemic in March 2020. My last such trip, or if I can say trek, was in March-April 2019 when I did Har Ki Doon trek. The corona pandemic, which unfortunately consumed lives of so many including my father and many friends, has been preventing us all from moving out. So, I discussed with my travel buddy Amit Burman and as usual, he readily agreed to go out of Delhi to some remote peaceful area in mountains away from the maddening crowd, noise and pollution of the city. He discussed with his friend Bharat Goel and we decided to spend few days in Village Kalga, near Kasol in Himachal Pradesh.
Amit and Bharat left for Kalga, through HPTDC bus from Mandi House in the evening of Saturday 25th September 2021 (I could not leave with them as I had to attend shradh rituals at home on 27th and 28th September).
I booked online the ticket for Delhi-Manali, with drop point as Bhuntar, through Himachal Road Transport Corporation Volvo bus schedule for 7 pm on 28th Sept.
Day 0 : 28.09.2021 Tuesday
At 6.10 pm in the evening, my son Himanshu dropped me at Punjabi Bagh Metro Railway station. I boarded the metro from there, got down at Inderlok metro station and took another metro to Kashmere Gate Metro Station. I got down there at about 6.50 pm and exited from Gate 7 and rushed straight to adjoining ISBT Building and after walking for 1 min inside, went down where all buses were parked. I went to platform no. 21 where buses for Manali were parked. My bus was also parked there. I sat in the bus at 6.56 pm.
At 7 pm, the bus started from ISBT at designated time. The bus took route from Ghaziabad/ Baghpat through Eastern Peripheral Expressway (due to Delhi border (Singhu border) blocked by farmers since November 2020 protesting new farm laws).
The bus took a stop for about 30 min at Mayur dhaba at Kurukshetra /Karnal on the way at about 11 pm. I did not take any food there as I had taken good meal at 5.30 pm at home in the form of poha and tea, and also I did not want to spoil my stomach by this dhaba food. I instead took cheese ball packed snack and waffle and munched some quantity.
In late night / early morn, the bus took a halt at some eatery in Mandi for 20 min for passengers to freshen up and have quick breakfast.
Day 1 : 29.09.2021 Wednesday
At 8 am in the morning, I got down at Bhuntar.
As I got down, immediately bus for Barsaini came, which then I boarded. The Fare from Bhuntar to Barsaini was Rs.130/-. The Bus passed thru Kasol. Thereafter, it had a halt of 30 min at Manikaran.
At 10.40 am, the Bus reached Barsaini bus stand. I got down. {I had not gone to toilet nor eaten anything (except cheese ball snacks and strawberry wafle at Mayur Karnal and cookies at Mandi halt) since 6 pm yesterday} I had two bananas at Barsaini. I walked towards the bridge. I purchased Blenders Pride (950/-) from liquor shop on this road. Walking, I crossed the bridge and then turned to right side. Cars, bikes were parked here. This is entry point for trekking up to Kalga village (I found that this is no more a village as almost taken over by cafes and homestays and frequented by youngsters for work from home and drugs !). ( The jeeps take the unmettled road from here to go to entry points of Tulga and Pulga).
I started trekking up from this point.
Within 30 min at abt 12 pm, I reached our hotel BLUE STAR and met Amit and Bharat, who were staying there since last 3 days.I took bath and freshened up. We then went down to adjoining ROOP KRISHNA cafe run by one Pankaj from Una, HP. I took brunch : paneer bhurji, dal and tawa roti. It was delicious food.
We then went for stroll in Kalga. We went to Nepali mkt area (small area where there are 5-6 shops/dhaba/café). Amit and Bharat took 1/2 brownie each here.We then walked back and sat at Roop krishna café lawn. I took lemon + sprite + salt. After 1 hr at abt 3 pm while sitting there under shed, brownie started showing its effect on both of them. We went to the room on 2nd flr and rested.
At about 6 pm, we came down to Roop Krishna cafe. We opened drinks but Amit and Bharat were under brownie intoxication and so did not take drinks. At about 8 pm, Bharat's friend Gaurav @ shanky joined, apparently drunk. Bharat had gone back to room, I brought him. We took dinner in this cafe.
At 10 pm, we went to the room and slept.
30.09.2021 Thursday
It rained previous night and today early morn as well from about 2 am till 7 am.
We came down to Roop Krishna café and took lemon honey hot water glass (60/-). Then went back to our room and freshened up.
At 9.45 am, after getting ready, we came down. I did pranayam on yoga sheet in the lawn outside Roop krishna cafe.
At 10 am, we took breakfast in the cafe.
At 11 am, we started for a small trek to the small waterfall on way towards Kheerganga.
At 12 pm, we reached there. We rested and clicked pictures at the water fall. We spent about half an hour there. We then returned back.
I and Amit planned to go to Pulga but Amit got scared by steep decline from Kalga's end (as he has fracture on waist and did not want to take a chance), so we dropped the plan. We picked Bharat from Gaurav's room in nearby Moon Light guest house and went hopping in village for different cafes on the periphery of Kalga on valley edge. We passed by Soul Kitchen cafe - good view of the valley and pleasant wind here sitting. We then moved a little ahead to HOLY CAFE cafe surrounded by apple orchards. We sat on the 1st floor which had a big hall like place with sitting arrangement (no chairs). Several Boys and girls were doing work on laptops and some were smoking, while some taking food. We had a very good view of the entire valley from here, enhanced by the pleasant wind.
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(Holy cow a little ahead of Soul Kitchen tucked in remote corner of Kalga (almost last point in Kalga on that side)
Took pizza there.
4 pm started from Holy cow.
Came to our hotel. Rested.
6 pm opened our drinks bar in open verandah on 2nd flr at extreme end.
Very good view of valley from here. Played songs on mobile while drinking. Enjoyed masala Kaju (brought by Bharat) with drinks.
9.30 pm came down to Roop krishna cafe. Took dinner.
10.45 pm back to room.
1 and 2nd Oct 2021
1.10.2021 Fri
8 am Got up in Blue star Guest house in Vill Kalga. Got down to adjoining Roop krishna cafe ( run by Pankaj from Unah, HP). Took lemon honey hot water while listening to shiv songs on cafe music system thru bluetooth.
Got back to room. Took bath. Got ready.
9.30 I got down. Did pranayam on yoga sheet in his cafe lawn till 10.
10 am took breakfast in his cafe : Tea, Butter toast
Cleared bill of cafe with Pankaj. Cleared bill of hotel with hotel owner Karan and Anuj.
11.20 am We started walking with our rucksacks to go to Pulga. Its steep down from back end of Kalga. Trekked down to river stream. Removed our shoes and sat there with our foot soaked in cold river water of Parvati river. Really enjoyed the vibe and ambience here oveelooking the valley.
(At this point, road is there- one side (non metallic) going to Barsaini via entry point of Kalga and other side (non metallic) going to Pulga with Tulga entry point 1 km before Pulga entry point. Last motarable point is pulga. )
Abt 12.30 we started from that river stream point. Trekked abt 2.5 km to reach Village pulga.
Searched for some good hotel in pulga. Loud music being played by Hotel Boom Shankar guys disturbing whole village.
Checked Hotel Bella View adjoining Boom Shankar. Ordered lunch there. Meanwhile I and Amit went out to search for hotel.
Looked in hotel Shiv Palace (wooden room on 2nd floor meant for 4 persons, ready to give for 1000/-).
Then tried Hotel Parvati at extreme end of village after walking abt half km through very narrow pagdandi,,, he ready to give for 800/-.
Returned back to Bella View hotel. Took lunch. Bella View is run by a youngester
Mukul Malhotra (from Paschim Vihar) his father was also there. Earlier mukul was selling handicrafts/readymade clothes online but affected due to corona, moved to this business. Giving Rs. 7 lakh as annual lease to this land owner...paid lease for 5 yr upfront, lease prd 10 yrs. Got structure readymade....did finishing and furnishing. Started only 2-3 months back. He here since last 6 months. All fittings and accessories brought from Delhi.
As we did not find any attraction or good vibe in Pulga plus there was so loud music which wl play throughtout today, we decided to move to Kasol instead.
Mukul telephoned Barseni taxi union (tel : 8629090838) and arranged a taxi for us for total Rs.300/-.
We came down to entry pt of Pulga. Tata Sumo taxi waiting for us. It took abt 25 min bumpy ride for the taxi to drop us at Barsaini bus stand. There, Bhuntar bus waiting. We got into it.
Abt 4 pm, bus started. Abt 5.15 pm, we got down at Kasol. Looked for hotels to stay tonight. We checked 2-3 hotels. Rhwy were charging 1800-2000 but all concrete with no open space for enjoying nature. Luckily, we went off road and stumbled upon Hotel THE WOODWARD (near a riverfront hotel THE ALPINE whose tariff is 4000/- per day !)
Woodward manager Goldy bhai is from Laxmi Nagar Delhi. Waiter/ catetaker is a young boy Baboo. He showed us room on 1st flr. We liked it because there was such big open lawn in hotel premises and was surrounded by jungle/tall pine trees and away from main road traffic sound and pollution. Tariff 1500/- per day.
We shifted to room. Freshen up.
7 pm we opened our bar in big balcony on 1st flr overseeing jungle and other natural views. Enjoyed Music on music system of hotel placed in lawn on Gr flr by bluetooth.
9.45 pm we took dinner in hotel.
Then we walked in kasol mkt at 10.30 pm. Shops were closing down. We took pastry and icecream at LITTLE ITALY cafe counter gr flr.
11 pm went to sleep.
2.10.2021 Sat
7am got up in Hotel The Woodward Magique, Kasol.
Took Ginger Lemon Honey hot water 60/-
Freshen up.
We 3 walked down to river front at distance of abt 50 mtr.
Came back.
I did exercise and pranayam on yoga sheet in wide balcony in front of our room on 1st flor.
Took bath.
9.30 I and Amit walked to mkt. Bharat getting shave in mkt. Joined him. We 3 then walked.
Took breakfast in a dhaba called NAMASTE opp Nature's Park.
Got Kasol Delhi Volvo tickets booked for tomrw eve 6.30 pm volvo of KTC for Rs.1000/- each, from a shop at kasol bus stand (owner Lalit).
11 am came back to Hotel.
Took light breakfast again : corn flakes, milk
11.45 am We walked from Hotel on the main Kasol road (towards Manikaran). Saw spot near Sandhya hotel where buses to Delhi are parked. After walking abt 3 km, reached a point where temporary rope/wood bridge on river on left side. Tired. Turned back. Took tikki on roadside tea stall Delhi Chat Bhandaar. Walked back again towards kasol mkt.
Then saw a point downside adjoining river where there was a table and 4 concrete stools...good view of river and valley from here. There are steps also to go into the river and soak feet. We sat here and ordered 3 lassi from Lucky snacks corner. Took pics. Nice vibes. Sat there for abt 1 hr.
Then started again...came to kasol mkt. Took lane on right side going to Chalal village via iron suspension bridge over the river parvati. Crossed bridge then returned (decided to go there to Chalal tomrw).
Near there, spotted PANJTARA cafe whose menu outside read - thin crust pizza, Dosa etc. Entered. Very nice place and ambience, comparable to any 5 star lounge in Delhi.
Ordered Thin crust farm house pizza (450/- : such a reasonable price ! ).
Pizza came after 25 min ..we were pleasantly surprised at its big size...8 slices. Meanwhile, singers Twinkle Agarwal and Aryan (singers in Panjtara cafe) came on the corner stage...twinkle playing guitar and singing, aryan singing. They giving live performance on 1st 2nd and 3rd Oct here which starts ar 8.30.pm. They practicing. They singing marvelously well ! They sang 3-4 sangs for us, composed by them/aryan.
We clapped for them. They aporeciated it.
Started from there at 3.40 pm. Walked towards our hotel. Stopped at Hotel The Alpine (near our Hotel). It has dining/ sitting arrangement on wooden platform on riverside...river flowing by our side. We ordered 3 tea @ 80/-. Enjoyed the ambience while sipping tea.
At 5.10 pm, we rerurned to our hotel.
Relaxed.
6.30 pm opened our bar : first we trued on Gr flr in lawn but mosquitos troubling so shifted to 1st flr in wide balcony outside our room. Played music on hitels heavy Speakers using my mibile bluetooth for abt 2 1/2 hrs kishore songs sung by other singers. I also sung along.
10.15 pm we took lunch in hotel at our drinks table.
10.45 we walked on kasol road....savoured ice cream at Litrle Italy counter. Bharat ret to hotel. I Amit walked to erstwhile YHAI camp site but that area totally changed. So many hitels hv come up.
11.15 we ret to hotel
Walked for 20 min in long gallery corridor bakcony outside our rooms.
12 pm went to sleep.
3.10.2021 Sunday
7.30 am Got up. Freshen up.
I went to roof and did pranayam and exercise on yoga sheet.
9 am came down to room. Shave, bath. Got ready. Packed Rucksack.
10 am I came down to Gr floor, ready, for breakfast.
Took veg sandwich and tea in breakfast.
Cleared bill of Hotel : 1500x2 = 3000 + 1800 for food for 2 days = 4800. Goldy (owner) charged 4600/-. Took pic with him. Nice person. Took it on lease in 2017.
11.15 am keeping our Rucksacks tucked at hotel reception, we started walking.
Stopped at TIBETAN KITCHEN ROOFTOP near Kasol bus stand adjoining HP Govt Forest Officers Residence Complex. Climbed stairs to rooftop cafe at 3rd floor. Took chicken momos and veg Thupka. I also tried Thupka. Tasty.
Very beautiful view of Kasol from here as rooftop was at good height and sunrays were kissing valley and area and sun was at our back. Clicked pics and videos.
12.15 pm started from Tibetan Roof Top cafe for excursion to nearby Chhalal village. Crossed suspension iron bridge at starting. Trekked thru Chhalal village dotted by numerous cafes and Homestays/ small hotels. The route aling Parvati river was gradually inclining up.
After abt 30-40 min walk, reached top point in Chhalal where we took cold drink. From here the route is gradually sloping downwards to other side. We took this route, going downwards, evetually walking along the river parvati. This area is called Katagla. Cafes and Homestays here also. Then we crossed wooden suspension bridge over the river to cross over to other side. From here, we climbed up to the Bhuntar Kasol road. This point on road is called JaiNala, also known as Shani Mandir point due to a Mandir here on road. After 10 min wait, Bhuntar Manikaran bus came. We and some more perons boarded it at 2.18 pm. (Thus we entered Chhalal from one side thru main Kasol road and came out from the other end 15 min bus ride away).
Got down at Kasol bus stand at 2.30 pm.
Sat in Panjtara Cafe nearby (yesterday we likee its ambience and pizza very much).
Ordered veg Farm pizza (450/-) as well as non Veg pizza (600/-).
3.50 pm we started from panjtara and reached our Hotel at 4 pm. Amit and Bharat took tea.
4.40 I Amit went to Little Italy. I took Butterscotch Milk Shake (180/-).
5.15 Ret to our Hotel.
5.30 we started from Hotel with our Rucksacks. Halt at Swagatam Tours at Kasol bus stand from where we booked bus. After 15 min, owner Lalit accompanied us to spot where bus parked on road a little ahead of hotel sandhya. Gave our luggage in boot of bus.
Boarded our Bus to Delhi (Himalayan Nomad run by Kullu Tpt Co. KTC)
6.50 pm Bus started from Kasol for Delhi.
Notes :
1.The rates of bus tickets, when booked online, are higher than offline booking through agents. For example, online booking of ticket thru HPTDC’s website charged bus fare as Rs.1700/- per person for Delhi-Manali (no option given for booking till only Bhuntar). The online booking of ticket thru HRTC’s website charged bus fare as Rs.1500/- per person for Delhi-Bhuntar (option given in Delhi-Manali for booking till only Bhuntar). Whereas when booked offline thru agent at Kasol, for return journey, we were charged only Rs.1000/- by Himalayan Nomad Volvo of KTC from Kasol-Delhi (direct bus to Delhi from Kasol !). so it always better to book Volvo tickets offline.
Offline tickets, for Himalayan Nomad bus by KTC, can be booked at :
9736100000
9736300025
9736900025
(DELHI kasol Delhi, Manali, Jammu etc.)
Or through agents at Kasol : Lalit 9805144084, Sanjay 9911456369, Swagatam Tours 98163, 9736305315
