I stepped down from my motorcycle and looked beyond those green mountains. Dark clouds hid the sun, giving the hint of impending rainfall. I knew then that my trip was not going to be an easy one. I lowered my gaze through countless cafes and guest houses that grow like wild mushrooms on the slopes and then to the mushy road that I need to take now. Cars were parked on both sides, and taking that road was a bit challenging. Tosh has once been an abode for those who seek peace in their own way. Be it getting high with the beauty of the mountain or with the black gold, the valley is famous for. I slowly started my motorcycle and headed towards the hills to tell you the new story of our road trip to the Tosh Village.
We landed at the Chandigarh airport at 10 : 30 PM. It was late and we had already booked our bus to Kullu town. Not sure if we could make it to the boarding point on time, we rushed to a taxi booking counter and they charged us 700 Rs. The driver told us that he would take us through a shortcut so that we could reach the Tribune Chowk (boarding point ) on time. And he kept his promise. He drove this small sedan through the stone-paved roads where there were absolutely no street lights. We reached the boarding point by 11 : 30, which was almost the time the bus was about to reach our pick up point.
There were other people waiting for buses, and it was light drizzling. We took shelter at the petrol pump nearby and called the driver to know the exact location. The bus was an hour late, and it finally came at 11:15 PM. It started raining heavily once the bus started, and we could see the splashes of water making irregular drawings on our window glass. I love traveling at night, and if it’s raining, it’s a cherry on top.
A late morning in Kullu
Our plan was to reach Kullu town in the morning by around 7 AM and ride to Barshaini and then to Tosh. But due to some landslides near Bilaspur, we reached Kullu by 12 in the afternoon. My brother’s motorcycle was already in Kullu with his friends, and we planned to borrow it from them. This Royal Enfield Classic 500 is always my favorite among all the Royal Enfield variants.
Kullu is a district in Himachal Pradesh and Kullu town is on the way to Manali. Politically, the entire Parvati valley and Manali come under the Kullu district administration. Let’s take a look at my travel route from Kullu.
Kullu town-Bhuntar-Jari-Kasol-Manikaran-Barshaini-Tosh
Road trip to the Tosh Village
As soon as we got the bike, we headed to Kullu town to purchase a second helmet. Both riders on the bike must wear helmets in Himachal Pradesh.
We started around 1:30 PM from Kullu and it had already started to drizzle. While riding, even the smallest drops of rain feel like a heavy pour. The roads were wet, and we rode slowly. We stopped at Bhuntar to have some tea and momos, and it was heaven. Refreshed and recharged, we continued our journey to the Parvati Valley.
At Bhuntar, the Parvati River joins the Beas River. There is a bridge exactly at this “sangam”.
Roads from Bhuntar to Kasol
From Bhuntar to Kasol, roads become narrow and decently maintained. The Parvati River flows wildly below, and cold vapors ascend when it hits the rocks. Traffic has considerably increased. Big tourist traveler buses cross you multiple times and sometimes block the entire road. Rash drivers bring their posh cars from the nearby big cities, which is common nowadays, while driving on these roads. If you are riding on these roads, beware of these city drivers for your own safety.
After crossing Jari, there is a small left turn that takes you to the famous Malana Village.
Kasol is a valley and almost level with the river. Before reaching Kasol, the road winds and climbs up the mountains and finally descends into the Kasol Valley. Those are the times we save petrol on our bikes.
We reached Kasol at around 4 PM. The rain slowed us down, and we stopped at a few places to check for some hotels to stay at. Our plan was to ride to Tosh and stay there, but the rain had other plans for us. But we had to continue ourroad trip to the Tosh Village.
Kasol
Kasol has changed too much over the past few months. With so many visitors and vehicles, it is no longer the same, and I doubt I will come back. I wanted to keep those old memories of this small hill town with all its peaceful and calm vibes. But turning into something more of an urban hill town has its own benefits. You get great amenities in hotels and fine dining in restaurants that offer almost everything, and better transport options. It would definitely help tourism here. On the downside, everything is now expensive, too crowded, and heavy traffic.
The cheapest hotel room that we could find was 2000 rupees, and it was very basic. But we were drenched in rain and wanted a hot bath and a warm blanket to sleep in. So we decided to take it Anyway,
We changed our clothes and went for a walk. The rain had stopped and we could hear the river flowing nearby. Patches of clouds stuck on the steep, tall mountain in front of us. It was clear, and the valley glowed with emerald and earth. The roads were wet and water flowing with mud and waste made it difficult to walk. But we looked beyond the dirt, crowds, and traffic to the peaceful pine forest and snow capped mountains. It was then that we decided that tomorrow morning, we would ride towards those serenities, away from all these.
You can read all about Kasol here on Things to do in Kasol on a Short Visit.
The nightlife at Kasol
We decided to explore the cafes here at night, and our first choice was the Jim Morrison Cafe. But for that, we needed to take a small hike through the dark pine forest. It was already 8 PM. So we decided to return after trying halfway and walked back to the main road. We walked past the Kasol Market and found another famous cafe called the Moon Dance Cafe.
It was an open cafe with large umbrellas on each table. The entire place was dimly lit, and there was a candle on each table. It was almost full and everyone was enjoying their dinner. We got our seats in the far corner, and we could see the entire cafe from there. Trance music was playing, and to my left, there were 3-4 people sitting and rolling “charas” while enjoying their beer. Charas is what the Parvati valley is famous for. It is also called Malana Cream in these parts.
When the waiter came with the menu card, the first thing that I checked was the Trout Fish. The Beas river is famous for its trout, and there in Moondance, I ordered the oven baked trout. We also ordered veggie pizza and some momos as well. I must say, the trout dish was amazing. It was made in some kind of lime spice sauce and garnished with vegetables, pickles, and bread toast. With each bite, the spices and sauces accentuated the fish flavor and made you want more.
Morning ride to Barshini
Barshini is a small village with almost all the basic facilities. It is the point from which we can take different routes to tosh, kalga or pulga and is the starting point of the Kheerganga trek.
We started from Kasol at around 8 AM and the rain had almost stopped. Pine trees were swaying in the breeze and it was fresh and green. Influx of travelers continued to pour in and when we were about to reach Manikaran, the traffic was very high.
Once you cross Manikaran, it’s just you and the endless winding roads. As it was morning and roads were empty except the occasional vehicles of villages.
Road to Barshini is one of my favorites routes. Parvati river flows along the right side and green valley beyond. You could see small patches of villages on the other side of the river snow capped mountains far far away.
Once you reach Barshini, you will be able to see the long lines of cars parked on both sides of the river. If you’re planning to visit here, choosing your travel timing is very important. Getting a spot to park your car or bike is hard here.
Barshini
If you are in Barshini, never miss the Prem Cafe. Aloo partha and Rajma Chawal are my favorites here.
Barshini is also the best place to get your trekking items and other essentials. Once you cross this place, things get expensive and scarce.
From Barshini, we could see the Kalga and Pulga villages. You need to cross the river near Parvati Dam to reach these villages. There is another road going up to the right from the dam that will take you to the Tosh Village.
If you are planning to visit Kalga village and then to try the Kheerganga trek, check out my blog on A Complete Guide to Kheerganga Trek.
Barshini to Tosh Village
Road to Tosh is not so well maintained, but the views are breathtaking. It slowly started winding uphill with many slanting hairpin bends. It will test you for your driving skills.
Yellow flowers blossom on the roadsides. We stopped multiple times to capture the raw beauty of the valley. After many turns and mounts, we finally were able to see the Tosh village.
Tosh Village
I got off of my motorcycle and peered past those green mountains.I lowered my gaze to the muddy road I needed to take. Countless cafes and guest houses that sprout up like wild mushrooms on the slopes. Again, it’s flooded with tourists.
I parked my bike near a tea shop at the end of the road. The shopkeeper took 100 rupees and promised me to look after my motorcycle. She charges 50 rupees for a day and 100 rupees if you are keeping it overnight.
The road ends there and now we need to walk. There is an iron bridge across a small stream. Once you cross the bridge, you are officially in Tosh village.
There are numerous homestays and cafes there and there is no problem getting a good stay. If you are looking for cheaper hotels, it is better to keep climbing the village and you will find amazing homestays with mesmerizing views.
Cafes in Tosh
There are Cafes everywhere with homestay options. Some of the famous ones are Pinki didi’s, The Last Resort, cafe 360’, etc. Most of the cafes are crowded as it was the peak tourist season and getting a place to sit is tough.
The food was awesome and mostly we tried Momos.
Tosh used to be a haven for people who seek peace in their own way. Now it has turned into something different. If you need to seek peace, you need to climb more and away from the village. You need to walk deep into those woods to feel the serenity. We decided to find a place away from the crowded center and finally were able to get a hotel at the end of the village.
The road trip was a great experience. But the destination was no longer the same that we used to know. We tried to mingle with this new Tosh and to find peace in our own way. The story is not going to end here and tomorrow we have to climb up more, away from here, in search of that old Tosh and Kasol and the Parvati Valley.
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Nice place we got lot of information and when we visit the place it would be very helpful to us..