The mighty Himalayas as seen in Parvati Valley
Tosh – a hippie’s paradise – is a hidden wonder deep in the Parvati Valley, just a stone’s throw away from Kasol. A place for nature lovers and backpackers alike – a trip to Tosh village in Parvati Valley will ignite the wanderlust in the traveling hearts.
Situated at the height of 7,874 ft., Tosh is soul-soothing. Usually combined on a trip to Kasol, Tosh deserves an honorary mention for its exquisite beauty. The layer of the Himalayas opening up in front of you with the valley just evolving is a mesmerizing experience.
Melting of the Tosh glacier forms the Tosh river, which eventually feeds the Parvati River. The summits alongside the glacier of Papasura, White Sail, Angduri, Pinnacle, and Devachan are stunning with their snow-capped peaks and lush green landscapes.
No wonder, Tosh & Kasol still has a mention in my must-visit offbeat places in Himachal.
The distance of Kasol to Tosh is 21 km approximately, and the Tosh – Kasol roads lead up to the gate of the village. Hence, you can easily combine your trip to Tosh with Kasol and Kheerganga.
The younger sibling in the hippie culture to Kasol, Tosh is a hippie hub to its right. Travelers (not tourists) are the folks you’ll meet here. It is a melting pot of people from across the globe, all vibing together and enjoying the serene landscapes. While the majority of the income for the region comes from selling hashish, there is also a unique reverence attached to the activity.
When in Tosh, you quickly realize that enjoying the simplicity of life and keeping things clutter-free is the only way to live life. This restart button is something we all need, especially the city-dwellers. It is easy to see how this might become a yearly activity for the lovers of nature – come to Tosh, recollect, rewind, and begin again!
With its Pahadi culture still intact, Tosh provides food for thought for all those who wander here. Also, thanks to the easy availability of mesmerizing views, beautiful landscape, fantastic weather and of course, the Malana cream.
It does not stop there at the views. With tonnes of treks and trails surrounding the entire Parvati Valley region, the place is the second home to the backpackers in India.
Located at 2,400 Mts elevation, Tosh is 21 km from the popular party-town of Kasol. The route takes you through the Barsheni Road to reach your destination in about an hour’s time.
Gurudwara Shri Manikaran Sahib is also nearby in case you plan to visit it on your trip to Tosh.
Always lovely to visit (however – caution – roads might be closed in extreme winter months thanks to the heavy snowfall), weather in Tosh is quite pleasant.
Tosh temperature in summer months is cool at an average of 20 degrees, while in the winter months the temperature in Tosh dips into the negative and snowfall is common in winter months too. It is always wise to pack and dress in layers when planning a Tosh trip from Delhi or Chandigarh.
For in the hills, sometimes the day might seem bright and sunny, but, it can turn into a torrential downpour or even snowfall at the drop of a hat.
March-June is an ideal time to visit to experience a lot of activities truly. Seasoned visitors who want to experience the beauty of different weathers can choose to do so. Roads are largely well maintained throughout the year. Although, it might be difficult to cross past Barsheni in the winter months.
Summer months provide great weather of around 15 degrees and thus, which is bliss, especially compared to the scorching Indian Summer! While it has started getting very crowded during this period, you’ll experience minimal tourist activity in Tosh.
While summer is when the prime-time activities might be taking place (read: rave parties, lots of treks, a bunch of travelers chilling in cafes), you might be wise to choose the post-monsoon period for tranquillity and solace.
Warning: Please note that most of the treks in Parvati Valley in monsoon are slippery and with Parvati river in spate, it is not recommended to plan a trip to Tosh – Kasol – Kheerganga in monsoon time.
Being a hill station, Tosh is hard to reach – one must earn their sites and pay the toll through the longer distances. But, man, oh, man! The views are worth every penny!
The nearest airport is Bhuntar, 50 KMs away, nestled in the Kullu Manali Valley. Being a small airport in the hills, there is limited connectivity here, and the flights tend to be expensive. Chandigarh is the nearest commercial airport with better connectivity, situated 300 KMs from Tosh. At Bhuntar, one can easily hail cabs for the 2-hour journey.
If you are planning a Chandigarh to Tosh trip, there are a bunch of options to reach your destination in Parvati Valley.
The nearest railway station is Joginder Nagar railway station, 144 KMs away. You can hire a cab from here to reach Tosh, which will take you about 4-5 hours. Alternatively, you can take the early morning Shatabdi from Delhi to Chandigarh (12011), which will cost you around INR 700 and will get you to Chandigarh before 11 AM. From Chandigarh, you can make arrangements by taxi/bus/self-drive to reach Kasol.
The most enjoyable way of reaching ANY hill station – is by road, of course. With the assumption that your starting point is Delhi, let’s begin! The total driving distance is 559 KMs and will take you driving time of 14 hours.
Of course, keep in mind that this is a tedious journey; you should plan your travel with a lot of breaks and pit stops. The dhabas along the Chandigarh highway have gotten a reputation for delicious, delectable food – so do indulge. Also, once you enter the hills, the magic of greenery and the sound of music from the accompanying river will keep you refreshed.
As I always say, Zoomcar is my preferred way of traveling! Road trips are a boon when it comes to this service, and it is oh-so-convenient. (Disclaimer – I wish this were an ad, and they were paying me for this lip-service, but sadly, it isn’t!) There are other options available as well – do your browsing to get the best deals!
Many buses leave ISBT, Delhi for an overnight journey to Bhuntar. Volvo/Mercedes buses will be available starting INR 1500. A bus from Chandigarh will take you around 8 hours.
From Bhuntar, you’ll need to change buses and catch the one heading to Manikaran and get off along the way at Kasol.
From there, you can either chill a bit in Kasol or head on over to Tosh through Barsheni.
The last village of the Parvati Valley is a trekker’s base for Kheerganga Trek, it should be no surprise that this is a through and through the walking village. Enjoy the many cafes and the insane views by walking all around.
Also, fun fact, the roads only lead up to the gates of Tosh Village, post which, you WILL HAVE TO HIKE (Aren’t you oh so lucky!)
Please note that you should not get lost in the woods as there are numerous people who have been lost up there. Hence, take care when hiking or trekking alone.
Do not forget to check my list of things to carry on a hiking or trekking trip.
I will be writing a detailed article on planning a trip to Tosh and the rest of the Parvati Valley in Himachal Pradesh. The article will have a day by day detailed plan including a trip to Tosh to Malana. However, just for a reference 5-day itinerary for Tosh trip, you can follow:
Best places to stay in Tosh has to be the homestays – to get a feel of the place and have local experience. However, the 11:11 Bunker house is quite affordable and cute. Also, the view is insane and the folks are nice!
If you’re looking for a more high-end experience – try out the Stonedage Café and Inn. They have cottages and 2 dorms and promise a rustic experience full of comfort. The food here is quite good.
Lots of little cafes sprinkle across the region. Olive Garden, Hill Top, Shiva Café, and the Swastik Café should be on your list. The chill hippie vibes, the gorgeous views, and the decadent food will remain in your memory for times to come.
In general, a 4-5 day trip to Tso will cost about Rs 3500-7000 depending on where you stay, what you eat and how you travel. You will find plenty of Kasol – Tosh packages within that range.
Yes, in winter months Tosh does get snowfall and in fact, at times the access road gets closed and Tosh remains cut off from the valley. You can plan a trip in January to March to play in Tosh snow.
January to March are the snowfall months of Parvati Valley and the rest of Himachal Pradesh. You will find plenty of snow up there nearby Tosh in these winter months.
The distance of Barshaini to Tosh is just 4-5 km and you can cover it in about 15-20 minutes. The access road is in tatters and in case of slush it can get really difficult.
It will take about 2.5 hrs to reach Malana from Tosh. The distance to the base of Malana village from Tosh is about 44 km and then you can hike further to reach Malana.
If the crowd isn’t your thing and if you’re looking for a place to connect with your inner self while also indulging in a beautiful experience – then a trip to Tosh is what you need. Here, you’re not a passive tourist, but an active traveler – out there, on foot, exploring nature.
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Tosh isn’t for everyone – you need to be comfortable in nothingness, and you MUST enjoy the nature of the region. For if this is your calling (and it should be, given you’re on Discover with Dheeraj :D), then do visit this hidden wonder and share your experiences with us, please.
If you’ve been to the village before, do tell us if we have forgotten to mention something! Thank you in advance.
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