Ka-soul

The land of chill. Anyone looking to do anything else, don't come and kill the vibe. Two of us urban hustlers took off to Kasol for 4 days to immerse in calmness, and boy, was it peaceful or what. The gorgeous morning view of snow capped mountains and ginger chai is unparalleled. Keeping with the theme of lesser words and more experiential, whether you are a seeker (thrill, spiritual) or otherwise, kasol is transformative.

Some tips and contacts to plan:

- if you are traveling from the south of India, stay overnight in Delhi before boarding the 14 hours rickety bus ride with narrow roads and insane views. We took the private Pal travel lines that boards from Majnu ka tilla. While in Delhi, Om cafe was our hideout.

- Booked the hosteller, kasol based on recommendation and and I have mixed reviews. The elevated, poorly lit location is not ideal for late night intoxicated travellers nor someone who is not used to the terrain. While the room was cost effective, clean and the cafe staff were incredibly nice, there was no hot water (ever) and the reception people were not helpful. Overall, I wouldn't recommend staying here.

- The Malana Trek- A high-light. Absolutely recommend doing this even if you are an amateur like me who almost died of short breath and invoked the gods multiple times throughout this steep trek. The view from the village, suspiciously friendly adults and gobble-worthy kids, the cream and the barren temples are an experience. Always ask permission before you click photos of the people and don't touch anything/anyone in the village.

- The Food- are you even living a good vacation if you haven't overeaten every meal? We literally lived at the Moondance cafe, even made our first friend there. Sit by the stream, read a book, zone out and binge on hummus- ah, the goodlife! Other places to check out include the evergreen cafe (great location for views and more), Jim Morrison cafe (didn't make it but apparently is a short trek), German bakery at Moondance (those crepes, croissants and doughnuts, damn!).

- Other treks include Chalal (short one, LOVE the spot by the bridge crossing with Maggi - I spent 4 hours one afternoon there, explains a lot), Tosh, Kheerganga and Pulga (fairy forest).

- Get a driver/guide- best decision ever! Tony was amazing for all kasol intel, provided moral support and ensured I reached Malana and also patiently imparted some key skills. Call- 9816755063. Another good driver is Rajat- 8628831100