"Nothing behind me, everything ahead of me, as is ever so on the road." ~ Jack Kerouac
Life has always been about now. We cannot live in the past dwindling in the regrets and sorrow. We cannot keep looking back. The future is full of surprises and adventures but we don't have control on either, neither past nor future, all we are left with is present.
With that going through my head, we started to plan our next budget expedition in the hidden valleys of Himalaya. And our first stop came to be The Hippie's Paradise - Tosh!
I'll take you through my 5 days expedition through Himalayas at just ₹4000. Covering some of the most serene and offbeat places.
The article "Lost in Himalayas" is divided into three Parts, each part taking to a different place in detail.
Let's get Started then!
Tosh is quite accessible and stays open throughout the year 365 days. The most cheapest way to reach Tosh is through road ways. Many private and HRTC buses leaves directly from Delhi to Manikaran or Bhuntar.
HRTC Buses are the most pocket friendly means of travel if you're traveling on road. There are few AC buses as well as non AC. Being a pocket friendly trip, we chose to take the non AC bus and trust me there's a different chilling vibe in that bus. To sit beside the open window and letting the change in the atmosphere and wind is something which I would suggest everyone to experience once in a lifetime.
We took a bus at 19:00 from ISBT Kashmere Gate, New Delhi which costed us around ₹700 per head.
By the time we opened our eyes around 5:30, we were already near Pandoh Dam in Mandi district.
After around 13 hours journey, you will finally reach the last stop that is Barsheni. From Barsheni, you can either take a cab to Tosh or can trek through the local route. Barsheni to Tosh is a 7km trek and is not recommended for the light hearted people. Even if you plan to, first stuff yourself properly and travel light. Don't carry heavy weight as it will strain the muscles because of the sudden change in elevation.
The cab charges are negotiable and mostly depends on your time of traveling. On an off season, they might charge more. We went on the month of December which is considered to be an on season.
The cab charged ₹250 from Barsheni to Tosh.
At around 9:30 in the morning, we were finally lying in the lap of Parvati valley. Stunned by it's sheer beauty covered in the lush green with snow clad mountains. Tosh Village is a small traditional hamlet tucked away from the city noises somewhere deep in Parvati Valley.
Located at an altitude of 2400 meters, Tosh attracts all kinds of travellers from across the globe. It's a heaven for backpackers, who just wants to take the weekend away and spend some time relaxing and admiring the serenity of landscapes around the valley.
We found a stay near Pinki Didi ka Dhaba at around ₹300 per night. Which was quite affordable and worth it for a view like this.
The first impression of Tosh has left such a mark that whenever someone asks or I read the word mountains, it takes me back to Tosh. There are a few offbeat cafes and ethnic shops which one can visit to feel the authenticity of an offbeat destination and can learn alot about their culture just by observing their lifestyle or by talking to the locals. They are very humble and helpful and loves to talk about their family and culture. Might lead to an interesting story, who knows?
We stayed in Tosh for a night and left for Kasol the very next morning, which I'll be covering in the 'Part II' of this article. I'll update the link down below after uploading or you can check my profile for the updates.
Till then take care and keep exploring!
Update: Lost in Himalayas - Part II (The Mini Israel of India - Kasol!)
Refer to the link above for the second part of "Lost in Himalayas".
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