India is a vividly grown beauty that has held unmatchable grace ever since it existed. It’s just that the world’s getting to know it better now. One such heavenly spread enchantress located at an altitude of 8200 ft in a forest-covered hill near the surreal Kasol in the unspeakable enchantment of Parvati Valley in Kalga. 

“When asked, why live between the mountains? I simply smiled and answered, “MY SOUL LIVES HERE”. It dances a little more, breathes a little more, loves a little more, here.”

It is tailored with the finesse geographic beauty of apple orchids, forests, green fields and exceptionally winning fauna. Travelling here surely is on cards for a lot of travellers and even those who rarely travel. Well, in that case, this read is going to be magical in a lot of ways. 

Our dear traveller Mohit Arora, an IT professional, had an impeccable stay at this lesser-explored beauty of India and is all set to share it with you, taking you on a virtual tour with experiences he lived in between. So let’s begin! 

Kasol – Here I Come!

Mohit began his trip from Ludhiana on his bike. The trip was a 06 day and 05 Nights planned trip. During this trip, he made sure to mark his presence at every majorly celebrated spot. Be it a Kheerganga trip or the beautiful Kasol village. 

The trek to Kheerganga began. It was more of a do it yourself trek. Mohit didn’t have sound expertise in trekking but he did know his way through the forests appropriately. The first day of the trek halted at the base camp which was the further day fueled with heading over to the Sar Pass trek. 

The journey was followed by constant moving, struggling but finally reaching out to fruitful pathways. One peak moment that startled Mohit and his fellow trekkers was knowing that they were just an hour away from the sunset and had to reach their spot at that particular designed time or else they would have to bear the dreadful darkness and juggled pathways of the jungle. 

The sun finally set although they tried their best but still had steps to follow until the final destination. Mohit here, allowed his instincts to take over and directed his fellow partners through respective pathways. Somehow the destination was reached, the halt point was achieved. 

Nature at its fullest

On reaching the peak of the trek, Mohit witnessed nature flourish at its best. He already was fascinated by the impeccable beauty of the place but at the peak, he completely sold himself at the view that looked no lesser than heaven itself. 

According to Mohit, this place is simply magical. Away from crowds, in the laps of mother nature, it nurtures peace and life beyond definition. On reaching the peak of the trek, Mohit was blown by another not so popular trek point but surely has the features to be one someday i.e. Bhuni Bhuni Trek. 

Parvati Valley is another magnificent beauty in Kalga that is less explored but is worthy by all means. Living here for Mohit has been an exceptional learning experience and that is also one of the major reasons, he still has his soul deeply rooted in the laps of phenomenal mother nature. 

When nothing works – You have to be your own saviour

When talking about an estimated budget for the trip, Mohit quotes it to be around INR 6,000/- to INR 7,000/-. He roughly splits it saying, INR 800/- was used for the fuel when he left Ludhiana to reach Kalga. 

When heading back from Kalga to Ludhiana he incurred fuel cost around INR 500/-. INR 250/- to INR 300/- was the everyday living expense he had to incur. 

Food was another struggle some element that Mohit says had to struggle with. In the initial times, he had to rely on meals like Bread, Omlet, Maggie and if lucky found Parathas in nearby cafes. According to him, the people where you homestay does cook and you can also request them for a meal but the cost seems unreasonable for the type of meal offered. 

Mohit couldn’t resist himself from good food for a longer time and therefore he immediately rented himself a kitchen where he cooked his best meal and consumed it joyously. 

Kalga and surrounding areas are pretty sound and safe for solo or female travellers, says Mohit. He also states during his visit he met a lot of travellers travelling solo, groups, female travellers and more sharing highly impressive experiences. January and February are usually the peak travel time here. When travelling here, transportation won’t be an issue as there are several modes and vehicles available for you to travel from one spot to another. 

So this was the trip that allowed Mohit to explore and realise the pathway towards wisdom, life and adventure. Today, undoubtedly travelling tends to shape a bigger part of him towards betterment and fulfilment. So, when are you reverting to the calling of mother nature and heading towards the undeniable paths awaiting your arrival? We hope SUPER SOON! 

Overview of the Journey:- 

Trip:- Ludhiana – Kalga 

Mode of Transportation:- Roadways (Bike) 

Estimated Budget:- INR 6,000/- to INR 7,000/- (per person)

For more photos and videos, check out his Instagram page @escapelogs

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Keep Travelling! Keep Exploring!