Parvati Valley | A Walk in the woods

With summer around the corner and temperatures soaring as high as forty degrees, what could be better than getting away to quaint villages in the mountains with scenic backdrops far from the blistering heat of the plain land? This is where Parvati Valley has made a name for itself in the recent years and is perfect for a weekend getaway from Chandigarh or Delhi

The valley stretches from Bhuntar to Spiti and lies in the district of Kullu. This valley is home to many scenic treks. These trails pass through thick forests of Pine, Oak and Cedar. Most of these treks will require you to start from Kasol. Kasol(1640m ASL) is the connecting village for most treks and lies on the banks of the river Parvati. The Parvati river originates at Mantalai Glacier and makes its way through the valley and meets River Beas at Bhuntar. Nature is in abundance here. There is a lot to explore in the valley for the adventurous kind. Kasol offers splendid views of the river with snowcapped peaks in the backdrop. When you're here, spend your time shopping in the market, try the different delicacies of Israeli and Italian cuisines which are available throughout the valley or pick an isolated spot on the river bank and relax.

The next village we hike to is Rashol, a village comprising of 150 households, a school, a waterfall and wonderful people. To get here one has to go through a four hour trek. The trek route is craggy and scenic. This village is nick named Magic Rashol by many travellers because of the magnificent views it has to offer both during night and day. There's magic unfolding here all twenty-four hours of the day. A place where you just sit tight and watch time pass. Being a small village tucked away deep in the hills, there is nothing much to do here. If you don't want to sit around in the village, you can explore further and take the short treks to Rashol top or Virhim which generally takes not more than 2 hours.

Elevation: 8497ft ASL

To the northwest of Rashol, on the other side of the same mountain range lies Malana. The people here consider themselves superior to outsiders and hence avoid physical contact with them. The only people they consider equals are people from Grahan, another village 10kms from Kasol. The local language spoken here is Kanashi and is apparently spoken exclusively by people from Malana. To get here one can either choose to trek through Rashol Pass or Chanderkhani pass. However the easiest way to get here is from Jari via cab which cuts down your trekking time to two hours. Crossing over from Rashol Pass will take you around 5-6 hours and 5 days via Chanderkhani Pass starting from Naggar.

Elevation: 8710 ft. ASL

Also don't miss out on Kheerganga. It is a six hour trek with only 3-4 cafes on the way for refreshments. Once you reach here, you cannot help but be mesmerized by the vast lush green meadows and the close proximity of the gigantic snow clad peaks. There are 3 routes that lead to Kheerganga i.e. from Tosh, Kalga and Barsheni. The route from Kalga is short and steep. It's also the most scenic route amongst the three. Another highlight of this place is the natural sulphur spring which supposedly has healing properties. A dip in the hot spring is an absolute bliss. The name Kheerganga is derived from the white sulphur particles floating in the water which is referred to as the KHEER. You can trek to Spiti through the Pin Valley from here. This is the starting point for the trek.

Elevation: 13,051 ft.