A peaceful haven in Parvati Valley, Kalga Village

Aishwarya Rachel
Oct 7, 2020
8 min read

Updated: Oct 9, 2020

Tucked up within the Parvati Valley lies the quaint village of Kalga which is hands down my favorite village in this valley. Parvati Valley is located in the Kullu district of Himachal Pradesh and it begins where the River Parvati and Beas converge near Bunthar. This village is about 18 km away from Kasol, set at an altitude of 8200 feet on a hill. Kalga is accessible by a non-motorable road, so it is less explored by travelers, but definitely gaining popularity as it is part of the trail of the much known Kheerganga trek.

I was fortunate enough to experience the serenity of this tiny village in both summer and winter. I’ll shed some light on how it felt during both seasons.

My first time at Kalga:

It was mid-October, one fine Diwali and we had a week long time off from college. I was travelling with a friend since we were the only ones who decided to stay back while everyone else had gone home for the break.

We took a bus from Delhi to Bunthar, and then another to Kasol which is 30km away.

Kasol, also known as the Gateway to Heaven or Mini Israel due to the large number of Israeli backpackers that come here yearly, is a well-known hippie destination on the banks of the Parvati. The sound of the roaring Parvati is what keeps every corner of the place alive. This little hamlet is a popular destination among travelers and is the base to several other treks in the magnificent Parvati Valley. Due to the over exploitation and commercialization, I would say this place has lost its charm somewhere in the process of extending its tourism.

This was my third time here, but we always ended up going to a much deserted village somewhere higher in the mountains. Some of the other villages in the Parvati Valley include Jari, Malana, Katagla, Chalal, Rasol, Choj, Grahan, Manikaran, Barshaini, Kalga, Pulga, Tulga and Tosh.

It was a bright sunny day. From Kasol, we boarded what is known as the King of the Himalayan roads, the HRTC and headed towards Barshaini village. Anybody who wants to go to Kalga has to get down at Barshaini Dam and trek to the village for about 30 minutes. The way up is well marked and not too hard.

So we got off at Barshaini and walked across the dam. Overwhelmed with enthusiasm we began our climb uphill. Remember to maintain a steady pace during the trek unlike me, due to my naivety I felt a little dizzy at first as I climbed in a rush because of the altitude variation.

A few moments later, we reached on top of the hill and we found ourselves in a whole new place, amidst an apple orchard. It was nothing like I had seen before. The houses here are far apart, made of wooden planks and stones, stacked upon another in the traditional Himachali style, the setting looks like that from a primeval period where life is less sophisticated. River Parvati was still gushing loud but at a distance, this region was out of the ordinary, much quieter. We followed the crooked trails that moved around innumerable apple trees.

We kept walking until we saw a huge rock, the board next to it said Hilltop Café, and we encountered one of the kindest man in Kalga, Chaman bhaiya, the owner of the café. By now we were exhausted from the overnight journey. He offered us a room for just 200 Rs per night, a decent room with a bed, two blankets and a balcony which overlooked the mountains surrounding the village, simple yet perfect setting. We were the only ones there at the time.

View from the room balcony: This innocent little face was playing hide-and-seek with me from his humble home

We freshened up and had some yummy dal rice which Chaman bhaiya cooked for us. He prepares the food for us on request from time to time. Most of the food in the village is organically sourced, so every house has its own little farm. He also had some corn spread out on the verandah to dry. Agriculture and tourism are the main source of income of the natives.

If you visit in September, you’ll be able to see the apple orchards in full bloom as this is its harvest time.

The days were warm and breezy, but the nights would get really cold. We made some friends and sat around a bonfire on the enormous rock as the night sky dawned upon us.

The next day we took off to explore other parts of this alpine beauty. We went around hoping from one café to another snacking and meeting some warm local hearts. We reached the other edge of the village looking for the perfect spot to view the sunset in the valley, and that’s when we stumbled upon a place with quirky murals and a hammock, the Holy Cow Café. This place has an open café on top overlooking the two hills between which the sun sets. The river was right below this café as it was on the end of the hill. I could spend all day here doing nothing and watching the sky change its colors like a chameleon from crimson red to purple during dusk.

The night sky was as good as the day. One could get lost looking into the depths of the starscape and there’d be a shooting star passing every now and then. My heart was full.

Most mornings were spent sipping some chai and taking long walks around the lush green deodar forest in the backyard of the village. One day we even took a short trip to Manikaran which is just a bus ride away from Barshaini and saw the hot spring there.

Views towards the valley

My second time at Kalga:

This was an absolutely exquisite adventure for me as I experienced snowfall for the very first time. It was the end of December right before New Year’s and yet again it was just me and another friend who decided to stay back in Delhi. We were so eager to see snow and because of the sparse number of holidays in hand, we decided to give Kalga another go.

On reaching Kasol, we took the bus to Barshaini, everything was exactly the same except everybody was wrapped up in several layers of warm clothing, and as the bus moved forward, we began to see snow caped mountains far ahead. We had to get down way before the stop as the roads were slippery and dangerous because of the frequent heavy snowfall. So we walked all the way till the dam, and we could see Kalga on the opposite hill drenched in sheets of snow. The pine trees were covered in white sprinkles which looked like the perfect topping.

As we began the trek upwards, tiny white flakes began falling from above. It looked as though the heavens were welcoming us and we were walking into a fairyland. I remember how euphoric that moment felt, we couldn’t resist but grin from ear to ear. We continued frolicking as the snowfall got heavier, and found our way into Old Brahma homestay. This place is owned by some of our Malayali friends, they have a tandoor room which stays warm throughout the day and feels homely. Kiran, who runs the guesthouse showed us our way into a room which cost 300 Rs. a night.

Kalga was a lot more peaceful this time of the year, less travelers and much quieter. The winters could get very harsh up here, the temperatures drop down up to -10°C. This is when I realized, snow could be incredibly beautiful to watch and equally painful if you don’t keep yourself warm enough.

Places like these make you feel grateful for the little things like water and some warm food. The water in the taps is mostly frozen, so water is collected from the nearby stream and used for all purposes.

At the guesthouse, there’d be bread omelet or maggi which are the common staple Himalayan food served for breakfast, and some rice and curry for dinner. We got lucky enough to have chicken curry one night which felt like an absolute luxury. For lunch, we’d often go to Amit Dhaba, which is a nearby shop where people gathered for hot authentic chai and parathas. And of course we walked all the way to our favorite Holy Cow Café to just chill and see the sunset which was an absolute feast to the eyes.

I also swung by Chaman bhaiya’s café to pay a visit and see if he recollects my face, and to my surprise, he sure did!

In winters, many of the cafes and guesthouses are closed, and there’s not a lot of activities you can do, even then we managed to take long walks in the deodar forest until we reached a spot with an abandoned old house, from where we got to enjoy yet another enchanting sunset with a panoramic view.

Took a walk to sit under these deodar trees; that's Brahma Café seen below the slope

Some more of our friends joined us as we spent New Year’s at this friendly abode.

It began to snow heavily while we were preparing to leave Kalga. Saying good bye to this wonderland was indeed difficult. But it wont be long before we meet again, old friend.

Lifestyle in the Himalayas has a charm to it. A different kind of perspective, and the silence here is golden.

Right from the tranquil atmosphere to the apple orchards to the warm hearted people to the delightful sunsets, Kalga has it all.

But promise me you’d protect this natural habitat, be mindful of the waste you create and won't disturb its silence with loud music if by any chance you visit, so that we can come and enjoy its dreamy landscapes again someday.

I had to cross this village once more another year on my way to the Bunbuni Pass trek, which is a story for a whole other day!

Things to keep in mind when going to Kalga a.k.a Kalgha:

The best time to visit Kalga is from April to the beginning of July and from September to October, after this the weather here changes drastically and it gets really chilly. Plan your trip during the summer months, and come in September to experience the harvest season of the apples
Popular treks from Kalga include Kheerganga trek and the lesser known Bunbuni trek
Carry enough liquid cash for the entire period of your stay because the nearest ATM is at Manikaran
The most economical way to reach Kalga is by the local bus from Kasol to Barshaini
You can also rent shared cabs at nominal rates from Kasol to Barshaini and vice versa
Most of the homestays and cafes do not have attached washroom, but a separate common facility outside, except some newly built guesthouses like New Brahma
If you’re planning a trip in winters, make sure you carry enough warm clothes to survive the freezing cold weather and proper footwear (walking in snow could be very tricky)
Kalga has plenty of mountain dogs that are very friendly and playful in nature, they'd follow you around and even guide you to explore various trails around the region
Make it a point to dispose waste in proper dustbins and practice plastic use at a minimum
Kalga has 4G network connectivity, but the range weakens as you climb higher
Where to stay in Kalga? Accommodation recommendations?

Hilltop Café : Room from 200Rs onwards
Brahma Guesthouse : 300Rs onwards
Holy Cow Café and Beds : 500Rs onwards
Gypsy Café : 200Rs onwards

Food is provided in most places, otherwise you can walk around and easily find a friendly local who might serve you food at nominal rates.