Kasol to Rasol trek: How to reach the remote hilltop village

Rasol is a remote Himalayan village in Himachal Pradesh, India. It is only accessible by foot and Kasol is a popular starting point for this trek. We spent 2 weeks in Kasol in May of 2023, attending its infamous psy-trance parties and spending the rest of the time hiking and exploring remote Himalayan villages like Rasol and Grahan. This is our full guide for the Kasol to Rasol trek.

This guide contains everything you need to know to trek from the town of Kasol, to the remote hilltop village of Rasol. 

Where is Rasol?

Rasol is a remote and isolated town, high up in the Himalayas of Himachal Pradesh in India. Getting to Rasol is only possible by foot, and hiking there takes the best part of half a day. It is situated north west of Kasol, at an elevation of around 2500 metres, or 8200 feet above sea level, offering breathtaking views of the snow capped mountains of the Himalayas. It offers onward trekking routes over Rasol pass to the neighbouring valley of Malana. An area very famous for hashish!

How to get to Kasol

Via New Delhi / Chandigarh

There are over a dozen direct buses to and from the capital of New Delhi every day. These buses are mostly overnight sleeper buses, and take around 12-14 hours in total to travel the 500 kilometre route, stopping at the city of Chandigarh on the way. Tickets are available for purchase online, and often sell out days in advance. Make sure you book in advance if you intend to use this option. You can check bus ticket prices to and from Kasol via Delhi here.

Via Local Bus

If, like us, you are exploring the surrounding area in towns such as Shimla, or Manali, you can utilise the local bus companies to travel around Himachal Pradesh. From Manali or Shimla, you need to take a local bus first to Bhuntar. From Bhuntar there are local buses every 30 minutes or so that go directly to Kasol. Buses leave from the Bhuntar Bus Stand, and travel up into the Parvati Valley, stopping at Kasol and other towns on the way. If you prefer AC and a more comfortable ride, you can book buses from Manali, Shimla or Bhuntar to Kasol on 12go.asia here.

Trekking Kasol to Rasol

The trail to Rasol starts from the centre of Kasol town. Crossing the Rasol Bridge to the other side of the river, the trail will take you first to the small town of Chalal. This stretch of the trek is around 1.5-2 kilometres and should take you only 30-60 minutes. Chalal in itself is a destination worth visiting. Only accessible by foot, this small town sits on the other side of the Parvati River from Kasol, and offers a number of accommodation and food options.

After walking through the centre of Chalal towards the mountains, you join the main path to Rasol. The distance from this point is about 3 kilometres, with about 700 metres of vertical elevation. Depending on your fitness level it should take you 1.5-3 hours to reach the top. About half way up there is a small cafe with an old man selling drinks and snacks. This cafe is called Nature View Cafe, and the views really don’t disappoint. We took the time here to refuel with a cup of hot chai and some biscuits before continuing with the ascent.

The trail is mostly rocky, muddy and steep. Your only companions on the trail are likely to be donkeys, carrying supplies to and from the village on their backs. For us it was quite hard going, especially in the almost 30 c degree heat of the middle of the day. After around 2 hours total, you begin to pass the initial houses and buildings of Rasol.

What to do in Rasol village?

Rasol village is a mixture of local houses, accommodations and a few restaurants. Other than sleeping and eating, there really isn’t much to do in Rasol. But for some people, including us, that was the appeal. Because of the angle of the mountain here, there are breathtaking views from most parts of the town. We spent our time watching the mountain vista from the porch of our accommodation and relaxing.

We stayed in Om Shankar homestay, for just 1000 rupees or 10 euros per night. This place was run by some really nice guys and offers hot food and drinks also for reasonable prices. The rooms were large and clean, with private bathrooms.

Trek from Rasol to Malana

One option for people in Rasol is to continue up the mountain to Rasol Peak, then down the other side into the neighbouring valley of Malana. This is not something we had time to do personally but from research, it seems like a challenging hike, with lots of elevation. You can view the route here on Wikiloc. It is not recommended to do this hike alone or without proper equipment and clothing. There is little to no phone signal if things go wrong and it takes you up to a max elevation of over 3000 metres. As with any remote treks like this, use common sense and exercise caution. 

Mahmai Temple

One place worth a look in Rasol is the Mahmai Temple. Whilst it isn’t open to outsiders, you can go and take a look at the outside. Be respectful and don’t try to enter if you don’t have permission from the locals.

Back to Rasol

Once you’ve explored all that Rasol has to offer, it’s time to begin the descent back down towards Kasol. This took us almost as long as it did to ascend because of the steep angle of path, and the onslaught of a rain storm half way. 1.5 hours later, wet, tired and relieved, we arrived back at Chalal. After a quick coffee break in Chalal we walked the final 30 minutes back to central Kasol. After replenishing the energy reserves, it’s time for a hot shower and a rest. 

Accommodation in Chalal

If you feel like Kasol is too busy for you, then you can stay in one of Chalal’s numerous accommodation options. For solo and budget travellers, there is the popular Wabi Sabi Riverside Hostel. Dorms start at 400 rupees or 4 euros per night, or double rooms start at 1500-2000 rupees, roughly 15-20 euros. For mid range, private rooms, you can stay at Sunset Guesthouse or Buddha House. Both offer rooms around the 1500-2000 rupee mark, roughly 15-20 euros a night. For people wanting more luxury there is The Stream Resort. Rooms will set you back around 3000 rupees a night, close to 30 euros, but they offer very modern and luxurious rooms compared to the competition.

Accommodation in Kasol

Kasol has accommodation for all budgets. For budget travellers, the goSTOPS Hostel Kasol is modern, clean and most of all cheap! If you are travelling as a couple on a budget, we recommend the recently opened Chander Homestay. It offers twin rooms for around 1500-2000 rupees or 15-20 euros per night. And for those looking for some Himalayan luxury, there is the Royal Castle Hotel. This is one of the nicest places to stay in Kasol, and rooms will set you back about 3000-4000 rupees, around 30-40 euros per night.

Safety, Concerns and Useful Information

• Rasol is a very remote village. Before starting the trek you should be aware that if anything happens to you, the nearest help is a few hours away. There are no roads for ambulances and police cars, and most of the trail has no phone reception or wifi.
• Make sure your friends and family know where you are going before you start the hike, and arrange to check in with them before leaving.
• Respect the locals. Rasol is a village where local families live and work in the mountains. Be respectful, and don’t go into any buildings or houses that you don’t have permission to. Stick to the trodden path at all times to avoid trespassing into locals farm land.
• Hotels and homestays cannot be booked in advance online in Rasol, so do your research before arriving on where you want to stay. Once you arrive in Rasol just go into the homestay and ask for a room.
• Adversely, hotels in Kasol get booked up very quickly in advance. Plan your trip before you arrive and book your hotel now!
• When spending money abroad we use the WISE international debit card. You can withdraw up to 200 euros in cash per month free of charge. After that, you only pay a very low withdrawal fee.
• Travel insurance is a must for any extreme activities abroad, especially in Asia. Although problems rarely arise, you want to be covered in the case that they do. We use SafetyWing and recommend it for anyone travelling around the world.

What to do next?

For a similar trek to Rasol there is Grahan village. Grahan was by far our favourite remote village we hiked to during our stay in the Parvati valley. Read our full guide to trekking to Grahan from Kasol here on the blog.

There are a number of other trekking routes in the Parvati valley area too. One is the Kheerganga Trek. This trek offers natural hot springs, snow capped mountains and breathtaking vistas. You can do this trek as part of a group tour, including all accomodation and meals for the 2 day duration. Check availability for the Kheerganga Trek here.