Away from the psytrance parties and backpackers of Tosh and Kasol in the Parvati Valley, is the Malana Valley. Malana is an ancient town, purported by some to be the world’s oldest democracy. The inhabitants are believed to be direct descendants of Alexander the Great himself! Just a short 5 kilometer walk from the remote town of Malana, lies Waichin Valley (commonly known as “Magic Valley”). This green plateau at the top of the valley is home to some of the most breaktaking views and treks in the region of Himachal Pradesh, and has many homestays and campsites where you can spend a night. Waichin Valley is the perfect place to escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life. This is our full guide on how to trek to Waichin Valley (or Magic Valley), where to stay, and what to do when you’re there!
Where is Waichin Valley (Magic Valley)?
Waichin Valley is situated about 5 kilometres from Malana, a remote hilltop Himalayan village near Kasol. Sitting at an elevation of 2750 meters above sea level (9,000 feet), it stands as the highest inhabited point in the Malana valley and marks the final outpost of civilization before the towering peaks of the Himalayas. The Malana valley and river run alongside the famous Parvati Valley, and can be accessed from the town of Jari before reaching Kasol.
Curiosity: Malana grows the finest weed in India. Malana is famous for ‘Malana cream’, a strain of Cannabis hashish, which has high oil content and an intensely fragrant aroma.
The road to Malana and the Waichin valley is long, winding and not for the faint of heart. It can take over an hour to reach Malana from Jari, and from there you need to walk an additional 5 kilometres on foot (or pay for an expensive 4×4 taxi).
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Trekking to Waichin Valley: How to get there
The starting point for the trek to the Waichin valley is the Malana Stage 2 Dam. As there are no buses that run on the road to Malana from Parvati valley, you will need to either drive your own vehicle, hire a taxi, or do what we did and hitchhike!
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Travellers already in Kasol will need to travel back down the main road towards the exit of the Parvati valley, stopping in the town of Jari. From Jari you can cross the bridge to the other side of the river and follow the Malana Village Road for 15 kilometres to arrive at the Malana Stage 2 Dam. We were able to catch a ride in the back of a truck to Malana, then just had to walk the remaining 2 kilometres or so to the dam.
After reaching the dam, it is around a 3 kilometre hike to Waichin valley with 400 metres of vertical elevation. Following the river, the path is easily visible the entire hike, and will take you around an hour to reach a small cafe which signals the final ascent to the valley. The cafe is not on google maps but you can find it at this map location. From this small cafe, it is a very steep path up to where the majority of the homestays are, and should take you around 20-30 minutes depending on fitness. Once you reach the plateau at the top you’ve made it to Waichin / Magic valley!
Top tip: This small cafe at the base of the final ascent is considerably cheaper than everything at the top of Waichin Valley. If you want to stock up on snacks and drinks, this is the place to do it. You can expect to pay 2-3x the usual price at the top!
Where to stay in Waichin Valley
Most of the homestays in Waichin Valley operate on a room, dinner and breakfast inclusive deal. The going rate for this seems to be between 1000 – 1500 rupees per person per night (10 – 16 euros), depending on the quality of the homestay. You have the option to choose just the room for 500 – 750 rupees (5 – 7 euros) per person per night. However, it’s worth noting that the prices of food in Waichin Valley are prohibitively expensive! We recommend going with the meals included option.
We stayed in Vedas Cafe & Homestay, and whilst it was on the cheaper side at 1000 rupees (10 euros) per person per night, the bed was extremely uncomfortable! Moreover, there was no hot water or any way of showering, and dinner was served at almost 9:30pm, which was too late for us. We recommend walking around and taking the time to check the prices yourself and pick the place you like the most.
Top tip: There is no electricity up in Waichin Valley, only that provided by generators. If you need electricity to charge your phones or laptops, it is worth asking if the homestay you like has a generator and if they intend to use it! Look for the places with lights on if in doubt!
Alternatively, if you prefer your creature comforts, you can stay in the nearby Malana and just hike to Waichin valley as part of a day trip! Here are our recommendations for hotels and homestays in Malana.
Hotels in Malana View all
What to do in Waichin Valley: 2 treks to do in the area
1. Visit the Waichin Valley waterfall
The Waichin Valley Waterfall is just a short 1 kilometres further up the river from Waichin Valley. You will need to descend from the homestays and back to the small cafe at the base of the ascent, then follow the riverside path further upstream for about 30 minutes. After 30 minutes you will arrive at the waterfall! During the summer, you can take a dip in the refreshing water, but be warned, it might be cold!
2. Trek to Dev Roopa (only possible in summer)
Dev Roopa, or God’s Descent, is a vast meadow of streams and wildflowers situated high up in the mountains above Waichin valley and Malana. This is a multi day trekking experience, covering a total distance of around 50 kilometres in 4 – 5 days. Dev Roopa is situated at an altitude of 4200 meters above sea level (13,800 feet), and consequently, it can only be accessed during the summer months.
Due to the altitude and remoteness of this trek, we only recommend doing it with a guide or as part of a guided group. You can book this trek including transport to and from Kasol and all meals and camping as part of a package from many tour operators in the Parvati Valley. You can view more details about this trek here.
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When to visit Waichin Valley
✅ The best time of year to visit Waichin Valley is between the summer months of April to October. Temperatures will be pleasant, and the valley will likely not be covered in snow, making the trek up there much easier! While July through September is typically considered the monsoon season, planning a trip around the heavy rainfall is still feasible.
❌ The cold of the winter months between November and March make Waichin Valley much more difficult to visit. There will likely be snow covering the town, and most of the homestays will be closed. Furthermore, any hikes further into the valley from Waichin will be out of the question due to the cold and altitude.
What to do next?
After your descent back to Malana, it’s time to plan your next Himachal Pradesh trek! One of our favourites is the remote village of Kutla which can be trekked to via Tosh. If you are in Kasol you can check out our other guides on the remote villages of Grahan and Rasol.
Need to know! Your FAQs about Waichin Valley (Magic Valley) answered
From Malana the trek is 5 kilometres long, with 400 metres of vertical ascent. If you start at the Malana Dam the trek is just 3 kilometres long.
The trek to Waichin valley is relatively easy, and not overly long or with too much ascent. Those with a basic level of fitness should be able to complete the trek.
There are many homestays and camping options in Waichin valley for all budgets.
Network coverage is hit and miss in Waichin Valley. Inside your homestay you may struggle to get signal, but outside you can get a network signal in most places. Some homestays have wifi and a lot also have generators to charge your devices.
Waichin Valley, or Magic valley is famous for being remote and hard to reach, and for being very peaceful and tranquil.
Traditionally, Waichin Valley was a well kept secret, and few people knew of its location, which gave it the name Magic Valley.
Like our guide on trekking to Waichin Valley (Magic Valley)? Why not drop us a comment below! If you’ve been to Waichin Valley, or are planning your own trekking holiday in the Parvati Valley, we’d love to hear about it!
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