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Tosh

Tosh is a small village in the deep valley of exotic Himalayas.
It is less explored and perfect for people looking for some solitude. Once you reach Tosh you can either do day treks to nearby villages or simply relax and take it slow with no itinerary in mind.
Here I am summing up our 2 days in Tosh.
Day 1 ( Kasol -> Tosh )
Colorful houses on the way to Tosh


Apple Orchids
At around 12 we took cab from Kasol which dropped us at Bharsheni taxi stand by 1:30pm.
Barsheni is the last stop which can reached by a vehicle. After getting down at Barsheri we crossed a bridge and started walking towards our campsite. Walking through small alleys gives you a feeling of getting lost, but the best part is you never fear of getting lost in this small and beautiful village where every corner is worth spending some time. People have painted their houses in vibrant colors and you cant help but click pictures. 
Initial 1km is steep as we walked though the village , climbed stairs and sometimes even gave way to horses, donkeys and goats. Remaining 2km is a straight narrow trail with scenic views of snow clad mountains and beautiful apple orchids on the way. Just near our campsite there was a waterfall where we decided to take a break.
We reached Stone Age Inn at around 3:30pm.
After having dal chawal and potato fries for lunch we explored campsite. It started getting dark and chilly post 5:30pm, I survived on multiple cups of Lemon ginger honey tea to keep me warm. Since there was no electricity and network we had dinner and retired early.
Route -> Barsini -> Tosh (Stone Age Cafe & Inn)
Stay -> Stone age Cafe & Inn
Distance -> ~ 3-4kms
Time Taken -> 1.5 -2 hours
Difficulty Level -> Easy
Day 2 Tosh -> Kutla -> Budhava -> Glacier Point -> Kutla
Kutla Village
On the way to Buda Van


Glacier Point

We woke up early since it was freezing outside we took it a bit slow and started our trek to Kutla at around 11:30 am. We were confidently walking along Parvathi river for good 45 min till we met a villager who told us that we were trekking in the completely opposite direction. We followed her till the base and from there she routed us to the trail to Kutla.
Trek from Tosh to Kulta is not difficult the first 2km is a steep climb and I ended up taking frequent breaks, from Kutla onwards it is mostly straight walk till the end. Kulta has 2-3 small places where you can camp overnight. We took a 30-minute break in Kutla, had some tea while we were still contemplating if we should continue trekking till G point as we had started a bit late from Tosh and then due to the wrong route we were already running 2 hours late.
Out of excitement, we decided to give it a try anyway. From Kutla onwards the ground was covered with fresh snow and from here onwards 2 dogs kept us company till end.
Dogs here are friendly and you will always have a dog accompanying you till end but these two kept on fighting with each other on the narrow path which made us feel bit scared, At one point herd of buffalo was coming from one narrow end and our mischievous duo started barking at them, One buffalo got furious and started running towards us. We freaked out and decided to skip the remaining trek. On our way back we met a couple who were planning to go further since we had company we decided to give it another try.
After walking for almost an hour on snow with some slippery patches in between we managed to reach G point at 4:30 pm. I felt views on the way were much more breathtaking than the final spot. I wish we had more time to take it a bit slow and sink in the natural beauty. It would definitely have been a huge loss to miss this part of the trek as it turned out to be the high point of our Trip.
Post spending 10-15 min at G Point we started return trek to avoid walking in dark as some parts were slippery and post sunset temperature here drops to 3-4 degrees.By the time we reached Kulta it was pitch dark , Instead of trekking all the way back to Tosh Campsite we decided to stay in a small cottage in Kutla. Luckily we got a tiny but cozy room for just 600 bucks (Olive Garden) .We spent most of the night in their Kitchen cum cafeteria area which was warm and here we met 2-3 trekking groups. Since there was no electricity and the space was tiny, we all quickly got comfortable with each other shared food and stories and had a memorable time together. After a night of fun we retired at around 1am.
Route -> Tosh -> Kutla -> Buda Van -> Glacier Point -> Kutla
Stay -> Olive Garden
Distance -> ~ 8kms
Time Taken -> 6 hours
Difficulty Level -> Medium due to snow and some steep patches.
"I felt a unique connection with Budhavan . My mom called me around same time when I had just passed Kutla village and was walking on the snowy patch towards Budhavan. May be snow or the grassland or those tall trees ,I am not sure what it was which reminded me of Pahalgam , where we would visit my grand parents as kids. My Nani would cook something special pack it in hot-case , me nani my mom and my mischievous brother would walk some distance , spread a bed-sheet unpack food and then have a small picnic almost everyday during our stay. Post lunch we would wash our plates in a stream nearby. On some days we would just carry pink tea in thermos with some kulcha and enjoy it while watching horses and herd of sheep pass by. Tiny fragments of my memory were making me feel nostalgic. Sometimes we wish we could revert back all the events in our life to take us back to that single moment where we can stay bit longer , not knowing what lies ahead is a blessing " 
Day 3 Kutla -> Kasol.
Freshly plucked apples
On the way back from Kulta to Tosh 
We woke up around 7am and without wasting any time we started descend to Tosh Campsite. After freshening up and a hearty breakfast at Tosh we packed our backpacks and trekked all the way back to Barsheni. On the way we requested a lady to give us some apples from her orchid and she generously gave us 8-10 apples which we kept on munching for next few days :)
We took cab from Barseni and where in Kasol at 2:00pm.
This time I timed our descents
Kutla -> Tosh (Campsite) ~ 1:10 minutes 
Tosh (our Campsite) -> Barsherni Taxi Stand ~ 1:30 minutes
Tips
  • Wear proper shoes "all terrain trekking shoes" would be best choice.
  • Carry a trekking stick to help you through steep and slippery patches.
  • Carry enough warm clothes .Best way is to layer it up as during day when it is sunny you can manage even in basic T shirt but mornings and evenings get really chilly.
  • Even if you don't feel thirsty please keep hydrating yourself.
  • Carry basic medicine.
  • Carry enough cash there was not a single ATM in kasol.
  • Avoid heavy breakfast before trek stick to non-oily non-fried and easily digestible food items.
  • Wear cap sunglasses and some sunscreen , I got sun burns all over my face and look like a ghost now :(
  • Carry some dry fruits .
  • Small backpack to keep your hands free while walking.
  • Please don't litter - just leave your foot prints and take back memories ;) All photos are clicked from my phone , Unfiltered , I didn't carry DSLR as it gets bit difficult for me to manage all that weight while trekking.

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