Kasol- An Unexplored Saga

Until the early 90s Kasol was only a bus stop. kasol transformed into a hub of backpackers around 2K14, with huge number of travelers from around the world who come to explore the untouched hills and the amazing climate. Kasol is partitioned into Old and new kasol.

Numerous trekking trails

Walking in the company of lush greenery and snow-draped mountains will leave you refreshed. You can trek around Kasol to many spectacular places including Yanker Pass, Kheerganga, Sar Pass and Pin Parbati Pass or if you want something soother for your feet, try a walk up to Chalal, located 30 min away from Kasol.

Photo of Kasol- An Unexplored Saga 2/5 by Inshaa Khurshiid

Charming adventure camps

Ditch the usual hotel room and instead, spend a night in a tent under clear skies. looking for the best experience of camping? Astrocamping in Kasol, This property is the must witness episode its a destination with the the darkest night sky, heavenly trek routes and stunning landscapes surrounded by the snow peaked mountains. Activities such as astronomy activities such as telescopic watch,astrophotography, light/ghost painting etc

Photo of Kasol- An Unexplored Saga 3/5 by Inshaa Khurshiid

A long walk to Malana

Malana is popular for its culture and Jamlu Devta temple. The people here live in isolation from the rest of the world. They are believed to be descendants of Aryan’s and the think that an interaction with the outer world would interfere with the purity of their race. It’s a village with mesmerizing beauty and is often known as ‘Little Greece’.

Taste Israeli food

The local food habits and culture has an Israeli touch! If you’ve always thought that Kasol is a place which lets you only smoke, you’ve been so wrong! They have great foods, probably little unknown ones. Kasol is also known as ‘Mini Israel’. The ‘Turquoise Kasol’ and ‘the evergreen’ are some Israeli foods worth a try. The recent inflow of Israeli tourists has triggered blooming of restaurants, hotels and shops catering to their needs.

Heard of Snowbank of India?

Located 14 kms from Manali in Himachal Pradesh, SolangValley lies on the western bank of the River Beas. A place worth visiting all round the year, that’s exactly what makes this place the perfect holiday destination. However, the best time to visit Solang Valley depends on why you wish to go uphill. If you’re looking to indulge in activities like paragliding, gondola, and more, the lush green summers are the ideal time and if you ask me where to Stay than you must check Astrocamping in Solang Valley and thank me later!\

Photo of Heard of Snowbank of India? 2/4 by Inshaa Khurshiid

The start of international skiing competitions like the Alpine Premier League has made the valley very popular among foreign tourists.

But, if you’re a winter lover and feel like tasting the thrill of skiing and skating, the snowy weather between November to February makes for the perfect time to plan your trip.It has a number of hotels and other accommodation options available nearby , Scicomm can help you out to make the booking hustle easy – they also provide choice to experience amazing night sky, stars, planets!

Valley, locally known as Solang Nullah, derives its name from a combination of the words Solang (nearby village) and Nullah (water stream).

It offers great views of the surrounding glaciers as well as of the splendid valley lying between Solang and Beas Kund. The valley is also home to a shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva, located on top of a hill.

Hidimba Temple and Raha Waterfalls are other attractions nearby that one can visit.

My visit to a unique destination in Lansdowne

Once I came to know about this lesser known place “Lansdowne”. I was astonished to see the pictures on internet, they were beautiful. I questioned myself how on earth I wasn’t aware about this mini heaven in India. Lansdowne is around 270 km from Delhi, making it a nearest hill station from Delhi. I did my research and found that Scicomm is offering a trip to Lansdowne and the cost was in my budget.

On 4th of May I had to step into a Volvo bus in Delhi. There was freshness in the aura. Enigmatic greenery and the feeling of cold doubled our excitement. We directly went to enjoy the local delicious,this local food should never be missed, tea and paranthas was what we thought can be done to heal the cravings.

Lansdowne isn’t a typical Shimla or Chandigarh for you. In other words, it is neither heavily urbanized, nor commercialized. Lansdowne is chiefly a cantonment area, once used by British to recruit and cater to the Garhwal Rifles unit. The old-world St Mary’s Church and some other buildings are fading reminders of colonial establishments in the town, which in fact gets its name from Lord Lansdowne, the then Viceroy of India.

Our accommodation was done by Scicomm members and it was the best night stay in a beautiful Hill Station we ever had with our 5-billion-star-hotel experience. The property was perfectly situated. The staff of the Hotel Shanti raj resort was highly welcoming they served us with the welcoming drink. While coming inside the hotel the weather was completely fine but in fraction of seconds the whole sky got full of clouds as if the roof was filled with cotton balls.

It was around 6pm,. The wait was finally over and the show had just begun! We were about to witness something that would change the way we perceive the wide airspace.

The SciComm team was so humble, they gathered us together and made a set up for the telescopes and took out the binoculars. We were in the state of shock to see everything so clearly it felt reality now. whatever we all were eyeing from a vast distance since childhood felt was in our reach.

Its best way to experience nature and space as its best, gave a real tour of infinitely vast galaxy. Along with this they make all kinds of necessary arrangements like Cosmic Meditation to introduce us to our core self. It helped to free us from everyday concerns and free our mind to a higher perspective on life. Moreover, utmost care was taken to keep the area as well as tents clean for minimum carbon footprints.

It included Meals, Local sightseeing, trekking, nature walk, Moon and planets observation, Capture the stars and planets, Watch planets through telescope, Astronomy games and team building activities, Cosmic Meditation, Bonfire and DJ party.

The first place to hit In Lansdowne was Bhulla Tal, an artificial lake built within the small town. There are numerous swans, ducks and rabbits around the place, and it is great to spend a quiet afternoon. Boating facilities are also available and I would definitely recommend it.

While coming back chilly air was piercing through the half open window of the bus and the sky scraping hills were looking stunning from the back seat. I told them to stop the bus for a while to capture the moment in frames. While coming back I had no regrets plus there was no place we did not visit. The experience of astrocamp has occupied a big space inside me it left me in the state of shock and surprise as I felt myself connected to everything the sky holds.