Kasol in Parvati valley, Himachal Pradesh needs no introduction. It is heaven for backpackers, Budget Travelers, Solo travelers. And if you are traveling solo to Kasol for the first time you might have a question “Is Kasol Safe for Solo travelers”
Kasol being a smokers hub means a lot of travelers throng to Kasol to smoke up good quality hash amidst such pretty vistas. And Kasol being in the news for all the wrong reasons is why someone traveling solo to Kasol would have questions related to safety in Kasol.
After having spent a lot of days in Kasol during my trip to Parvati valley, I can safely say that Kasol is pretty safe if you manage to stay a little careful. And so to help my fellow solo travelers, I am going to be discussing all about “Is Kasol Safe for Solo Travelers ” in this blog.
Is Kasol Safe For Solo Travelers – All You Need To Know
Kasol is quite safe when it comes to traveling solo. And here are the 9 points that I am going to be discussing today pertaining to safety while traveling Solo to Kasol.
Kasol being one of the most popular places in India is crowded for a good part of year. And most of people come here just to smoke up hash . This is why I find Kasol quite overrated to be honest.
At the end of day the Kasol is one of the safest places in India. And should not have any sort of trouble on your solo trip to Kasol if stay careful and alert. Here are some Key Safety points, that I’ll be discussing in this blog.
| Is Kasol Safe for Female Solo Travelers ? |
| Are hostels in Kasol Safe for Solo Travelers ? |
| Are Cafes in Kasol Safe for Solo Travelers ? |
| How Safe are public places in Kasol for Solo travelers ? |
| Are Local buses safe to Travel for Solo travelers in Kasol ? |
| Safety while hiking and trekking in Kasol for Solo travelers |
| Is there a danger from wildlife for Solo Travelers in Kasol ? |
| Is it safe to venture out in the night for Solo travelers ? |
| Venturing near the River safe for Solo travelers in Kasol |
Is Kasol Safe for Women Solo Travelers ?
Well, to answer the question yes Kasol is relatively safe when it comes to female solo travelers.
Irrespective of the gender one has to be a little careful while traveling solo to Kasol. As you might know Kasol is smokers hub. People come to smoke up hash here which is illegal to consume in India.
Due to this its not uncommon for Kasol to be in the news for all the wrong reasons.
If you are female solo traveler make sure you are booking a well-known hostel or hotel and traveling in public transport. While hiking around be very careful even though its safe to hike around solo or in a group.
Its better to make some trusted friends at the hostel you are staying and then venture out with them to be very safe. While Kasol is quite crowded and popular here 47 pretty hidden places in Kullu that will blow your mind.
Are Hostels Safe In Kasol For Solo Travelers
Yes Hostels are quite safe in Kasol. Just make sure you read reviews before booking or going to hostel in Kasol and ensure that they been very well rated by fellow solo travelers like.
Some of the well known hostels in and around Kasol include The hosteller, Nomads hostel, Whoopers hostel. There are others as well. But As I said check their reviews first before.
Personally I felt that both hostels and hotel in Kasol are safe for solo travelers and there is nothing much to worry about. By the way you can book your hostels here
Easy budget hostels in Kasol and many popular places in Himachal is one of the 13 reasons why Himachal attracts a lot of Solo travelers.
Are Cafes In Kasol Safe For Solo Travelers?
Cafe hopping in Kasol is one of the best things to do in Kasol if you are not on tight budget. So naturally a lot of people tend to visit a lot of cafes on their trip to Kasol.
So to answer the question, YES the cafes are safe to visit for the solo travelers. But I’ll warn you about certain things that might make you uncomfortable.
So As you would have known by now, that Kasol is a smokers. In most of the famous cafes of Kasol that you would visit, a lot of people will be smoking up hash casually. By the way, consuming Hash is illegal and can you can invite jail term if you are found in possession of Hash.
So, please keep this in my mind while visiting the cafes. And if you are uncomfortable with it then you should probably avoid such cafes.
How Safe Are Public Places In Kasol For Solo Travelers
Public places like bus stand, market, shops, eateries etc are quite safe to be honest in Kasol. There is nothing to worry about as such when venturing out in Kasol in such public places.
People usually do not bother you when you traveling solo and venture out to in such public places.
But be careful about the peddlers here. The might approach you even in public places, so be careful and stay away from them and do not entertain them at all.
By the way if you don’t like too much crowd and want to escape the crowd you should head these 16 beautiful alternatives to Kasol
Are local buses Safe to Travel In And Around Kasol for Solo Travelers?
Yes local buses are one of the safest modes of transport you can get when commuting to or within Himachal. And Kasol is no different.
There are a lots buses of plying in Parvati valley and Kasol. So you can be rest assured about it. And traveling in those local buses is absolutely safe. In fact, if you are traveling Solo than I would recommend you to travel in local buses only.
Additional advantage of traveling in locals buses is the cost effectiveness. You end up saving a lot of money if you were to use public when traveling solo to Kasol.
By the way, If you are commuting anywhere in Himachal, You can book a seat in HRTC online.
Safety While Hiking and Trekking in Kasol for Solo travelers
Kasol is usually safe if you are hiking or trekking.
Since Kasol is a popular place, you’ll see a lot of people on the trails to villages and popular hikes during the peak season. But there might not be many people during off season.
So its always better to hike with a trekking company or a group that you meet at hostels and should avoid going all alone. The Himalayan trails can be confusing for a lot of beginners and you don’t want to get lost all alone.
And same goes with the big treks like Sar pass as well. Make sure you are trekking with locals or a trekking company unless an absolute expert on such terrain.
By the way here is detailed blog on 16 best valleys to explore to in Kullu of which Parvati valley is a part of.
Is There A Danger From Wildlife For Solo Travelers in Kasol ?
There is no threat of wildlife in the main Kasol town as there are a lot of Human settlements. But if you are venturing around in nearby places like Kheerganga or dense forests of Kasol, you have to careful if you are alone.
Bears are known to be roaming in the dense deodar forests of Parvati valley. They certainly do not harm humans but can attack if they feel threatened. So you should never venture in such forests after dark. And make sure if you are hiking, to complete your hike before the dark.
So yes there is no real threat as such from the wildlife in Kasol, but you have to be very careful when you are hiking around and make sure that you are preferably in a group and complete your hike or return back before it turns dark.
Is It Safe To Venture Out In The Night For Solo Travelers
According to me yes its safe to venture out in night. But make sure that you return at least by 10 pm. And do not roam around in the middle of the night.
There is no danger as such while roaming in around in the night but a person traveling solo can be vulnerable especially during the night when everything is quiet.
Please do not venture into forests nearby Kasol during the night. So to stay completely safe my personal advice would be to return to the place you are staying by 10 pm.
By the here is detailed blog on 5 Epic Backpacking Itineraries to Himachal of which Trip to Parvati valley and Kasol is also a part of.
Venturing Near the River Safe for Solo Travelers in Kasol ?
So according to me venturing near the River Paravati too close is a big NO. The reason being Paravti valley is in full flow near Kasol.
A lot of people venture too close to the River Parvati and some have lost their lives by falling in the River. Once in a while I keep on hearing such tragic news.
So its better that you should never venture too close to the River especially when you are alone just to take that perfect selfie or perfect photography. A lot of times venturing too close to the river has been turned out fatal for a lot of travelers.
To conclude, I hope you have now found your answers to the question “Is Kasol Safe for Solo travelers”. According to me its quite safe, but is one most popular hippie destinations of India. So as long as your little bit careful as a solo traveler you will be safe.
Kasol is one of those where there are a lot of genuine solo travelers traveling. So you can definitely make friends with such people in hostels and travel with them. Of course, only if you trust them. Travel by public transport, stay in hostels and always remain careful and you should be fine.