When you have a Himalayan trek on your bucket list and luckily happen to strike it off, happiness has no bounds. On my 40-day solo trip around India, Kasol was one of the destinations. I hoped to do the Kheerganga trek during my stay in Kasol but since I was going solo, there was no travel agency that I came across online that would allow a booking for one person. So I had to cancel the plan of trekking Kheerganga. However, things took a turn when I overheard fellow hostellers in Kasol planning of climbing it and I shamelessly hacked their plan and asked if I could join as well. And there I was, finally making my dream come true and crossing off one wish from my bucket list. 

If you're looking for Kheerganga trek details, then you've come to the right place!

You will come across a lot of Israelis on Kheerganga and in general in Kasol, Tosh and Parvati valley. 

Please note: There's no network on Kheerganga and you will experience a loss of signal midway. Only BSNL postpaid cards work, but don't worry as you can still contact people by using the camp operator's phone on the top! He charges Rs 50 or so for a phone call. 

Is Kheerganga trek for beginners? Well, to talk about the difficulty of this trek, it's an easy to medium trek. There aren't many risky patches and a beginner can easily climb them. There are two routes that you can take, the village route and the forest route. The village route is straight but tiresome and the forest route is shadowy as it is covered with trees. 

How long does it take to climb Kheerganga? It takes about 7 hours approx one way for Kheerganga. There are two routes to climb and descend the Kheerganga: one goes through the forest and the other through Nakthan village. The village route takes longer to reach.

There are many campsites on the top and you can easily book a stay via a local operator when you reach Kasol. You can pitch your tent but you need to take the forest department's permission for the same. When I went there, I stayed at a campsite as we were not carrying our own tents. 

To reach Kheerganga, take an overnight bus to Manali from Delhi and get down at Bhuntar. From Bhuntar, either take a local bus or a taxi for Kasol. Stay a night or two at Kasol. Start for Barshaini, the base village, the next morning around 7am from Pramod General Store; you can get a taxi or a bus from there. After reaching Barshaini, pay a small entry fee and start climbing the Kheerganga via the village or the forest route. 

May to November is a good time to visit Kheerganga. I was there towards the end of September and the climate was neither hot nor cold. It was pleasant. 

You can experience snowfall from late December to February.

It depends from season to season but for a general packing list for the Kheerganga trek, I would recommend:

One of the best things to do on Kheerganga is to bathe in the hot water springs. After reaching late in the evening, spend time relaxing and finish with dinner and a bonfire. Next morning, grab your towel and extra clothes and bath at the hot water springs. There's a separate bathing area for men and women. There's also a temple above the springs that you can visit. You can read the importance of the hot water springs and Kheerganga on the temple wall. Also, don't forget to drink the water (aka the 'malai') near the temple! 

Delhi to Bhuntar overnight bus: Rs 476 (Volvo AC bus)

Bhuntar to Kasol bus or taxi: Taxi fare Rs 1,250 for a group (Rs 190 approx. per head)

Kasol overnight stay: Rs 400 per head

Kasol to Pramod General store bus stop: Free, by walk

Kasol to Barshaini bus or taxi: Taxi fare Rs 175 per head 

Kheerganga entry fee: Rs 50

Kheerganga camp + food: Rs 700 total per head (includes tent stay, evening snacks, dinner & breakfast)

Bonfire on top: Rs 300 for a group

Barshaini to Kasol or Tosh taxi: Rs 1,250 approx., Rs 175 per head

Kasol/Tosh stay: Rs 400 per head

Kasol to Bhuntar bus or taxi: Bus fare Rs 62, taxi fare Rs 1000 approx. 

Bhuntar to Delhi overnight bus: Rs 500 onwards

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