MANALI
Small riverside town in Parvati Valley known for its backpacker cafes and Israeli food scene. Better as an overnight than a rushed day trip from Manali given the 5+ hrs of round-trip driving - if doing it as a day trip, combine with Manikaran rather than going alone.
Kasol sits on the banks of the Parvati River between Bhuntar and Manikaran, and rose to prominence from the 1960s-70s as a stop on the international 'hippie trail' across Asia, prized for its remoteness and the cannabis that grows wild in the surrounding hills. From the 1980s-90s an influx of Israeli backpackers, many traveling after mandatory military service, transformed the village into what is popularly nicknamed 'Mini Israel,' complete with Hebrew signage and Israeli cafes serving hummus and shakshouka. It remains the gateway to further treks up the Parvati valley toward Kheerganga and Malana.
