Important Details
About Kutla
Kutla is a high altitude grassland surrounded by forests on all the sides. The best part about Kutla is that it is free from the toxic tourism habits and it is a quaint little place situated right in the lap of nature. The dense vegetation in and around Kutla will make you feel one with nature at all times and the lack of human presence will allow you to do self introspection.
The snow-capped mountain ranges of the Parvati Valley are visible from Kutla village. It is free from any concrete structure and showcases a few traditional wooden structures who provide accommodation options.
There are some days during the say when you can enjoy direct sunlight throughout the day and then, there are days when you will experience a gloomy and cloudy time. Both settings have their own beauty.
How to reach Kutla
Airport
Nearest airport from Kutla lies in Bhuntar. Small commercial flights operate from Bhuntar to Delhi and vice-versa. So, the ticket prices are on the higher end. One can reach Tosh from the airport via Taxi. Also, buses available just outside the airport. Then, you can trek all the way from Tosh till Kutla.
Bus
The travel time between Delhi to Tosh is approximately 16 hours and it can easily be done in one go. You have to catch any bus going to Manali and get down at Bhuntar. From there, many buses are available at every 30 mins (Bhuntar to Manikaran or Bhuntar to Barshaini). If you get a bus till Manikaran, it is advisable to take it and then get a bus or a shared taxi to Barshaini from Manikaran.
Taxi
A shared taxi charge 100 INR for Manikaran to Barshaini (till the area available on the main road above the bus stand). Once you reach Barshaini, the road to Tosh will be on your left. After reaching Tosh, you have to trek towards Kutla.
Best Time to visit Kutla
The best time to visit Kutla is between early June and late July, as in the snow accumulated over the winter season melts, allowing exotic flora and fauna to bloom all across the valley. The trail to Kutla is also well marked and prominently visible (it is frequented by locals and tourists).
At the beginning of July, the flowers all across the valley start blooming and the forests are covered with dense canopies and strawberry vines. When July ends, the monsoon arrives and rains are unpredictable in the mountains. Even small and bleak streams turn into gushing nallahs and the trail becomes wet and slippery. It becomes a bit risky to travel into an unknown territory in the monsoon season.
Kutla in winters
The winter months start from November, the entire landscape turns cold and dry. Cold winds hits the valley by the second week of December and then, periodically snow falls, covering the surrounding areas with thick snow. The road to Tosh, at times, get closed to vehicular traffic in the winter months but one can always walk from Barshaini to Tosh. The trail to Kutla from Tosh gets buried under thick snow and it is easy to lose your path and wander off in the wrong direction.
The Olive Garden Café is operational even in the winter months. As Kutla is situated at a very decent altitude, you can expect a lot of snow in Kutla compared to Tosh. The beauty of of this village under snow is very different from what you get to see in the summer seasons. You can camp here but usually one day is enough at Kutla, as there are no excursions available due to the presence of 2 feet high snow.
Kasol to Kutla Itinerary
Day 1: Travel from Delhi to Kasol via bus/taxi.
Day 2: Reach Kasol and visit Chalal/Katagla.
Day 3: Reach Tosh early morning and leave for Kutla. Stay in Kutla.
Day 4: Reach Tosh, stay in Tosh and enjoy with friends.
Day 5: Leave for Delhi, reach by night/day (13 hour journey).
Hotels in Kutla
Fun & Games
The best part about Kutla is that there are very few man-made structures in Kutla. All of them are wooden structures and the place cannot cater to a large crowd(magical!). There is the Olive Garden homestay and many more places where you can stay in Kutla (camping tents).
Charges
The charges vary and accommodation can cost you anywhere between 500-700 per person (breakfast and dinner included). You should always negotiate the price of a stay by including food reservation, as you get a better deal this way. Recently, a few people have also set up campsites at Kutla and they are offering camp stays.
Where to Eat
There is one café/shop/restaurant, where you get the very basic necessities at jacked up prices because all the things that were brought here is on a horse’s back. Apart from that, you can get food at your homestay and other local stays. So, there is no hard rule to just order food from where you stay.
Kutla Temperature
The temperature in Kutla is always on the lower side even because of it’s altitude. During the summer season, the temperature drops down to a single digit at night. In winters, the temperature remains below zero during daytime and at nighttime.
Treks around Kutla
Kheerganga:
Kheerganga trek is also accessible from Tosh. You can start for Kheerganga in the morning and reach by evening. You can stay the night and hike down the next day. There are two routes to reach Kheerganga; one is to take the route from Nakthan Village, and the other one is to take the trail coming from the Kalga village.
Buddhaban:
Buddhaban is a grassland situated one hour away from Kutla and it is on the way to Animal Pass or Sara Umga la Trek. So, you can visit Buddhaban if you are going to Kutla from Tosh and plan to spend the night at Kutla.
Animal Pass/Sara Umga La:
It is a difficult trek that starts from the Tosh village and it crosses over to Lahaul on the other side of the Tosh Glacier. Peaks like Papsura and Indrasan are visible during this trek.
FAQs on Kutla
Q1. How much does a Kutla Trip Cost?
Ans. A 3-day Delhi to Tosh-Kutla trip should cost around 4200 INR per person with one day stay at Tosh and one day stay at Kutla (prices are subjected to money spending capacity).
Q2. Can you see snowfall in Kutla?
Ans. Snow starts to fall in Kutla by the early December. The snow stays here for a longer time than Tosh, as the distance from here is higher than Tosh. If you want to visit Kutla, it is advised to go there after the snowstorm predictions. Because you don’t want to be stuck there while it’s snowing.
Q3. Is Tosh to Kutla Trek possible?
Ans. It takes around 1.5 hours to reach Kutla from Tosh by foot.
Q4. How can you go from Barshaini to Kutla?
Ans. The distance between Barshaini and Tosh is 4.5 kilometers and it takes 4 hours to cover this distance on foot (if you have a heavy backpack).
Q5. Is there a road to Tosh?
Ans. The road to Tosh from Barshaini might be closed to vehicular traffic during and after monsoons because of rockfalls and landslides.
Q6. Is Kutla trek difficult?
Ans. The trek to Kutla begins from the Tosh village, where you can reach via a shared taxi. The route to Kutla is fairly easy as you find many eateries and resting stops in between. Even with an average hiking speed, one can reach Kutla within an hour.
Q7. Can we stay in Kutla?
Ans. Yes, you can stay in Kutla and even luxuriously now. Many villagers have built great looking wooden stays for tourists flocking to the Paravati Valley in search of wanderlust.
Q8. Is there network in Kutla?
Ans. Yes, there is network available in Kutla. You can enjoy 4G services with good connectivity.
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Table of Contents
All Villages of Parvati Valley
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