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This ethereally beautiful valley stretches up through touristy, forest-ringed Kasol and the busy if grubby little pilgrim hot-springs town of Manikaran to a collection of villages around Barshani with glorious views of 5000m Himalayan peaks. Places like Pulga and Kalga here are key stops on the pre-Goa 'hummus trail' for young Israeli travellers, while Kasol and Tosh increasingly draw young Indian travellers and weekenders. The valley has plenty of hippie/backpacker hang-outs, with cheap accommodation, international food and nonstop music. The well-deserved reputation for charas (hashish) is most noted at the very odd village of Malana. Police sometimes make spot checks for drugs.
There are some excellent treks in the area, including the Chandrakani Pass route to/from Naggar, or the far tougher Pin-Parvati Pass to/from Spiti. For safety reasons, solo trekking is not recommended.
These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Parvati Valley.
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Pine-framed vistas up the racing Parvati River towards razor-sharp, snow-speckled peaks are at their light-suffused best around two hours before sunset. Views from Kasol bridge are great but 1.5km further east they're especially sublime from the pedestrian bridge to Chojh.
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The village's central open space is somewhat scrappy but its northern corner retains an age-blackened wooden pavilion with delicately carved columns plus a newly rebuilt wooden temple inlayed with metallic details including a sun disk and pair of horses optimistically attempting to mate. A stone platform and stepped space provides seating for village assemblies, Malana's 'parliament'.
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The 1940 Sri Guru Nanak Ji Gurdwara looms over the north bank of the Parvati River. It's entered either by a dark, semi-underground passage from the street or by footbridge from a parking area across the river. The actual Sikh temple here, with its carpets and glittering glass columns, is on the top floor (shoes off, head-coverings on, for men and women).
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Next door to the large gurdwara is a Shiva temple where devotees whisper prayers into the ears of an elegant Nandi bull (Shiva's vehicle).
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In the heart of the village this double-barrelled temple is most intriguing for the hunting trophies and long loops of bangles that decorate its southern facade. Don't touch or attempt to enter.
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This ornate if relatively new wood-and-stone temple is dedicated to one of the main characters in the Manikaran legend.
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Recently restored in concrete but with a wooden porch, this sikhara -type temple stands on the esplanade east of the gurdwara.