Kheerganga: A bath like none other!

I had never heard of Kheerganga and its hot water springs before I decided to go on a trip to Parvati Valley. Little did I know that it was going to be one of the most unique trekking destinations I would be going to.

As soon as I booked my travel, I searched for Kheerganga on Instagram and some photos did turn up. Though there weren't many and those which were there were kind of misleading for women (I will come to why in a little bit).

I had visited the hot springs of Manikaran (a little ahead of Kasol) and though I was impressed as a child by looking at the hot boiling water coming from nowhere, I couldn't fathom going there as an adult. The throng of travellers or revellers dissuaded me from taking a halt at the holy place.

But Kheerganga was a whole different story. One has to trek 15 kms through Parvati valley to reach the place which guaranteed that the place wouldn't be buzzing with weekend travellers who travel only for relaxation.

We were put up in Pulga, a small town in Parvati Valley which boasted of a few good homestays and cafes. Our trek was to begin from Kalga which was a 3 km climb from Pulga. The climb began in high spirits more so because no one had had a bath for 3 days and were looking forward to reaching Kheerganga.

While climbing towards our destination, a conversation began over the hot springs there and that was the moment I found out that women had a different section all together which was covered.

Disappointment over this would be an understatement. I was pretty much devastated. The photos that I had seen on insta had shown me guys chilling in an open air pool which was surrounded by snow-clad mountains on all sides. I wanted that view too!

I was told that though the women's pool was covered from four sides, it had an open roof which did manage to offer a view of the Himalayas. I was still unconvinced, not knowing what kind of a blessing the four walls were going to be.

We had come prepared with a change of clothes and shorts which we were going to use in the pool. I was also carrying my soap and shampoo for the most awaited bath ever. The trek though easy, takes a toll on you towards the end when you are dying to reach the top. We were also met with adverse weather conditions in parts making the wind chillier and the climb tougher. But on and on we went!

I was surprised with the first view of Kheerganga. After climbing for 15 kms, we had reached a kind of flat meadow on top of the mountain. There were several tents and a couple of homestays at the top. Some had music blaring from them which did nothing but spoil the environment of the place. But the view was stunning!

I quickly climbed higher as the hot springs were right at the top and it took another 15 mins of climbing to reach there. As I reached the place, I could see the steam rising from the water. Right in front of me was the men's pool. The pictures don't do justice to the pool as it is far more beautiful than the photos. Men were lounging in the pool and some of them were swimming. The pool was surrounded by snow clad mountains on all sides and I rubbed my palms together to keep them warm while I managed to click a few pictures.

I asked a girl returning from the back of the pool for directions and she pointed towards a door at the end and gave me a big smile. She told me that the water was just perfect and I was going to have a hell of a time. I smiled back and walked towards the door she had pointed at. Surprisingly it was locked from the outside and I pulled open the latch to go in.

I was greeted with multiple 'hellos' and 'hi theres' from the five ladies in the pool. Each one smiling at me. I stared at them for a moment and quickly averted my gaze. Most of the women were skinny dipping in the pool and staring would have been highly inappropriate. There was just one Indian girl while all the others were foreigners.

I pulled out the tshirt and shorts I had planned on wearing and looked at the women for some inspiration.

'Querida, come inside the water. Its perfect.' Said a woman from inside the pool. They were all looking at me shivering while deciding on how to go inside. There were two sections to the room - a bathing section and a pool section. The room was covered on all four sides but the sky was open and the view was breathtaking. We were surrounded by snow-clad Himalayas on all sides and the cold breeze made me shiver. The temperature was already below 10 degrees and I decided it was time to get into the water.

I finally made the brave decision to ditch my clothes and enter the water with only my undergarments on. Each woman smiled at me as I stepped into the hot water coming from the taps in the bathing area. Too hot I thought when the water hit me. It took me a couple of minutes more to get acclimatized to the temperature of the water and I could see steam rising from my skin. I could even smell the sulphur in the water.

Soon enough, my body relaxed and got accustomed to the temperature of the water. I ventured into the pool next and I could visibly see my body relax. Every tension in my body dissolved in the hot water. I breathed deeply and let out a huge sigh of satisfaction. There are hardly any moments in life where there has been more satisfaction than that very moment. All the women laughed around me.

'Every girl has the same reaction.' Said a woman to my left. This was followed by a small round of introductions. There was one woman from Israel, one from Spain, two from Germany and one from Pune. Each woman had a wonderful story to tell and before I knew it, it was more than 1.5 hours in the water. It was close to sunset and it had started raining. The sulphured water makes one dizzy and it is almost impossible to stay in the water continuously. We kept on going in and sitting on the ledge. But the steam made sure that the air was warm enough and did not make us cold.

I finally stepped out of the pool and we all promised to come back the next day in the morning. Getting into ones clothes and going to the homestay was the most difficult part. By the time I had put on some clothes, it was pouring. I clutched my clothes to my chest and ran down the slope to the homestay.

It continued to pour for a couple of hours after that and the air got chillier. The guys at the cafe lit a furnace to keep us warm and alive. The temperature was below 5 degrees and everyone huddled around the furnace to be warm.

The night was colder still and all my warm clothes and three blankets proved insufficient to ward off the cold. I shivered through the night but was welcomed by a warm and shining sun in the morning. It was 7 AM and I quickly got out of bed and ran towards the sun. The sun rays felt warm on my cold skin and I was up for another bath in the hot springs. I woke up two of my friends who also wanted to go back and we trudged our ways to the top again. Some of the women from the earlier evening were already enjoying themselves in the pool. This time we went in confidently and decided to go 'Au Naturel' (well, almost) into the pool. I must say it was liberating in the best possible way and the four walls definitely seemed like a blessing.

We spent another hour in the pool and then it was time to bid our goodbyes. We left the pool almost teary eyed. The best bath ever had come to an end and we were just not ready to leave the place.

We ventured out with a glowing smile on our face and with a promise to come back.

Happy bathing!

Trek details:

Distance: 15 KMs from Pulga. 12 KMs from Kalga.
Height: 2960 meters
Climate: Cold
Difficulty: Easy
Endurance: Medium
Time to reach the top: 6 hours (with an easy and comfortable pace)
Lunch: Mutiple cafes en route. Stop at the second Waterfall Cafe for hot maggi and aloo parathas.
Weather: The weather in the mountains is unpredictable, especially after noon. Make sure you carry your windcheaters.
Stay: There are multiple places to stay at the stop. We stayed at the Lotus Cafe. Good food and clean washrooms. Very helpful staff.
Tips: Start the trek as early as possible. Preferably 7 AM. The weather in the mountains deteriorates after noon. Pulga is a good stay option if you are looking for good cafes and hang out places. For such cafes, Tosh is an even better option. For people looking for more serenity, Kalga is the best place to stay.
Clothes: Carry good winter wear. Thermals are a must. So are gloves, woolen socks and monkey caps.
Special request: Enjoy the beauty of nature. Avoid drugs and liquor. Make sure you do not leave any waste behind. Do not play loud music and disturb others. You can always use your earphones. :)

Some more happy photos: