Kutla Village

Kutla is what you get when you walk past the last cafe in Tosh and keep going uphill for another two to three hours. The name comes from Kulvi and means "grazing ground." That is still what it is. A high meadow at roughly 2,650 metres, dotted with rocks, a stream, a few apple orchards, and a handful of seasonal homestays. The permanent population is barely a dozen people. In winter, the snow buries everything and even the locals move lower.

The trek from Tosh is about 3 kilometres but that number is misleading. It is a steep, steady climb with a final stretch that will make your calves burn. You follow the Tosh Nala stream uphill through pine and deodar forest, past walnut trees in the lower section and apple orchards higher up. About halfway, a waterfall drops beside the trail. In peak season (May and June), small tea stalls set up near the waterfall, serving Maggi, chai, and chips. This is the last place where you can buy food before Kutla.

Good footwear matters here. The trail is rocky, root covered in the forest sections, and the last kilometre climbs sharply over loose stone. Sandals and sneakers will slow you down and could twist an ankle. Proper trekking shoes, broken in, are the right call.

When you arrive, the meadow opens up and the mountains close in. On a clear day, snow covered peaks including Papasura and the ridgeline toward Sara Umga Pass fill the sky from almost anywhere in the settlement. The green of the meadow against the white of the peaks is the kind of view that makes the climb worth it. But Kutla is not a village in the way Tosh or Kasol is a village. There are no cafes with menus, no guesthouses with WiFi, no shops. What you find is a few basic rooms run by local families, some seasonal camping setups, and a lot of silence.

Beyond Kutla, the trail continues to Buddhaban, a grassland about 30 minutes to an hour further up at roughly 2,725 metres. Buddhaban serves as a base camp for the Sara Umga La Pass trek, a multi day crossing into the Lahaul Valley. Most people visiting Kutla do not go that far. But if you have an extra half day and reasonable fitness, the walk to Buddhaban and back is worth it for the wider valley views.

One thing you must sort out before you leave Kasol: cash. There is no ATM at Kutla. There is no ATM at Tosh. There is no ATM at Barshaini. The nearest ATM is in Kasol, and it runs out of cash on busy weekends. Mobile signal at Kutla is effectively zero, so UPI, Google Pay, and any digital payment will not work. Withdraw enough physical rupees in Kasol to cover accommodation, meals, jeep fares, and a buffer. Do this before you get on the bus to Barshaini, not after.

Kutla suits solo trekkers and couples looking for a quiet night above the valley noise. People who have done Tosh, liked the views, and wanted the same thing with fewer people around. Backpackers comfortable with very basic facilities, no connectivity, and cold nights even in summer. If you are the kind of traveller who checks phone signal strength before booking a room, Kutla is not your place.

And who should skip it. Families with young children, elderly travellers, and anyone with health concerns at altitude. The trek has a genuinely steep final section, the facilities are basic, and there is no medical help anywhere nearby. If something goes wrong, you are two to three hours of walking from the nearest road at Tosh, and even Tosh does not have a doctor.