Nuzzled up at the northern end of Kullu valley, Manali is a beautifully crafted city by the heavens in the Himalayas. Located in the Kullu district of Himachal Pradesh in India, Manali is situated at an elevation of 2000 meters approximately from the sea level. From Rohtang Pass in Manali to the famous Mall Road, Manali has something that lures the tourists in a way like no other place in Himachal Pradesh.
There are two parts of Manali, which are a rigorous contradiction to each other. Separated by a bridge over the Beas river, these two parts within the distance of 1 km, portrays two different realities of the place. The first part is congested and the busiest place within the district, the Mall Road offers an authentic shopping experience where one will find almost everything and including the traditional products and handicrafts of Himachal Pradesh.
The other part, that is one bridge away, is Old Manali which is away from the hustle bustle of the city is a completely different world featuring laid back and hippie vibes. One can find cool places like cafes, restaurants, bars, etc. while looking at almost surreal views of mountains and nature.
Weaving its charm like magic, Manali furnishes amazing scenic and a soulful journey that one goes through while wandering through its streets. No wonder it attracts such huge traffic of tourists from across the world. Although it might get a little annoying due to so much crowd, this place still holds its charisma within Old Manali which has so much to offer. The famous Siddu is one of the most popular local food preferred by visitors and locals. And here are the few places one must visit while planning a trip to Manali as mentioned hereafter.
Solang Valley: At a height of 2,560 m, Solang valley is a perfect place for adventure enthusiasts. It offers insanely crazy adventure experiences while going for adventure activities like skiing, trekking, paragliding, hiking, horse riding, zip lining, gondola rides(ropeway) and a lot more.
Rohtang Pass in Manali: Rohtang pass is 51 km from Mall Road situated on the eastern side of the Himalayan range of Pir Panjal. The most famous destination of Kullu district, Rohtang pass also connects the roads of Manali to Lahaul and Spiti. However, one has to get a permit, to cross through this pass while heading towards Lahaul and Spiti, which is allowed only in summer in the months of May- November.
Hidimba Temple: This ancient cave temple, designed in pagoda style, is devoted to Hidimba Devi. It is at a distance of 2.6 km from Mall Road in Manali. The visiting hours for this temple are from 8:00 am in the morning to 8:00 pm in the evening.
Jogini Waterfalls: This waterfall at a distance of 5km from Mall Road, streams down from 150 feet above. At the top of it is the temple of Jogini Devi. One can also hike up to the fall via Vashisht temple. Featuring beautiful scenic views as you reach higher, this waterfall is considered sacred and has shrines along its trails.
Old Manali Cafes: There are a number of authentic cafes in Manali serving tempting food experiences. Few of these famous cafes are Cafe 1947, Drifters inn Cafe, Nirvana Cafe, and Cafe Meraki.
Other places: Other places than the mentioned above which holds dear the true essence of Manali are Manu Temple, Beas River banks, Vashisht Temple, Van Vihar, Tibetan Monasteries and Museum of Himachal Culture and Folk Art.
If you’re planning a trip to Manali and wondering how to reach here by various means of transport, then you need not worry because buses are easily available from Delhi and other places to Manali. However, if you are planning to travel by air, then Bhuntar Airport in Kullu is the nearest Airport in Kullu district and from there you can find buses heading towards Manali easily.
Due to the crowds getting attracted and it becoming more and more populous every day, one must avoid the months of May, June, and July while planning a trip to Manali. You can plan your trip in the months of August to October because that will enable you to get access to Lahaul and Spiti via Rohtang Pass in Manali since it opens only in these restricted months and also, the offseason traveling will ensure you enjoy the most of this beautiful place dodging the overcrowded and highly jammed roads when it’s season.
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