Manali, Himachal Pradesh

Manali is situated at an altitude of 1,829 m in Himachal Pradesh. It is the main tourist destination of the Kullu Valley. Suggested clothing - heavy/light woolens in winter & summer. It receives an annual rainfall of 1,780 mm. In summer Manali is packed with Pahari speaking Kullus, Lahaulis, Nepali labourers, Tibetan refugees and foreign and Indian tourists. Apple growing has been the mainstay of the local economy. Manali is the centre of a flourished orchard industry. A host of small shops, restaurants and small hohotels provide the necessities of daily life. Every year more hotels are opened in and around Manali.

Best time to visit : Best time to visit is from March-April and September-November.

Climate:
Summers: In summer, maximum temperature hovers around 25 degree Celsius and minimum temperature 12 degree.

Winters: in winters the maximum temperature is 15 degree with a minimum of 3 degree.

How to reach :
Manali is 40 km from Kullu, 280 Km from Shimla, 312 km from Chandigarh, 560 km from Delhi, 326 km from Pathankot, 201 km from Palampur, 375 km from Dalhousie, 115 km from Keylong, 238 km from Dharamsala and 166 km from Udeypur.

Air: Nearest airport is at Bhuntar, 50 km away. Archana Airways and Jagson Airlines operate daily flights from Delhi to Kullu. U.P Airways flights are seasonal.

Rail: Upto Chandigarh or Shimla from Delhi, or via Pathankot to Jogindernagar, and then bus transfers.

Road: Himachal Tourism runs deluxe/ordinary buses and private operators are available during the season. The bus terminal is well organised and the ticket office is computerised. Deluxe buses are booked, and leave from, the tourist office, while semideluxe are handled from the bus terminal itself.

Places to see:
Hadimba Temple : Built in 1550 AD in a forest grove, Hadimba Devi's temple is a four storeyed with a pagoda shaped roof and a front doorway covered with figures and symbols. The temple is 2 km pleasant walk from the tourist office. There is a steep footpath to the temple or a longer motorable road. Outside hang deer antlers and markhor horns donated by local hunters. Hadimba is supposed to be the wife of Bhima in the epic of Mahabharata. Also known as the Dhungri temple, it's site of a major festival held in May.

Tibetan Monastery : A pleasant place to visit, it is famous for carpet weaving. Carpets and other Tibetan handicrafts can be bought from here.

Temple of Manu : Slippery stones paths lead through the old village houses up to the temple of Manu. Manali is named after the sage Manu who is believed to have resided here.

Tibatan Temple : Tibetans have a base in Manali too. There is a large modern Tibetan temple to the South of the bus stand and also a small handicrafts centre.

Arjun Gufa : On the left bank of the Beas, five kms from Manali near the village of Prini, is the Arjun Gufa or the cave of Arjuna. One of the heroes of the Mahabharata, Arjuna is said to have performed penence here.

Trekking :There are number of interesting trekking possibilities out of Manali or from the nearby villages of Jagatsukh or Nagar, or from Manikaran in the Parbatti Valley. There is a Mountaineering Institute, which offers training courses to organised groups. The institute staff will offer expert advice to trekkers. There are several agencies which can assist with the hiring of staff.

Skiing : Skiing at Solang Nullah can be arranged by many of the agencies in the town, although one can hire skis and ski independently at this resort. The Mountaineering Institute located at Manali provide straining facilities for basic and advanced climbing, both for Indian nationals and foreigners. This institute also conducts rock climbing, skiing and high altitude rescue and relief courses. There is a hostel, an exhibition of equipment and an auditorium.

Himachal Tourism Club House, on river bank has facilities for indoor sports and a well appointed restaurant.

Manalsu river: An interesting walk is along the north bank of the Manalsu river, west of old village, which flows into the Beas. Relatively easy mule track with more adventurous tracks leading from it. Across the river lies old Manali, the original village.

Old Manali Village : The old Manali village is a couple of km away from the current town of Manali. Follow the road across the Manalsu stream, from where one can climb up to this interesting little village, which is becoming popular for budget travellers to stay in. A new temple was recently built in the centre of Old Manali.

What To Shop

Handicrafts and local souvenirs can be purchased from Main Market, New Shopping Centre, Tibetan bazaar and Tibetan Carpet Centre. The government shop on the Mall also has good collection. For shawls, Bhutico, Himachal Handicrafts at Circuit House Road, and NAC Market can be visited.

Around the city

Vashisht: It is a picturesque little place, 3 km out of Manali. On foot the distance is bit shorter. The place has a temple to Rama and Vashisht with the sulphur springs to the right of the path before the village. At Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (HPTDC) Vashisht Hot Bath Complex, a natural sulphur spring is piped into a modern bath house. It's open from 7 am to 7 pm. For accommodation there are a number of guest houses available, besides private hotels.

Solang Nullah: 14 km north-west of Manali in the Solang Valley, this place offers Himachal Pradesh's best ski slopes. A 300 m ski lift is operated by the Mountaineering and Allied Sports Institute. February is best month to ski. HPTDC runs seven day package for ski courses with accommodation in the Hotel Rohtang Manaslu in Manali. Courses are also offered by Mountaineering and Allied Sports Institute and the North Face Ski School. For accommodation, hotel and guest houses are available.

Jagatsukh Temple: About 6 km from Manali is the famous Shiva temple in "shikhara" style and nearby is the old and interesting Devi Sharvati temple.

Kothi: It is a pretty little village, 12 km from Manali on the Keylong road. There are very fine views from Kothi, and the Beas river flows through a very deep and narrow gorge at this point. The well situated Public Works Department (PWD) Resthouse is a popular place for overnight stays.

Rahalla Falls: About 16 km from Manali at the start of the climb to the Rohtang Pass, are beautiful Rahalla Falls at an altitude of 2,501 m.

Nehru Kund: It is a spring of clear, cold water, 6 km from Manali on Keylong road.

Gulaba Camp: 20 km from Manali, is this beautiful place famous for sightseeing, picnic and photography.

Rohtang Pass: Situated about 50 km from Manali town, at an altitude of 4,111 m on the highway to Keylong, is the Rohtang Pass. There is a beautiful Dasohar Lake left of the pass. The pass, which provides the only access to the Lahaul Valley, is open from June to November each year. Snowfall is, however, unpredictable and blizzards can close the pass even during this period. When the pass is open, it offers panoramic views of the mountain. A few km away from the pass is the Sonapani glacier and, slightly to the left are the twin peaks of Gaypan - jagged pyramid of rock, snow streaked and snow crowned.

Marrhi: 35 km from Manali, is famous for it's natural beauty.

Rani Nala: 46 km from Manali. It is the glacier point where snow is available throughout the year.

Beas Kund: It is the source of river Beas, at the Rohtang pass and is easily accessible. The great sage, Vyas performed `Tapa' here during the Mahabharat times. The place is still hallowed by the celestial light. it was because of this that the river got the present name of Beas.