Around and About Manali
How do I get there?
By air
India Tour Packages - The nearest airport is at Bhuntar, near Kullu, 50 kms from Manali. Regular bus services and fixed-fair taxis connect the town to the airport - Tour Packages of India.
By Road
Indin Tour Packages - The Bus stand is in the centre of town on the Mall, with road connections from Kullu, Chandigarh, Shimla and most major north Indian cities. Computerised reservation facilities are available at the bus stand. One can also drive your own car or take a hired taxi into Manali from Kullu, Chandigarh, Shimla and other north Indian towns. If you are planning to take a train, the nearest railhead is on the narrow gauge line at Jogindernagar (135 kms) - Indian Tour Packages Asia.
Getting Around
Tour Packages to Manali - Manali town can be covered on foot, but for longer excursions and travel out of town, tourist buses and private taxis are available for hire. The Taxi Operators’ Union (Ph: 01901 – 52205, 52450) has a counter near the Tourist office. Charges in peak season are about Rs. 1000 for a full day trip around Manali. Motorcycles are available on hire at the Enfield Club (Ph: 01901 – 54090) on Vashisht Road. Himachal Tourism (Ph: 01901 – 53531) runs regular bus tours to destinations around Manali - Manali Tour Packages.
When to Go
Tour Packages of Manali - The best seasons are March-April and after the monsoons between September and November. The summer months of May-June provide better trekking options, though it gets very crowded then. If you are travelling during this peak season, it is best to book hotel accommodation well in advance.
Where do I Stay?
Though Manali has a wide range of accommodations, during the peak summer season it can be very difficult to get rooms and tariffs shoot up considerably. In the off-season, however, hotels offer heavy discounts. Most of Manali’s old hotels lie on the outskirts of town. The economy lodges and hotels are around the Mall, while old Manali has some guesthouses run by local people. Most of these are more popular with tourists keen on marijuana.
What to bring
Days are pleasant in summers, but nights can get cold. It is good to have light woollens packed in. Winters are chilly with heavy snowfall during the peak winter months. Keep enough heavy woollens for good protection. If you are planning to go for hikes or take a shot at one of the adventure sports, keep extra pairs of shoes ready. The organisers provide most other gear.
Things to Do
Dining & Entertainment
Shopping
Activities
City Getaways
Dining & Entertainment
Catering to a constant flow of tourists from all over India as well as abroad, the food in Manali is a mixture of the standard north Indian fare, south Indian dosas, Chinese and Tibetan dishes along with the odd Italian pizzeria and German pastry shops. Most of the restaurants usually serve a combination of Indian, Chinese and western dishes, while the relatively inexpensive dhabas near the bus stand are best for plain and simple, no frills hot meals. Several cafes around the Mall also serve early-morning breakfast of hot porridge, pancakes and toast with jam. Roadside stalls selling tea and omelettes are popular with tourists preparing for long onward journeys.
The hot sulphur springs at Vashisht are a good place to relax after some hectic travelling, with clean tubs and showers offered by Himachal Tourism. The tourism department also runs the Utopia Complex on Club House Road next to the Beas with snooker, billiard, badminton and table tennis facilities. The complex has a restaurant with bar and a small museum on local culture.
Shopping
The Mall is the main shopping area, selling local shawls, rugs, caps and footwear, besides a range of Tibetan handicraft items. The Himachal Handicrafts emporium and Bhuttico weavers’ co-operative are good for local handicrafts. The Tibetan Bazaar and Tibetan Carpet centre run by the refugee community sells thangkas, rugs, jewellery, prayers wheels amongst other things.
Activities
Around Manali,there are ample opportunities for adventure sports and fishing. The Mountaineering Institute in Manali organises courses in skiing, rock climbing and mountaineering. The Institute and the tourist office, along with private tour operators organise treks from Manali. The best season is after the rains from mid-September till end of October. The trek routes are arduous and can be treacherous, so be sure to have well trained guides in addition to the regular maps.
Slopes at the Solang nala, Patalsu, Kothi, Marhi and Rohtang Pass have been developed for skiing. At Rohtang and Patalsu, skiing can also be done in summer. The swift flowing Beas River between Bhuntar and the Larji gorge is used for white water rafting, canoeing and kayaking. The best season is from end of May till early July when the water levels are the highest. Private tour organisers and rafting clubs are developing this water sport, and organise basic equipment, meals and a return trip at about Rs. 900. Paragliding and heli-skiing on the slopes of Solang nala is also being promoted by some private adventure sports organisers, though the charges are quite steep.
City Getaways
3 kms from Manali is the village of Vashisht, famed for its hot sulphur springs. The village can be approached on foot or by road and offers a panoramic view of the valley. Traditional village houses sitting on the hillside combine with modern brick and concrete structures in this popular retreat. There are two old stone temples with elaborate woodcarvings facing each other in the main square. One is dedicated to Rama (incarnation of Vishnu) and the other to sage Vashisht, who was Rama’s teacher. Himachal Tourism runs a hot bath complex offering 30-minute sessions with piped water running into tiled tubs. The tubs are of two sizes regular and deluxe (Rs. 40 – Rs.100), and towels are available for an additional cost.
After a dip in the healing waters, you can relax with a glass of fresh apple juice or any other soft drink on the open terrace. Within the temple complex, there are free communal baths with separate sections for men and women. Remove your shoes before you enter the temples. Along with the traditional hot springs and the temples, the other attractions at Vashisht include the Pyramid centre run by an Italian couple and the Nembutsu centre above the village. The Pyramid Centre has an art gallery, a café and a centre for massage and Reiki. The Nembutsu Centre offers courses in meditation.
Amongst other interesting get-aways is the Arjun Gufa, a cave 5 kms from Manali where the Pandava Arjun is said to have performed penance and Jagatsukh the ancient capital of Kullu. If you are looking for a foray into the wilderness, there are several picnic spots, natural springs and resorts close to Manali. About 14 kms from Manali is the Solang Valley at 2,480 metres, the closest glacier with ski slopes and perennial snow cover.
A beautiful spring at the Nehru Kund (6 kms), a quiet picnic spot in Kothi (12 kms) and the Rahalla Falls (16 kms) at 2,500 metres are the other places worth visiting. The Rohtang La or the Rohtang Pass, 51 kms from Manali at 3,980 metres is the gateway to the desert lands of Lahaul-Spiti. The Pass remains open to traffic between June and November. Beas Kund, the source of the Beas River lies at the head of the Solang Nala and can be reached from Manali after a two-day trek.
