Manali Tourism: Best Places to Visit Manali, time to Travel Manali, things to do in Manali

Manali is a very beautiful city and a hill station located on the banks of river Beas in the mountains of the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. It comes under the Kull district. It is located at a distance of 270 KM from Shimla, 309 KM from Chandigarh, and 544 KM from the capital Delhi. 

Manali

The city has a population of 8,096. It is a popular tourist destination and is also the gateway to the other hill station like Lahaul Spiti and Ladakh. Manali is named after the Rishi Muni Manu. Manali is also called 'Manu's abode'. Old Manali village has an ancient temple dedicated to sage Manu. Manali is located to the north of the Kullu Valley. The valley is known as the 'Valley of the Gods'.

Weather in Manali

The climate in Manali is mainly very cold during winters and moderately cold during summers. Temperatures range from -7 ° C to 30 ° C.

Travel Attraction in Manali

Naggar Fort

The Naggar Fort, which lies to the south of Manali, is a monument to the Pala kingdom. Made of elaborate embroidery of rocks, stones, and wood, it is a blend of rich and elegant artifacts of Himachal. 

Hidimba Devi Temple

It was established in 1553, is dedicated to Hidimba, the local goddess, and wife of the Pandava prince Bhima. The temple is known for its four-storied pagoda and quaint wooden embroidery. A festival is celebrated here in the month of May. This temple was built in 1553 AD by Maharaj Bahadur Singh.

Hidimba Devi Temple

Rahla Waterfall

It about 27 km from Manali at the beginning of Rohtang pass, this beautiful waterfall it at an altitude of 2,501 m.

Solang Valley

It is a Snow Point and it is 13 km northwest of Manali. From this beautiful place, one can see the beautiful views of the glaciers and the snow-clad mountains.

Manikaran

Manikaran has located about 45 km from Kullu on the way to Manali and is known for its hot springs near the Parvati River. It also one of the most visited and famous tourist destinations in Himachal Pradesh. It is said that the earrings of Shiva's wife Parvati were lost here. Since then, the water of this spring has become hot. Thousands of people come here to take a holy dip in the water. The water here is so hot that rice, lentils, and vegetables can be boiled in it.

Vasistha Kund

Vashistha is located 3 kilometers from Manali. This pair of temples made of ancient stones are opposite to each other. One temple is dedicated to Lord Rama and the other to Saint Vasishtha.

Vashistha Temple

Buddhist monastery

The Buddhist monasteries of Manali are very popular. Most Buddhist refugees of the Kullu Valley are inhabited here. The Godhan Thekchokling monastery is quite famous here. This monastery was built by Tibetan refugees in 1969.

Rohtang Pass

Located at an altitude of 4111 meters above sea level, 50 km from Manali, this pass is very pleasing to adventure tourists. To the west of the pass is a beautiful lake called Dasohar. This place remains quite cold even in summer. It can be reached from the Lahaul Valley between June and November.

Beas Kund

This pool is the water source of the sacred Vyas river. The water flows from here like a waterfall in the Vyas river. The water here is so clean and so cold that it makes the fingers numb. There are stones around it and vegetation is very less.

Old Manali

3 kilometers northwest of Manali is Old Manali which is quite famous for gardens and ancient guesthouses. The damaged fort called Manaligarh can also be seen here.

Manu Temple

The Manu temple located in Old Manali is dedicated to Maharishi Manu. He came here and meditated. The path to reach the temple is arduous and slippery.

Arjun Cave

It is said that Arjuna of Mahabharata did penance here. It was at this place that Lord Indra gave him the Pashupati weapon.

Manali Sanctuary, Mall Road, Museum of Himachal Culture & Folk Art, Van Vihar, Jogini Falls, Nehru Kund, Bhrigu Lake, Siyali Mahadev Temple, Tibetan Market, Rohtang Pass, Himvalley Amusement & Cultural Park, The Great Himalayan National Park, Pin Valley National Park, Ghatotkach Tree Temple are some of the other great attraction of Manali.

Snowfall in Manali

You can see snowfall in Manali after 15 December, which can be seen by end of the march.

Snowfall in Manali

Best time to visit Manali

Due to the pleasant climate and picturesque surroundings of Manali, it is considered an ideal place for those wanting to experience mountaineering, trekking and skiing. Although you can visit Manali at any time of the year, there are some tourist places where you can not visit anytime, so you can make your plan according to the place you want to see. 

How to Reach Manali

By Airways

There is no airport in Manali, the nearest airport to the city is Bhuntar Airport which is about 50 kilometers from Manali. Only domestic flights operate at this airport. Regular flights are available from Delhi and Chandigarh. If you do not get a flight to Bhuntar Airport then you can also choose Chandigarh Airport. The distance from Manali in Chandigarh is about 310 km. 

Roadway

Manali is connected to all major cities of the country by road. From Delhi and Chandigarh, bus services are available to Manali. 

Route from Delhi to Manali - The distance from Delhi to Manali is about 540 kilometers. The route from Delhi to Manali goes via Chandigarh-Bilaspur and Mandi. This route is completed through National Highway-1 and National Highway-21. It takes 12-14 hours to reach Manali by road from Delhi. 

Chandigarh to Manali Route - It takes 6 hours to reach Manali from Chandigarh via road. The route from Chandigarh to Manali passes through National Highway-21 which goes through Ropar, Bilaspur and Mandi. Apart from this, National Highway 21A is another route that passes through Nalagarh, Swarghat and Bilaspur.

By Taxi

If you are traveling with your family then a taxi is the best option for you because it is the most reliable safe way to visit Manali. There are numerous cab operators who are active in this route and offers Chandigarh to Manali Taxi service. You can also hire a taxi from Chandigarh airport. 

Railway

There is no railway station in Manali due to the hilly terrain. The nearest railway station of Manali is Joginder Nagar. The best way is to reach Ambala or Chandigarh first, which is connected to almost all the big cities of the country, you can travel further by road.