“Our travelling list includes from Old Manali to Solang Valley,
Everyone did behave with as one another pally,
Wherever we go, it looks like we are a rally,
From that heaven, nobody wanted to come back to Delhi.”
Manali, at the northern end of the Kullu Valley in Himachal Pradesh, is a hill station situated at a height of 2050m in the Himalayas. Situated on the Beas river and near its source, it is a popular tourist spot for Indians in summer and a magical, snow-covered place in winter. A staging point for a number of treks and sports such as white-water rafting, Manali is also on the road to Ladakh via the valley of Lahaul and Spiti and the Rohtang Pass which is the main attraction near Manali
Legend has it that Manali was founded by an ancient sage Manu whose ark found its resting place here after a great flood. Manali, which literally means “the resting place of Manu” is a popular tourist destination and offers a welcome respite from the heat of the plains.
Solang Nala (A valley) derives its name from combination of words Solang (Nearby village) and Nullah (A water stream). It is a side valley at the top of the Kullu Valley 14 km northwest of the resort town Manali on the way to Rohtang Pass, and is known for its summer and winter sport conditions. The most commonly offered services are parachuting, paragliding and skating. During winters, as the valley is covered with snow, skiing is a popular sport here, with training institutes and trainers located in the valley to supervise skiers and train beginners. As the snow melts, skiing is taken over by zorbing. Another popular attraction of the valley, taking advantage of the slopes of the valley, one is likely to spot a huge transparent ball with mostly two people inside it rolling down the slope during summers, it is as much fun as it looks like.
Hidimbi Devi Temple, also known variously as the Hadimba Temple is an ancient cave temple dedicated to Hidimbi Devi, wife of Bhima, a figure in the Indian epic Mahabharata. The structure, built in 1553, is surrounded by a cedar forest at the foot of the Himalayas. The sanctuary is built over a huge rock jutting out of the ground which was worshiped as an image of the deity. The main attraction of the temple is the three day Hidimba Devi Festival, which attracts devotees from all over the world and features colourful folk dance performances. One can buy some beautiful, warm Himachali shawls from the nearby market.
Manu temple is said to be the only temple of Manu in India, who is believed to be the creator of human race according to the age-old Hindu mythology. This Pagoda style of structure offers quite a glimpse into history, spirituality as well as a fascinating style of architecture. The Manu Temple is located in old Manali, at a distance of three kilometers from the main market. Though this area is quite congested, the presence of the River Beas adds to its attraction. The temple is one of the prime attractions in Manali and is believed to be the same place where sage Manu meditated after stepping on earth. This place has a distinct historical background that appeals to most of the people who visit Manali.
Manali is a hill station glittering with amazing restaurants, cafes and bars, that take care of any need, desires or cravings that its visitors may have. One will find countless restaurants with a rich variety and some of the most delicious food on their menus. A wide variety of food like Italian, Chinese, Korean, Continental, Indian, Japanese, Thai, Vietnamese cuisines can be found here along with the popular Tibetan Momos. The cafes, with a parallel culture of their own, cater to younger crowds. These cafes serve pizzas, momos, banana pancakes and apple pies throughout the day. Yak’s cheese which is very tasty and popular can also be found here. Along with these one should also have a taste of the street food like Samosas, Aloo tikki, Bread Pakoras, Paav Bhaji, Gulab Jamun which, filling the streets with colors and fragrances, also lights up the taste buds of a person. Other than these, the city has an equally rich platter of local Himachal food.
The locals drink two kinds of alcoholic beverages: Lungdi or Chang, a kind of crude beer made from fermented rice or barley and Sharab or Arak, an alcoholic drink distilled from Lugdi. Arak can also be made from jaggery or apples or any other fruit. Do try these drinks if you drink but remember DON’T DRINK AND DRIVE.
The best place to go shopping in Manali is The Mall, where one will find traditional shawls, rugs, caps and footwear. Other places around The Mall where one will find interesting items to shop are Thai Market, Hong Kong market, Tibetan Market, Dragon shopping complex etc. The Old Manali market is also a good place to buy fresh fruit jams, juices and pickles. Don’t forget to bargain as shopkeepers here quote an extremely high price.
The nearest airport is Bhuntar ( Kullu ) Airport, 50km from Manali, 10km from Kullu, about two hours away. Air India Regional operates flights to Kullu from Delhi. However the services can be irregular and airfares can be high. Himalyan Bulls offer flight services from Chandigarh to Kullu airport. The nearest Broad Gauge Rail Head is Ambala Cantt (200km) or Chandigarh (250km) from New Delhi. Ambala Cantt is on the Delhi – Amritsar and Delhi – Jammu main lines and is well served by rail, but one needs to travel to Ambala to get a bus for the 10 hour ride to Manali. The nearest broad gauge station is Kiratpur Sahib in Punjab near the city of Nangal. It lies in Ropar district of Punjab. The station lies on the Ambala Cantt – Una route of Indian Railways. From here one can easily get buses for Manali. Manali is 570km from Delhi and there are buses connecting the town with Delhi, Shimla, Dharamsala and Leh. For service from Delhi to Manali and back, tickets and reservations can be made at the Inter State Bus Terminus or the Himachal Tourism office in New Delhi. One can book tickets online too. The approximate travel time from Delhi to Manali is 14 hours; from Ambala to Manali is 10 hours; from Chandigarh is 08 hours and from Kulu to Manali is 1.5 to 3 hours.
Going by car is a lot more fun, and an adventure in itself. The first major stop one has to make on the way is Chandigarh. The total distance between Delhi to Chandigarh is 260 km, and it takes around 5-6 hours. The total distance from Chandigarh to Kullu Manali is roughly 290 km. Gozocabs will be your perfect companion on your pleasant journey to Manali.
The summers in Manali are from March to June and are extremely pleasant with the temperatures ranging from 10 to 25 degrees. The winters are chilly with minimum temperature falling to sub zero levels. This is the ideal time for tourists to enjoy snowfall in Manali. However, if one is planning to visit Rohtang Pass, the trip should not be planned from January to April as the roads to the pass are closed.
Again owing to its high popularity, tourists coming to Manali are spoilt for choice. There is a wide range of hotels here from budget to luxury resorts for those who wish to splurge. Home stays are also available here.