Location :
One of the important hill stations of the state of Himachal Pradesh is Manali, located at a height of 6,398 ft. near the northern end of the Kullu Valley,it is at a distance of about 250 kilometers, from the state's capital Shimla.
Manali is a town of the kullu distt. with a total population of around 30,000.
Three kms from Manali is the village of Vashisht, which is renowned for its hot sulphur
A new Monastery built in the 1960's it is an important gathering place for buddhists from Lalaul, Spiti, kinnaur, Ladakh, Nepal and Tibet.The Gompa is famous for its wall paintings, Chortens and a large statue of Lord Buddha.
the naggar castle
Nagar, a lovely village set on a hill sourrounded by forests, was the capita of kullu in the 16th century and the monuments in the region are witness to its glorious past. The Naggar Castle, a stone and wood structure built by Raja Sidh singh over 500 years ago, has been converted in to a heritage hotel. The gracefully built castle has a temple in the courtyard and also houses a small museum.
This is dedicated to the sage Manu. Just near the Hadimba temple flows the Manalsu River, that culminates in the main Beas river. Across the Manalsu river is the original village of Manali, that houses the ancient temple of the sage Manu. Manali itself is named after Manu, who is said to have dwelt here.
The place has a rich culture and heritage.
From delhi it would take about 10 hours by road, to travel 562 kms.Manali is well connected by road with Delhi, Ambala, Chandigarh, Dehradun, Haridwar, Shimla, Dharamsala and Chamba/Dalhousie. Regular buses ply between these stations. It is connected with Leh during July to October.
Bhuntar Airport in Kullu is the nearest airport to Manali, which is approximately 50 km away. There are regular flights from Delhi to Kullu, from Air Deccan and Jagson Airways.
Climate
The summers are cool and the winters prove to be very harsh. During the winters the snow line comes down and there is snowfall in the region and heavy woollen cloths are required. During the monsoon months due to heavy rainfall there are landslides, which hamper movement. The best time to visit Manali is May and October but one can visit this place during winters too.
Places to stay:
Theres a place for everyone in this small himachal town, depending on how much you want to spend. if going with a big group book some exclusive cottages which would increase the fun manifold; like we did.
The beautiful view from our cottage in kanyal,about 4 kms from manali city and it is one of the many.
PLACES TO VISIT
as there are so many places to see, i would like to catagorize them into must see and should see sights for you, as you realise that in one trip theres a chance that you might not be able to see it all.
THE MUST GO's :
1. The Hadimba devi temple :
Hadimba Temple in Manali or Dhungiri temple in Manali is one of the most important temples in the region.
This four story wooden temple is located in the middle of a forest called the Dhungiri Van Vihar. From the name of the forest parkland this temple derives its name. This temple was erected in 1553 and is dedicated to Goddess Hadimba.
Famous Attractions : Processions and Rath Yatra
2. Kullu dusshehra
if you are in the valley in oct, u surely cant miss it
Celebrated in : Kullu Valley in Himachal Pradesh
Time: OctoberFamous Attractions : Processions and Rath Yatra
Other Attractions : Folk Music and Dance, Ram Lila, Burning of Ravan Effigy
3. Solang valley
The resort town Manali on the way to Rohtang pass known for its summer and winter sports. The sports most commonly offered are parachuting, paragliding, skating and zorbing. Giant slopes of lawn comprise Solang Valley and provide
it its reputation as a popular ski resort. A few ski agencies offering courses and equipment reside here and operate only during winters.Snow melts during the summer months and skiing is then replaced by zorbing (a giant ball with room for 2 people which is rolled down a 200 meter hill), paragliding, parachuting and horse riding. A ropeway was recently opened.
4. rohtang pass:
If you want to feel the touch of snow even in scorching summers, the take up Rohtang pass tourism in Himachal Pradesh. This is one of the highest mountain passes in the world that is located at a convenient distance of 51 KM from Manali. Connecting Kullu valley with Lahaul and Spiti valleys of Himachal Pradesh, this pass is open from the months of May to November. Located at a height of 3978 m, this pass acts as a cultural bridge to the upper Himalayas that have a strong Buddhist influence from the middle Himalaya, that primarily has a Hindu culture.
Take a trip to Himachal Pradesh's Rohtang pass to enjoy the best of nature and culture. Though this pass has earned the title of being a little obnoxious and dangerous due to its unpredictable snowstorms and high winds, every tourist yearns to visit
Rohtang pass in Himachal Pradesh. Rohtang pass is considered as the world's highest jeep able road.
please note that the road is closed every tuesday , and try start early for the trip as the road from manali has frequent and long traffic jams.
5. Raison:
The town of Raison, in Himachal Pradesh is located at a distanc
e of about 16 kms from the famous town of Kullu, and is about 1433 km above sea level. Raison is actually a small bunch of villages on the banks of the Bias River. It is famous for camping sites and it is the starting point for white-water rafting on the Bias River. Bounded by the river, foliage and soaring mountain ranges in the backdrop of the camping zone of Raison, there are several apple orchards along with many fruits like plums and apricots. In the month of March,many budding blooms of these fruits are at their peak of flowering phases.
other places to visit:
1. Vashisht (3 kms)
Three kms from Manali is the village of Vashisht, which is renowned for its hot sulphur
springs. The village is also the site of some old temples, dedicated to the great sage Vashisht, and to Lord Rama. The Himachal Tourism sulphur baths are just beyond these shrines.
2. The Manali Gompa
A new Monastery built in the 1960's it is an important gathering place for buddhists from Lalaul, Spiti, kinnaur, Ladakh, Nepal and Tibet.The Gompa is famous for its wall paintings, Chortens and a large statue of Lord Buddha.
3. Naggar
the naggar castleNagar, a lovely village set on a hill sourrounded by forests, was the capita of kullu in the 16th century and the monuments in the region are witness to its glorious past. The Naggar Castle, a stone and wood structure built by Raja Sidh singh over 500 years ago, has been converted in to a heritage hotel. The gracefully built castle has a temple in the courtyard and also houses a small museum.
4. Manu Temple (2 kms)
This is dedicated to the sage Manu. Just near the Hadimba temple flows the Manalsu River, that culminates in the main Beas river. Across the Manalsu river is the original village of Manali, that houses the ancient temple of the sage Manu. Manali itself is named after Manu, who is said to have dwelt here.
