Himalaya only · Saver trips from ₹7,500
Try "Spiti", "snow leopard", "Char Dham", "homestay", "Tiger's Nest"
Town in Himachal
Head of the Kullu valley, under cedar forest and snow peaks
Manali sits at about 2,050 m at the head of the Kullu valley, 12–14 hours from Delhi by HRTC Volvo. Give it two or three nights: the Hadimba temple, Old Manali and Vashisht on foot, and a day at Solang. Busy in May, June and New Year week; best in April, October and early December.
Photo: Neerajsinghazm · CC BY-SA 4.0 · CommonsManali is really three places. The new town around the Mall and the bus stand is all hotels, shops and taxi stands. Old Manali, a 2 km walk up across the Manalsu stream, is a village of kath-kuni houses, apple orchards and guesthouse cafés around the Manu temple. Vashisht, on the opposite bank of the Beas, has hot sulphur springs and a temple courtyard where villagers still bathe. Most visitors see only the first; we send you to the other two.
The town is the end of the Kullu valley and the start of the high road north. The Atal Tunnel, opened in 2020 about 25 km away, now carries traffic under the Rohtang Pass into Lahaul in all but the worst weather, so Manali is the gateway to our separate Spiti and Lahaul hive. Rohtang itself, at 3,978 m, is open to a limited number of permitted vehicles in summer. Solang valley, 14 km up the Beas, is the local snow and adventure playground.
Manali's biggest problem is its popularity. In May, June and the last week of December traffic queues back from the Mall to the Kullu road, and taxi unions control prices for sightseeing trips. Come in April, late September to November or the first half of December and the same town is calm, cheaper and clearer. Stay in Old Manali or Vashisht if you like to walk, or out of town at Naggar if you want quiet.
A wooden temple of 1553 with a four-tiered roof, standing in a grove of old deodar on the edge of town. It is built over a rock where the goddess Hadimba is believed to have meditated. Arrive at 8 am to see it without queues.
A walk up through orchards to a village of kath-kuni houses, the Manu temple and riverside cafés. Quieter than the Mall, with guesthouses and hostels from ₹600 a night for a dorm bed.
Natural sulphur springs piped into stone bathing tanks next to the Vashisht temple, 3 km from town. Separate tanks for men and women, free to use. Locals bathe here in the early morning.
A broad meadow at about 2,500 m, 14 km from Manali, with snow from December to March and paragliding, zorbing and a ropeway in the warmer months. Go early to beat the jeep queues.
A 3 km walk from Vashisht through orchards and pine to a tall waterfall that drops in stages down the cliff. Easy to moderate, about 3 hours return, and free.
Drive 25 km to the south portal of the 9 km tunnel under the Rohtang ridge and come out in Lahaul, where snow often lies when Manali is green. Covered in detail in our Spiti and Lahaul hive.
Field notes
The Hadimba Devi temple was built in 1553 by the Kullu raja Bahadur Singh. It has no idol in the usual sense: the shrine is built around a rock on which the goddess is believed to have meditated, and her footprints are worshipped.
Source: Hidimba Devi Temple
Old Manali's Manu temple is dedicated to the sage Manu of Hindu tradition, and local belief links the name Manali to him, reading it as the home of Manu, who is said to have stepped onto dry land here after the great flood.
Source: Manu Temple
The Atal Tunnel under the Rohtang ridge is about 9 km long and was opened in October 2020. It shortened the road from Manali to Keylong by around 46 km and lets traffic reach Lahaul for most of the winter.
Source: Atal Tunnel
Experiences
Photo: Reflectionsbyprajakta · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
A morning loop from the Mall up to the 1553 Hadimba temple in its cedar grove, then across the Manalsu stream to Old Ma…
Photo: Ktoya · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Commons
A soak in the natural sulphur springs at Vashisht's stone temple tanks, then a 3 km walk through orchards to Jogini wat…
Photo: Harvinder Chandigarh · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
A wide meadow at about 2,500 m, 14 km up the Beas from Manali, with snow from December to March and paragliding, a rope…
Real prices
Local prices change with season and fuel costs. Check current status before you travel.
Getting there
Air
Bhuntar airport near Kullu is about 50 km and 1.5–2 hours away, with a few flights from Delhi that are often delayed or cancelled by weather. Chandigarh airport, about 300 km away, has far more flights and HRTC buses to Manali.
Bus
HRTC Volvo and ordinary buses leave Delhi's Kashmere Gate ISBT every evening and arrive in Manali in 12–14 hours. Private Volvos run from Majnu ka Tilla. Buses also link Manali with Shimla (≈ 8–9 h), Dharamshala (≈ 9–10 h) and Chandigarh (≈ 9 h).
Road
From Delhi, NH44 to Kiratpur then the four-lane Kiratpur–Manali highway through Bilaspur, Mandi and Kullu, about 540 km and 11–13 hours. The four-lane stretch through the Mandi gorge suffers landslides in monsoon. Check current status before you travel.
Where to stay
Saver: Old Manali and Vashisht have the cheapest beds, from hostel dorms to simple family guesthouses at ₹1,000–2,000 a double off season; Zostel has a hostel in Old Manali. HPTDC runs several hotels in town. Comfort: choose a hotel on the Hadimba or Log Huts road, or in Prini and Hamta on the left bank, away from the Mall's traffic. Signature: Span Resort and Spa sits on its own stretch of the Beas south of town, with gardens, a pool and river views. For a quieter alternative, stay in Naggar, 20 km away, and visit Manali by day.
Photo: Neerajsinghazm · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Budget
A backpacker hostel in Old Manali, in the orchard village above the Manalsu stream, with dorm beds and private roo…
Photo: Original: Biswarup Ganguly Derivative work: Un… · CC BY 3.0 · Commons
Luxury
A riverside resort on about 12 acres on the banks of the Beas near Katrain, south of Manali, with cottages, garden…
Trips that stop here
Photo: Unknown author · Public domain · Commons
Comfort
Private car with driver
Photo: Neerajsinghazm · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Saver
HRTC local buses and short shared taxis
Photo: Navneet Sharma · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Signature
Private car with driver
Questions
Two to three nights. One day for Hadimba temple, Old Manali and Vashisht on foot, one for Solang or the Atal Tunnel, and a spare day for weather or a trip down the valley to Naggar. If you are continuing to Lahaul or Spiti, add a rest day before going higher.
April, October and the first half of December are our favourites: clear skies, fair prices and fewer crowds. May and June have perfect weather but heavy traffic. January and February bring snow. July and August are monsoon months with landslides, and we avoid them.
A saver trip with HRTC Volvo from Delhi, three nights in a hostel or guesthouse and local buses costs about ₹9,000–13,000 per person. With a private car and a good hotel, expect ₹25,000–40,000 per person for three nights. New Year week costs much more.
Private and taxi vehicles need an online permit to drive up to Rohtang Pass, issued in limited numbers each day. You do not need a permit to use the Atal Tunnel. Rohtang is closed to tourist vehicles in winter and on some days for maintenance. Check current status before you travel.
Yes, if you avoid the Mall. Stay in Prini, Hamta, Old Manali or a riverside resort such as Span, and keep sightseeing light. October and early December are calm and clear. In peak season, honeymoon packages often mean long jeep queues to Solang and Rohtang.
It can be risky. July and August bring heavy rain, landslides on the Kiratpur–Manali highway and sudden rises in the Beas, which caused serious damage in 2023. If you must go, stay away from riverbanks, keep buffer days and follow official weather alerts.
Yes. ATMs line the Mall and the bus stand area, and Jio, Airtel and BSNL all have good 4G in town. Signal weakens towards Solang and beyond. Card and UPI payments are widely accepted; keep cash for taxi unions and small cafés.
Generally yes. Old Manali and Vashisht have many solo travellers and hostels with women-only dorms. Avoid walking alone on dark roads between Old Manali and the Mall late at night, watch your drink at parties, and book taxis through your hotel after dark.
Yes. At about 2,050 m, most healthy seniors adjust well. Choose a hotel with road access and a lift, avoid the steep lanes of Old Manali, and plan short sightseeing days. Solang involves walking on snow or uneven ground; talk to your doctor before going higher to Rohtang.
Plan with a local planner
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