Once upon a time, Manali was a backpacking capital of India. A dirt track from Manali to Kullu was part of the popular hippie trail. Today it is tough to imagine Manali as a backpacker’s paradise. It has easily become one of the most popular hill stations in India with tourists thronging to Manali in the height of summer as well as winter.
Manali suits the needs of every kind of travel mindset. A family looking for some bonding time, a couple for some peace and quiet, solo travellers for some solitude or a group of friends seeking an adventure.
There are a whole lot of things to do in and around Manali.
Visit the Rohtang Pass
If you are returning from the higher Himalayan valleys of Ladakh or Spiti, you would have already crossed this king of the Himalayan passes on your Leh to Manali journey. Or if you took the Manali Kaza route to Spiti valley.
If not, then reserve a day of your trip to Manali for the Rohtang Pass. Be bowled over by the lush green winding roads that slowly lead to snow. At parts of the Rohtang Pass, the snow never melts. Which means what you see and hold in your hands, could very well be ancient snow. Be a child once again, and let loose as you play in the snow.
Listen to the Beas sing
The river Beas flows through Manali and chances it will dominate the landscape during your stay in Manali. You can enjoy your morning tea perched prettily on the lawns over this river as the gushing river makes music with birdsong.
Enjoy this blissful time with your family, your partner and just by yourself. Open a book and be lost in it as the mountains lose themselves in the clouds. Or pack your bags and head down to the river for some rafting action.
Pluck your own fruits or understand the fruit market
Peaches, plums, cherries and litchis all eventually give way to apples – in every colour you’ve imagined apples to be. Which means there’s always a fruit waiting for you to be enjoyed in Manali.
You can arrange for a visit to the fruit orchard or explore the fruit markets which, in the summer months are busy transporting fruits all across the country.
Cleanse yourself in the Himalayan spas
On the outskirts of Manali are the hot water springs of Vashisht where you can detoxify yourself naturally amidst the pristine forests.
Or, if you want to make a day trip of it, go all the way to Manikaran, a place of religious importance for the Hindus and the Sikhs. You can rejuvenate yourself here in the piping hot medicated waters. Manikaran has a number of options to stay if you decided to spend the night here.
Make a day trip to the Parvati valley
- Start early in the morning from Manali. Make your way through Kullu, Bhuntar and cross over to the Parvati valley.
- The landscape here is easily capable of making a 3-hour drive into an 8-hour photo-ops filled journey. The road climbs up steadily as you go further into the Parvati valley. Stone houses with flat slate roofs start making an appearance.
- There are a few tourist hubs here, like Kasol and Malana which also lead to many multi-day Himalayan treks like the Chanderkhani.
These short touch-and-go trips are not something that we usually recommend. Parvati valley deserves a long trip all for itself. But say, you are returning from a long exhausting trip to Ladakh or Spiti or are just pumped up enough to explore a bit beyond Manali, we say, why not! Go for it.
You can go further ahead to Manikaran or the end of the road at Pulga. Just remember that you have to drive back and driving in the dark might not be advisable. Don’t make safety secondary while you are busy having all the fun.
Local Manali “sightseeing”
- Walk up to the Hidimba temple on one of the evenings during your stay in Manali. It’s a simple walk through some beautiful forests.
- A beautiful forest walk connects Old Manali to the Manali market. You walk through the thick deodar forest along the Beas river as numerous birds follow you. It’s hard to believe that the road is just a few meters away.
- You can spend some time in the Solang valley to get that adrenaline going
- Naggar palace is well preserved and will satiate the history buff in you.
Beyond all of this, don’t forget to be an explorer in Manali. Look beyond the obvious. You will find numerous trails all around Manali and if any looks inviting, just ask any local about it. Find where it leads to, how easy or difficult it is. And armed with this information, just follow your heart.
After all, that is what travel is all about.
Where to stay in Manali?
- Stay away from the Mall road and the market is our top tip for where to stay in Manali.
- Naggar Road has a lot of good options for a comfortable and quiet stay in Manali. Snow Bliss, Manali is a beautiful home with rooms available in many combinations. It is our top recommendation for your stay in Manali.
- If you are visiting Manali with your family or a big group of friends (especially with kids), it’s best to stay in a vacation home instead of a hotel. Find your homestay in Manali and let the sound of the Beas river, the scent of deodar trees and the company of the Himalayas cast their magic.
- Old Manali is a backpacker’s haven. Loads of hostels and guest houses surrounded by all kinds of adventure shops, this part of Manali is very different than the one you see around the market. All the big hostel chains in India like Zostel, Moustache, Backpacker Panda are present here. Besides these, there are a number of niche boutique hostels in Old Manali as well.
- Manali has now become a year-round destination. Especially, if you are planning your honeymoon, you should consider these Manali Honeymoon Packages for a memorable holiday.
34 thoughts on “Things to do in Manali”
Beautiful manali, thanks for sharing
Your post was really helpful & most of my doubts were cleared.
This travel blog has become my virtual escape and source of inspiration. The articles transport me to different corners of the globe, exposing me to diverse cultures, landscapes, and experiences. Whether I’m seeking adventure, relaxation, or cultural immersion, I can always find something that resonates with me on this blog. Thank you for continuously fueling my wanderlust and broadening my horizons!
Nice information from your side, if you’re looking for the Best places to visit in Manali. Such a lovely post – could you advise which month did you travel to Manali?
such an amazing article Himachal Pradesh is a very beautiful tourist place in India, Dharamshala, Manali are amazing.
Thanks for sharing this fantastic Article, really very informative. Your writing skill is very good, you must keep writing this type of Article.
very interesting information for manali himachal pardesh
As a traveler I visited Himachal Pradesh many time. But regathered my memories after reading your blog. Manali is a beautiful destination and Thanks to you for sharing your experience which is very informative.
very informative blog, thanks for sharing this information with us! keep updating us like this!
Himachal such a beautiful place to be cover. There are so many places which are un explored, i was planning 2 months back but due to some issue it was cancelled. Now i am planning for April because april to july is also the right time to be there. Thanks for sharing the beautiful information.
Manali is really an amazing destination to visit in India. The way you have described the beauty of Manali is awesome. Pictures are too good.
lovely article keep writing ..
Manali is best place for holidays
Useful piece of information. Very well described and the pictures are extremely beautiful.
Hey, this is such a good post, all the information is very helpful!!
i have a question though, is mid january a good time to visit Manali!
Thanks for sharing this amazing blog with us Sandeepa and Chetan. Keep writting and sharing
useful info
Hi Sandeepa and Chetan
Me and my wife are planning to go to manali for a quiet vacation in December end.my wife desperately wants to see some snow.does rohtang pass remain open that time of the year?
Also should we spend a night in kullu instead of a day visit?
Nice.
Since 2010, we are running a resort in Manali. I like the ways of Manali.
Thanks for sharing
Really thank you so much for making efoeff in writing up this blog it will be very helpful for many …..
Thanks For Sharing
We are travelling this January 19 from 10th to 16th. We been to manali once but Our main purpose of manali trip is to witness snowfall and to play with it.
Can someone help me here
Thank you so much for taking efforts to write this blog.
I appriciate your hardwork.
Being a traveler i have spent most of my life in himachal pradesh. Before himachal was a lush green village fully covered by forest but this greenery is hard to find now. Mostly because of enormous number of new hotel properties… Government should take strict action to restrict construction. Otherwise in future there wont be snowfall in manali.
Manali was once to be the most beautiful Hill station, but now it’s too much crowded. Beautiful photography and excellent article.
manali is most beautiful place in himachal…i often visit there with my husband…
Hi! My friends and I are planning to go on a trip to Manali. We want the trip to be only relaxing with a lot of sight seeing as this trip will be a break from our respective stressful work. This is an 8 to 9 days trip, can you give any advice on where to go and places to stay. Will really appreciate it. Thanks!
Great Blog! Thank you for sharing your experience.
Lovely post. 🙂
Love, love your post!!!
Great natural sites to visit but roads are horribly bad. Government not doing enough to facilitate tourist with good amenities and instead encouraging hawkers and unorganized commercial activities to benefit the locals.
Thank for sharing. Its refreshed my mind. I was there is 2014. Thank you once again.