Manali

Manali is a popular hill resort, which is located at an altitude of 1,830m (6,000 ft). Many travelers come here to spend months or even years, as it is a beautiful place. For some people it is a major stopping point on their trip to India. It is the best place to get the two-day bus to Leh.

There are also a few interesting spiritual places in the Kullu Valley. When the Pandavas were in exile they are said to have resided in the Manali area for a year.

The best times to come to Manali are May to June and September to October. In September and April the nights can be cold, and you definitely need some warm clothing. May and June is when most of the tourists come here, at which time the temperatures are between 12ºC and 26ºC. From November to the beginning of March it is very cold and the temperatures are between 2ºC and 14ºC.

Information
The HPTDC Tourist Office (52175) is beneath the Hotel Kunzam. Open in the summer daily 10 am to 5 pm. They have a trekking booklet that has basic maps and possible routes. The HPTDC Tourist Market Office (52116), next door, reserves HPTDC hotels, books HPTDC buses and arranges skiing courses. There is a notice-board here that you can use.

The State Bank of India, in the center of town, changes money. Most travelers cheques can be changed at the Solang Hotel.

Mountaineering Institute (52342), 2km south of The Mall near the Hotel Manali Ashok, organizes beginners and advanced mountaineering, trekking, skiing and other activities.

There are Internet facilities at the Cyber Café located halfway between downtown Manali and Old Manali. It costs Rs 100 per hour. It is a five-minute auto-rickshaw ride from the downtown.
HPTDC Club House, near the bridge in Old Manali, has a library, table tennis and a snooker table.

Tours
HPTDC Tourism Marketing Office and several private bus companies organize package tours to places in the area.
One is to Rohtang Pass (3978m) to see some snow, which also goes to Nehru Kund (a lake), Kothi and Marrhi (a viewpoint) for Rs 165 per person (departs 9 am).
Another goes to Parvati Valley visiting Manikaran (Rs 200 per person). A third tour goes to Naggar, the temples in Jagatsukh and to Solang Nullah (Rs 150 per person).

Travel Agencies
Some long established travel agencies are:
Antrek Tours
Manu Market (52292)
Does mountain climbing and skiing.
Beas Treks and Tours
NAC Market, does treks.
Chandra Trekkers & Expeditions
The Mall, near the UCO Bank (85269)
Does trekking.
Druk Expeditions
Model Town (53135)
Does mountain climbing and trekking.
Himalayan Adventures
The Mall, next to the UCO Bank
Does rafting and trekking. Recommended.
Himalayan Journeys
The Mall, near the State Bank of India (52365)
Does mostly anything.
North Face Adventure Tours
The Mall (52441)
Does skiing and paragliding.
Snowbird Adventures
Manu Market (52586)
Does trekking and skiing.
WH Adventure
Opp taxi stand on The Mall (52176; fax 52531)
Are helpful in organizing treks and rent equipment.

Hadimba Temple (Dhungri)
This four-storey, 26m high temple was built in 1553 and is dedicated to Hadimba, the wife of Bhima, who is one of the five Pandava brothers from the Mahabharata. It is said that Bhima was married to Hadimba here, after he killed her man-eating brother, Hadimb. Bhima and Hadimba had a son named Ghatotkatch, who died a hero’s death on the battlefield of Kurukshetra. Hadimba is considered to be an incarnation of the goddess Kali.

The temple has a 3-tier pagoda style roof and some intricate carvings on the temple. There is a big festival at the temple in early May. To walk to this temple, which is about a km (20 minutes) from the downtown, you get on the road to Old Manali. You then turn left at the road just before John Banon’s Guest House. You then walk about 200m and then take the path to the temple. It is in the Dhungri area of Manali.

There is the 3-day Dhungri Festival at the temple in May.

Gadhan Thekchokling Gompa
This Buddhist gompa was built by Tibetans in the 1960s. It has some colorful paintings in it. Open 6 am to 6 pm.

There is another small gompa closer to the bazaar.

Old Manali and the Manu Temple
Old Manali is a peaceful pleasant town, 3km north of The Mall. There are some good walks in the area and it is a popular place to stay for budget travelers. To get here you walk north on The Mall. After you pass the State Bank of India you take the right fork in the road and you go until you get to the bridge. You cross the bridge and you then turn left and walk five minutes to the village of Old Manali.

It is said that after the great deluge, Manu first stepped back onto land at this place and then lived here. Manali is supposed to be the changed name of “Manu-Alaya,” or the “Home of Manu.” When the entire world was covered with water, Lord Vishnu took the form of a fish called Matsya and protected Vaivasvata Manu, keeping him on a boat. He also saved the Vedas from the flood. This temple is located in the Old Manali village, about 3km from downtown Manali. It is most likely the only temple of Manu in India.

Sporting Activities
Skiing There is skiing at Solang Nullah, 15km north of Manali, from January to March. This can be arranged at the place, with the HPTDC, or with various travel agencies in Manali. You can rent equipment from the Mountaineering Institute, North Face Adventure Tours and Snowbird Adventures. It is extremely cold here in January.
Rafting You can raft on the Beas River. Rafting trips usually begin at Mohal, north of the town of Kullu and go for around 10km. The season is usually May to mid-June and from mid-September to mid-October. Snowbird Adventures and Himalayan Adventurers arrange rafting. The trip should cost around Rs 800, which includes transportation, meals and equipment. Some low-class travel agencies tell you after the trip is over that you have to pay your own return transportation, so check this in advance.
Paragliding This can be done at Solang Nullah, 15km north of Manali. Paragliding can be organized through Himalayan Adventurers, North Face Adventure Tours and Snowbird Adventures. A day course is Rs 750 and it is possible to take a two-week course.

Shopping
There are a good selection of shops in Manali and the area, catering to tourists. There are Tibetan goods, wool sweaters, Buddhist items, music cassettes and low-end jewelry. A high quality pashima shawl made from the underbelly of a Ladakhi goat starts at around Rs 10,000. The test for pashima is, if it creases when crumpled it is not pure.

The Kullu-Kashmir Shawl Emporium is a cooperative run by local women.

Where to Stay
Prices have to be listed at the hotel reception and are set by the government. The prices change according to the season. The high seasons are late-April to June and mid September to early November. At these times there are many Indian tourists. In July and August the prices of rooms are discounted by about 50%. The prices are even lower from December to February because it is very cold and there are no tourists. All hotels must display a tariff card. You can know the maximum price by seeing this card.
The main part of town is not such a nice place to stay. The rise on the western side of town is a nice area.

Where to Stay—Lower
Many of the budget travelers stay in Old Manali, Vashisht and Dhungri, which are all pleasant places to stay for a while. Long-time stayers often stay in houses in the area.
Old Manali The lower priced places are mainly in Old Manali, where there are many family-run budget places. The price for a double room ranges from Rs 80 to Rs 250. Some can be really run-down and dirty, so it is a good idea to check out a bunch of places. If you plan to stay for a while, you can stay in the first decent place that you see. You could then ask and look around for a cheap place that you like.
Veer Guest House is a nice place that has rooms with bath for Rs 200. It has a great view of the valley.
Laxmi is a good place that has large, clean rooms with common bath for Rs 175.
Krishna Guest House is a nice, friendly place with rooms for Rs 150/200. Hot water in common bathrooms.
The following hotels are near the HPTDC Club House.
Hotel Him View has rooms for Rs 150. It is a good value.
Hotel Hema has overpriced rooms for Rs 500 during the season, but is a bargain at Rs 300 during the off-season.
Hotel Riverbank has rooms for Rs 450.
Manali If you are staying just for a day or two you may want to stay in this area.
Rising Star, by Rohtang Manalsu, has rooms that overlook a nice garden. It is a good value.
Saccharin Guest House, in the main part of town, has double rooms for Rs 225 and dorm beds for Rs 45.
HPTDC Yatri Niwas, above the tourist office, has dorm beds.
Hotel Kalpana, northwest of the downtown, has big rooms for Rs 200 to Rs 250 with hot water.
Hotel Renuka (52309), The Mall, has good rooms with a balcony and hot water for Rs 300/350.
Sukhiram Guest House (52178), behind The Mall, has rooms for Rs 225 and dorm beds for Rs 60. Bucket hot water.
Sunflower (52419), near the Tibetan gompa, has rooms for Rs 175 to Rs 225. It is a friendly place.
Hotel Greenland, on The Mall, is a popular place that has clean rooms for Rs 250.
Dhungri This area is getting to be popular with budget travelers. Most of the rooms here are fairly basic. It is a two km walk from The Mall.
Scenic Cottage has rooms for Rs 175.
Freedom Guest House has rooms for Rs 175. Deodar Retreat has really basic rooms for Rs 130.

Where to Stay—Middle
There are many middle class hotels between The Mall and the rise on the western side of town. Rooms go for Rs 450 to Rs 600 normally, but the same rooms can be just Rs 350 during the low season. Most of these places have hot water and a TV. Some of the better places are the Lhasa Hotel (52134) and the Hotel Shishar (52745).
Samiru Hotel, in the center of town by the Mayur Restaurant, has good rooms for Rs 350 or Rs 400 during the off-season.
The other area in town is the road between the downtown and the bridge to Old Manali. This is a much more pleasant area to stay. Most of these places have hot water, TVs and they often have a secluded garden and good views.
Dragon Guest House (52290; fax 52669), in a peaceful location with views of the river, has spacious, clean rooms with hot water beginning at Rs 400.
Hotel Tourist (2297), just off the road to Old Manali, has rooms with hot water and a balcony with a view of the valley for Rs 550 or just Rs 300 in the off-season.
Hotel Zarim, nearby, has modern, high standard rooms for Rs 700 to Rs 1200.
Down the road is the well-managed and good-valued John Banon’s Guesthouse (52335; fax 52392). It is an older building with good, clean facilities and a peaceful surrounding. Rooms are Rs 450/650. It should be booked in advance.
Sunshine Guest House (52320), on the same road, has a lawn and big rooms with a good view and fireplaces for Rs 400 to Rs 650.
Pinewood (52118), off Old Manali Rd, is a colonial place with a garden in a quiet location that has rooms for Rs 800 to 1100. It is a good value.
Higher up on the hill, not far from the Hadimba Temple, is the Hotel Rajhans, which has rooms for Rs 650 or Rs 500 during the off-season. It is a new place in a nice area with a good view.
Hotel Chetna (52245) is in a peaceful location and has a lawn and great views. It has good, large rooms with balconies and hot water for Rs 600. It is closed during the off-season.
Hotel Highland (52320) is an older place with character and a nice garden. It has clean, comfortable rooms with hot water for Rs 500 to Rs 650.
The HPTDC has a few places out of the center of town. These can be booked at the HPTDC Tourism Marketing Office on The Mall.
Hotel Rohtang Manalsu has a nice garden with some decent views of the valley. The rooms are Rs 600/700.
HPTDC Beas Hotel, near the riverside with a great view, has rooms for Rs 350 to Rs 600.
Honeymoon Cottages has cottages with attached bath for Rs 800. It is a good value.

Where to Stay—High
Hotel Ibex (52440) has rooms for Rs 1100.
The nearby Hotel Piccadily (2114), The Mall, has rooms for Rs 800/1400.
Mayflower (52104), The Mall, has large, well-decorated suites with log fires. This place is well-managed and recommended.
HPTDC Hotel Kunzam (53197), in town, has rooms for Rs 1000 to Rs 1400.
HPTDC Log Huts, by the riverside in a peaceful location with good views, has fully equipped two bedroom cottages, but is overpriced at Rs 3700.
ITDC Manali Ashok (52331) has comfortable double rooms for Rs 1200 up to Rs 2000. There are great views of the valley. It offers a 50% discount during the off-season.
Hotel Shingar Regency (52251), high up on the western ridge, has rooms for Rs 1690.
Manali Resorts, on Kullu Rd, 5km south of town, is a luxury place with nice gardens in a beautiful location next to the Beas River. Rooms are Rs 2600/2800.
Across the Beas River, about 20 minutes south of town, is the well-managed Holiday Inn (52262, fax 53312) with rooms for $80 to $125. There is a 30% discount during the off-season. It is in a peaceful area with some good views of the valley.

Where to Eat—Old Manali
German Bakery has good baked goods and snacks.
Shiva Café is a small place with good, cheap Indian, Italian and Israeli food.
Ish Café is a popular place.
Beas View Guest House has good baked goods and breakfasts.
Moondance Garden is a laid-back place with good Indian and Continental food. It is a popular place to hangout. The sizzlers are good.
Little Tibetan Café has Tibetan food.

Where to Eat—Manali
Mehak Restaurant, Mission Rd, on a side street off The Mall, is a good Indian vegetarian place with a good selection of items.
Il Ferno, on the road between the downtown and the bridge to Old Manali, is a good vegetarian Italian restaurant, run by Italians. They have good pizzas and a good selection of salads.
Mayur Restaurant, down Mission Rd, off The Mall, is a popular place.
Chopsticks, The Mall, has good Chinese, Japanese and Tibetan food. Good service.
Phuntsok Coffee House is Tibetan managed and has good baked goods.
Madras Café, Mission Rd, has thalis for Rs 45 and South Indian food.
Sa-Ba, in Nehru Park, serves very good Western food.
Sher-e-Punjab, on The Mall, has good Indian and Italian food.
Sangam has good Gujarati thalis.
Monalisa, across from the bus station, has Indian, Chinese and Continental food. Not cheap.
Peter’s Café, near the State Bank, has good breakfasts and an interesting owner.
Ashiana has good veg thalis.
Grub, first floor, opposite Nehru Park, has good pizzas and Western food.
German Bakery, Mission Rd, has good baked good.
Superbake, near the State Bank of India, has good baked goods and canned food.
Mountview, The Mall, is a popular place that has good Chinese, Tibetan and Japanese food. Main dish around Rs 70.
Chopsticks, The Mall, has good Japanese, Chinese and Tibetan food. Not Cheap.
Adarsh Hotel, The Mall, has a good restaurant.

Where to Eat—Dhungri
Out to Lunch Restaurant is a small place run by a couple of Westerners, so there is a good western touch to the food. They serve good salads. It also has a few decent double rooms.
Our Freedom Cafe has breakfasts.

Local Travel
There is a taxi stand on The Mall. Prices are fixed. A taxi to Kullu is Rs 500. Himalayan Journeys and Snowbird Adventures rent mountain bikes.

Travel
Air There is an airport south of Kullu in Bhuntar (50km) that has daily flights to Delhi ($130). From the airport to Manali a taxi is Rs 550. Local buses go from Manali to Bhuntar. The Archana Airways office is at Ambassador Travels (52110), next to the State Bank of India. The Jagson Airlines (52476) office is Shop 24, NAC Market.

Bus You can book buses up to a month in advance at the bus stand (open 9 am to noon and 2 to 5 pm).

There are deluxe buses to and from Delhi (16 hr, Rs 450). Buses depart from the road in front of the New Delhi train station and from the Inter-State bus stand in Old Delhi. Deluxe bus tickets can be purchased from travel agencies in Paharganj or by the New Delhi railway station.
There are deluxe buses to Shimla (10 hr) and deluxe buses to Dharamsala (10 hr, Rs 300). The HPTDC deluxe buses to Shimla, Chandigarh and Delhi are booked and leave from the tourist office. During the season the demand is heavy for these buses, so it is best to book as far in advance as possible.

There are local buses to Dharamsala (11 hr), Amritsar (16 hr), Chandigarh, Mandi and Jammu (16 hr). Within the area there are buses to Kullu (2 hr on the west side of the river and 2½ hr on the east side, every 15 min), Naggar (1 hr, 4 daily) and to Parvati Valley (7 daily).

Some private bus companies in Manali are: Ibex Tours (2480), Hotel Ibex, The Mall; Enn Bee Tours (2650), The Mall, opposite the bus station; Harrisons Travels (2473), The Mall; and Tarun Tours & Travels (2688), near the Mall.

Travel To Leh The trip by bus to Leh takes two days (28 hours actually driving). You have to stay in a tent overnight. The Manali-Leh Highway is officially open from mid-June to Sept 15, after which the state-run services stop. Some of the private companies keep operating into October. The most comfortable and expensive buses to Leh are the HPDTC luxury buses, which are booked at the tourist office. Avoid the bumpy back seat of the bus, as the road can be quite rough.

A taxi to Leh is Rs 11,000. You can often get a ride in a truck to Leh for around Rs 350. The trucks going to Leh can be found on the road leaving Manali.

P lease see the Ladakh sections for more details about this trip.

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