Manali is a very popular tourist hill station in the state of Himachal Pradesh in north India. If we talk about the exact location, it is at the northern end of the Kullu Valley in the Beas River Valley. Manali is a small town with a population of approx 8,200 people. It is the beginning of an ancient trade route to Ladakh. As it is a hill station, people who crave mountains and beautiful scenery find their way here. And what’s a better combination than mountains and snow.
Though the range of attractions in Manali never makes it boring to visit, but still, if you want to get the best out of something, time matters. The best time to visit Manali is during winter. Precisely, the months of November and February are most suitable to hit the roads heading to Manali. During this time, the town is covered with a shed of snow which enhances the beauty of hilly scenery. The temperature during this time fluctuates from 5 degrees Celsius to – 9 degrees Celsius. December and January are months of extremely cold weather conditions here. Though, people who love snow and winters can enjoy this weather by visiting here in December and January. At this time, the whole town is covered with a quilt of snow.
Why you should visit Manali in Winters.
The best time to visit Manali is the winter season. As the months of November, December, January, and February are perfect for travelling in hills. Manali is covered in sheets of snow during the winter seasons. People who witness such scenery claims that it looks like heaven on earth. Huge mountains covered with snow can be mental therapy for you. This place in winters is mostly surrounded by newlywed honeymooners. Also, there is this very famous festival called as “Winter carnival”. It is one of the most popular attractions among tourists. It’s a blast of culture, celebration, and adventure. Students and cultural groups come here and participate from various colleges of India in large numbers. The festival is held at ‘Manu Kala Kendra’ in Manali. This festival goes on for 5 days and offers a five-day feast to the visitors. But, not just this, Manali offers so many more reasons to visit in the winter season.
Also Read: Manali Adventures: Things to do and Places to visit
Snow Snow Everywhere!
For the people who crave snow and winters, Manali is their paradise in winters. As Manali is in the northern region of our country, it stays cool throughout the year. In winters, the temperature falls down from 0 degrees Celsius to minus 9 degrees Celsius. At adventure spots like Rohtang Pass and Solang Valley, you can easily witness snowfall. Hence, you can make snowman and snow fairies fulfilling your childhood wishes. Not only this but there are a lot of activities to do in Manali if you are coming here in the Winter Season.
Solang Valley is at the top of Kullu valley, around 14 kilometres away from the main resort town Manali on the way to Rohtang pass. This place is very popular among tourists for its adventurous sports. Precisely, this place offers parachuting, paragliding, skating, skiing, and zorbing depending on the weather’s favorability. In Winters you can enjoy activities like ice skating and skiing. Sloping down on snow-covered slopes with your skis while enjoying the cold waves and beautiful view is a mesmerizing experience.
Less crowd and tourist rush.
During summers, Manali roads look nothing less than that of Delhi. As people from all over the country visit Manali to ditch harsh summers, the population in Manali increases. In summers, you will witness a rush of people, honking vehicles, and traffic jams on the roads. Even parking is so much difficult to find. But on the other hand in Winters, we can spot comparatively fewer tourists and crowd. This is because Manali experiences rough winters where the temperature goes down to minus 10 degrees celsius.
There is no traffic and congested places. You can literally stay away from all that rush of metropolitan cities. Visiting Manali in winter will give you a chill, peaceful vibe. Though you may see crowds around Christmas and New year eve as it is the time of vacation. Plus people like to fulfil their snowy Christmas fantasy.
Also Read : Snowy Manali- Months to get snow, things to do
Budgeted Accommodation
As Winters are off-season for tourists in Manali, you may find hotels and hostels at a much cheaper rate than that of summers. The majority of hotels put accommodation on discount of around 35% – 40% than regular prices. The discounts on hotels and stay options in Manali during the winter season start around mid-November and ends by the end of March.
Not only private hotels but government-run accommodation HPTDC also offer 40% discounts on their Log huts / Orchards huts and Hadimba Cottages. So visiting Manali in the winter season will help you to get a classy stay at a much lesser cost.
Cheaper Transportation and Travel Cost
Like accommodation, the cost of transportation and travel in Manali decreases with the decrease in temperature. You can expect a good discount on taxis and local commute options too. During Winters due to less crowd, drivers might be ready to offer discounts on your rides. You can hire a taxi and cover all the tourist destinations that are even far away from each other.
Though Manali is versatile and will offer you much to do in any season, winters stand as the best time. So make sure you book your tickets to Manali this winter.
