Manali is in the state of Himachal Pradesh, near the northern end of the Kullu Valley in the Beas River Valley. Being a hill station, people love to visit around here during the winter season. During winters, the whole town looks covered by a blanket of snow all over it. Not only because of the beautiful scenic view but also, Manali is one of those most mesmerising hill stations which can be visited throughout the year but people mostly love to visit here during the winters. It offers many adventures and fun activities in winters as well as summers.
Manali is one of the most crowded and popular hill stations. This place offers one of the best views of the Pir Panjal and the Dhauladhar ranges covered with snow for most parts of the year. Amin covid lockdown, Manali has been a dream destination for many people to visit. With a huge range of cute cafes, small shops and good wifi connection is a great source of attraction for youngsters. Also, there are many hostels and homestays that offer dorm beds for cheap for longer durations which make the trip a budgeted and amazing one.
This place is a dream come true for trekking enthusiasts. River Beas offers options of river rafting near the town of Kullu. Hence, Manali is not only known for its natural scenery, but also for its adventurous activities. The majority of the time it snows in the months of December and January followed by April and March. When it comes to adventure, Rohtang Pass & Solang valley are very popular among tourists.
But how many days will be sufficient for exploring Manali?. Though, it takes many days to explore all the small details or places of a destination. But when you are going for a trip to relax, you must have an estimation of how many days will be sufficient to cover the most popular places of that destination. For Manali, you need a minimum of three days to cover at least the popular places.
- Best Month to Visit
Though a 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 extreme 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.
Winters are considered to be the best time to visit Manali. The months of November, December, January, and February are perfect for travelling in the hills. Winters in Manali experience heavy snowfall. 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 honeymooners. Also, there is this very famous festival known as “Winter Carnival“. It is one of the most popular attractions among tourists. It’s a blast of culture and celebration. Students and cultural groups massively participate from various colleges of India. 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, there are a lot more reasons that why you should visit Manali in the winter season.
Also Read: Famous places to visit in Shillong
- How can you plan & which places to visit
Well, of course, it is your choice that whether you want to follow the plan or not. Or which places you want to visit and spend more time. Here is a schedule you can follow. Through this, you can have one of the best experiences of Manali in just three days.
Day 1 : Old Manali – Hidamba Temple – Vashisht Temple – Vashisht Hot Water Springs – Jogini Falls.
Hidimba Temple: Hidimba Devi temple is an ancient cave temple in the name of Hidimba Devi, wife of Bhima ( One of the Pandavas in the Indian epic Mahabharata). Locals also call this temple as Dhungari Temple. A cedar forest “Dhungiri Van Vihar ” covers the boundaries of the temple. Maharaja Bahadur Singh built this temple in 1553.
Vashisht Temple: Vashisht temple is a popular tourist destination. This temple was founded by Guru Vashisht who was the sole guru (teacher) of Lord Ram and Lord Laxman. It is at a distance of 3.5 km from Manali Bus Stand. The village of Vashisht was named after Rishi Vashisht one of the seven sages of Hindu. It is believed that this temple is 4000 years old. Inside the temple, there is a black stone image of the Rishi Vashisht.
Vashisht Hot Water Spring: This temple is also famous for its hot water spring. This water spring is considered to be sacred and has natural healing properties. There are separate Turkish-styled bathing spaces for men and women. You will have to deposit your sandals/shoes at the entrance of the temple which will cost you around Rs. 5 per sandal/shoe. Temple opens from 7 am to 9 pm on all days of the week. Hot spring batH timings are 7 am to 1 pm and then 2 pm to 9 pm on all days of the week.
Day 2 : Old Manali – Solang Valley – Rohtang Pass
Solang Valley: 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 favourability. Sloping down on snow-covered slopes with your skis while enjoying the cold waves and beautiful view is a mesmerizing experience. While in the summers, these snowy slopes meltdown. Hence at that time, the ground and weather conditions are perfect for zorbing or globe-riding.
Rohtang Pass: Rohtang Pass is also known as the snow point of Manali. People across the country visit this place to enjoy some breathtaking activities during the summer season. Due to unfavourable cold weather, Rohtang Pass is closed for the public from the month of October to May. This place is around 51 kilometres away from Manali and at an altitude of 3,979 meters above sea level. Hence, in Winters, the mountains in Rohtang pass are completely covered with snow.
Also Read: Manali – Perfect Honeymoon Destination
Day 3 : Old Manali – Naggar Castle – Jana Falls – Mall Road Shopping
Naggar Castle: Naggar is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Manali. People visiting Manali come to see the beauty of art and miniature paintings. Basically, Naggar is a huge castle with incredible artwork and paintings. It is like a paradise for art and craft enthusiasts. Naggar is also known for its beautiful scenic view and sliding landscapes that make it a dream come true for couples. Tripura Sundari and Gauri Shankar temples in Naggar are must-visits.
Jana falls: This beautiful waterfall is 13 kilometres away from Naggar Castle in Jana village. This village is surrounded by pine trees, apple orchards, deodar forests, and snow-capped mountains. There is no entrance fee to visit this waterfall. You can have some amazing Himachali food at Jana Fall River restaurant as well to count in your memories.
Mall Road: Mall road is in the centre of Manali tourist town. You can go shopping here.
So this was a plan that you can follow to enjoy a wonderful vacation in Manali. Though, you can visit more places and explore more traditional things if you have more days to spend at this mystic hill station.
