In the lap of the Himalayas, Manali is a tourist town. It is located in the mountains of the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. 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 8,096. It is the beginning of an ancient trade route to Ladakh.
It 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. Amid 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.
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 is very popular among tourists.
Manali in Monsoons:
Weather during Monsoons is unpredictable in Manali. It experiences heavy rainfall during this time. Visiting Manali at this time may lock you in your hotel rooms. Heavy rainfall can totally restrict your plans and you from going out. Places at higher altitudes are prone to thunderstorms and incessant rainfall during the monsoon season. But due to the beautiful mountains and river around the weather can be delightful after rainfall. If you visit Manali during July, you can witness the purest vision of the River Beas due to the abundance of water. You may also get to see a particular category of alpine flowers that are only visible in July.
Though Road traveling isn’t safe during Monsoon. There are major chances of landslides during monsoons in Manali. This can result in damage to roads and vehicles. But on the other hand, as the tourist season is low at this point, you can have good hotels at cheap rates.
Here are some places that you must visit if you are having a tour of Manali in July.
Old Manali: Mesmerizing Apple Orchads.
Old Manali is completely authentic during the month of July. It is very close to the main city centre of Manali. A river named the Manalsu River divides both the sides. This place is very calm and is away from hustle of city centre of Manali. The whole place gives a authentic Himachali town vibe with beautiful apple orchards and glorious mountains all around. You can easily reach this town as it is just at 15 minutes walking distance from the city center. Also, you can take an auto and reach your destination easily.
Beas Kund Trek.
The Beas Kund is regarded as a holy lake is located in the Kullu Valley. Also, it is the source of River Beas. Religious believes states that Rishi Vyas used to take his daily bath in the water of this lake. This lake is rested at an altitude of 3,650 meters in the lap of Mt. Hanuman Tibba and Seven Sisters. This trek is not that difficult to take over. Any age group can complete this trek. No specific trekking experience is required to complete this trek. Hence, you can join this way with your family too. Snaking and passing through the Solang valley the trail to Beas Kund offers an incredible experience and the journey is filled with many surprises at each turn.
The Beas Kund Trek is one of the easiest treks in the Himachal Himalayan region. It is also one of the shortest treks that take only around 3 days to end. The Beas Kund Trek starts from Manali and leads to Dhundi at 3,150 meters via Solang Nallah. The trek gets a bit difficult after Solang Nallah as it faces a gradual climb of 5-6 hours.
Also, this trek offers one of the most beautiful views as it passes through waterfalls and the little cold lake of River Beas, fed by the glaciers. On reaching Dhundi from Solang, trekkers would find themselves around dense forests of deodar and oak trees. This trek reaches a maximum height of 3800 m with a distance of 32 kilometers. The best season to cover this trek is from Mid May to October.
Deo Tibba Trek.
Deo Tibba offers Expansive views, lofty mountains, hanging glaciers, lush meadows, exposed rock faces, giant cliffs extensive geography. It offers a view of snow-capped mountains. To reach Deo Tibba Base camp, you will cross many remote villages and valleys like Panduropa, Setan, Hampta Pass, Chika, Piyangniru, Raurikhaudi, etc. You will also pass by an ancient village Jogidugh, which is claimed to be the abode of ‘Thakshag Nag’ (serpent god) and all eighteen ‘Nag’ Gods.
Bhanara cave, which was the abode of Pandavas during their exile, is also an important waypoint for the trek. Hence, Deo Tibba offers a huge range of such epic spots and adventurous journey. You can also witness a high-altitude lake with blue water known as mini-Chandratal (4480 m) on your way to Deo Tibba. Also, the trek offers a wonderful sight of snow-clad peaks of Indrasan (6220 m) and Deo Tibba (6001 m) along with the glaciers of Jagatsukh.
Manikaran Sahib.
Manikaran is 4 km away from Kasol and about 45 km away from Kullu. It is very famous for its hot spring bath and religious beliefs. There are many religious perspectives and believes associated with this sulphur water bath. This place has some temples and a gurudwara. Hence, it is associated with the religion sentiments of Hindus and Sikhs majorly.
Both the communities have different believes and stories about this place. People visiting here even believe that this hot water stream at Manikaran has healing properties and is capable of healing problems like muscle pain and rheumatism. According to Sikh’s belief, this holy site was built by Shri Guru Nanak Devji and his disciple Bhai Mardana. Whereas according to Hindu’s belief, lord Shiva and goddess Parvati marked their presence at this place for years and goddess Parvati lost her “mani” (precious stones) in this water stream.
Hidimba Devi 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.
It is one of the most popular tourist and pilgrim spots which is around 1.5 kilometers away from the mall road in Manali. The temple has four floors. Locals often visit this temple with belief and faith. If you are visiting Manali, make sure you pay a visit to the Hidimba temple to seek some peaceful vibes and to see this wonderful historical and archaeological place.
Though as the weather in the month of July is very unpredictable, It is advised to check weather conditions before planning a trip. One must carry some woolen clothing as an increase in rainfall may result in a decrease in temperature.
