Manali

Manali is a town in Himachal Pradesh,India & is one of the most popular hill stations in the nation. It is jam packed during the summers & there is no better time to visit the any hill station. I too made the plan for the same. Although I planned the trip for couple of days only. But,experiences are cherishable. This post will give a glimpse of the place. But, there is many more to this place. I had previously went to Kasol, Tosh & Kheerganga & this was my second experience of the Himachal.

How To Reach Manali:

The best way & the most preferred way to reach Manali is either through Delhi or from Chandigarh. Although there are other options as well. Below is the list of the same. To reach Delhi or Chandigarh one can take direct flights. However, as of now Chandigarh flights frequency is not great & is costly as well. So, Delhi is most suitable choice for flights.

From Delhi:

The best mode to travel is bus. There are ample options available from Delhi daily to reach Manali. It usually takes 14 to 15 hours to reach. Every one says it takes 10 to 12 hours. However, the roads are not that great. Thus, the duration of travel is on a higher side. There are plenty of options for bus; from cheapest of approx Rs 600 to high as Rs 1600. But, journey is long & it is advisable to rely on a good bus to ease on journey. Choose the bus based on the rating. Himachal tourism has there own bus. So, if it is available, one can choose the same. The buses usually start from Kashmere Gate or from Majnu ka Tila.

From Chandigarh:

Chandigarh is another option. There are lots of bus & self driving cars or bikes option available from here. I did my trip from Delhi. Thus, I can't share much information about Chandigarh.

Things To Do In Manali:

Hadimba Temple: Hadimba temple is the main attraction of the place. The temple is of wife of Bhim. A character from Indian mythology. The temple is surrounded by cedar trees & offers peaceful environment.

Vashist: Vashist is a small village approx 3 Km from Manali. It is famous for hot spring. A natural hot spring (the water is really really hot). Amazing natural phenomenon. Most of the people only visit this place for these hot springs.

Nehru Kund: Nehru Kund is a small stream of very cold water from mountains which is assumed to be very healthy. Located at the side of road. It will hardly take 5 min to check the place out. If traveling to Solang valley this attraction can be covered easily.
Hadimba Temple Mark My Adventure
Kullu Mark My Adventure
Prashar Lake: Although this place is not located in Manali. But, can prove to be a great getaway. Prashar lake is one day trek & is full of scenic beauty. I had just heard about the place. However, a guest post on my blog shared a light on this topic.

Gulab: Gulab is a place or hill which is located on the way to Rohtang pass. The view from the place is just amazing. If you are looking for some unique views than this place is worth a shot.

Bouldering: Bouldering is an adventure sport which in which person climbs the boulder. It is more like a climbing walls, however it is one level above climbing. Many climbers come to this place to test their skills. If one is interested in such stuff. He or she can visit the place.

Manali Trip On Budget:

Accommodation:

Manali is decently priced. However, one of the major factors which boost the price is summer. As this is a hill station the demand for accommodation is higher compared to other season. So, if planning to visit in summer make sure you have made all the bookings. There are lots of option available. However, the best options would be to choose place near mall road (commercial hub of the city). You can find the place from following link. I stayed in Backpackers Panda which was 3.4 Km from Mall road & that too in a hill. The view was awesome from the hotels; however the only draw back was the distance from the market which was quite a lot. If one is looking for a peaceful time then he or she can opt for it. Hostels start from Rs 450 per day.

Food:

There are many options available in different costs. However, the best place where one can eat fantastic chinese food is Chopsticks. The place is super nice & the food is very tasty. I would recommend eating at this outlet. On average the cost of meal would be around Rs 400 for two people in a decent hotel.

Transportation:

There are options of hiring a bike, car or bicycle. Based up on your interest you can choose either of them. The cost of hiring varies with the season & demand. However, on an average cost for bicycle is approx Rs 400 per day, for bike it is around Rs 1000 per day, for scooty around Rs 500 per day. Further, there is one more option which is hiring a taxi to different points. They usually charge Rs 1200 for 4 to 5 points (out of which one is main point & others are just points). This was the rate quote I got during my trip. The best would be to reach the place & negogiate accordingly.
Room View Manali
Majestic Manali Mark My Adventure
Mountains are the mightest place to find a company. They are soo soo massive that you feel nothing. The height of mountains can not be imagined. One needs to be present at the place to experience such beautiful site. I was sitting in Gulab & watching rather gulping the scenes of surroundings a random thought occurred in my mind about how are these created. It is just incredible to know that we are nothing & nowhere if compared to nature & still we feel we are making a dent in the universe. If next time you are traveling to mountains take a moment to enjoy the beauty of mountains. Click on the below links to explore more.
I have clicked all the photos either by an iphone 6 or by GoPro. These images are not photoshopped or edited. This is to make sure that I project a correct picture of the place as I have seen people editing the pics to make is more likable. However, I feel the beauty of the place is in natural form (without any editing or anything else). So, I capture the same.

If you like my work. Kindly subscribe & comment on my blog. In case of any queries, feel free to mail me. I will be posting more about the place; so keep coming back.
Mountains Manali
Mountains

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