Manali
Hill Station Of The Kullu Valley; Gateway To Lahaul, Spiti And The Leh Manali Highway · Manali, Himachal Pradesh
A mountain town at the head of the Kullu valley in Himachal Pradesh, around 2,000 metres up on the Beas river, surrounded by deodar cedar forest and snow peaks, and one of the most popular holiday destinations in north India: for honeymooners, families seeing snow for the first time, backpackers and adventure travellers. Old Manali, up the hill, has guesthouses, cafes and the backpacker scene; the Hadimba temple, a sixteenth-century wooden pagoda in a cedar grove, is the main sight; and Vashisht village has hot springs. Solang Valley offers paragliding in summer and skiing in winter. Manali is also the start of the great high road north: the Rohtang Pass, with permits and daily limits on vehicles, and now the Atal Tunnel beneath it, lead into Lahaul, Spiti and on towards Leh. In peak season the town is overwhelmed by traffic and overbuilt hotels, and it was badly hit by the Beas floods of 2023. The Kullu Dussehra, in October, is a great valley festival. Spring and autumn are the best times; winter brings snow and cold.
Mall Road, Manali, Manali, Himachal Pradesh, 175131, India
NO OPENING TIME HERE WAS CHECKED; confirm before travelling. The usual pattern: the town is open year round, and the Hadimba temple from early morning to evening. Rohtang Pass opens roughly from May or June to about November, on permits with a daily cap, and has been closed one day a week (Tuesday). The Atal Tunnel is open year round except in heavy snow or maintenance windows. Solang activities stop in bad weather. Leaving after breakfast on peak days means hours in traffic.