Famous as the "
valley of the Gods",
Manali is an important hill station of northern india.
It is the destination of thousands of tourists every
year. Its cool atmosphere provides a perfect haven for
the ones afflicted by the hot Indian summers. Besides
offering quite a few places for sightseeing, Manali
is also famous for adventure sports like skiing, hiking,
mountaineering, paragliding, rafting, trekking, kayaking,
and mountain biking.
Area : 5.12 sq km
Population : 2,500(approx.)
Places to see
Kothi
12 km. A quiet but picturesque spot. The Rest House
overlooks the narrow valley and commands views of the
mountains. Below Kothi, for more than a kilometre the
river Beas flows through a deep gorge, almost a subterranean
passage, 30 metres or more in depth, and the cliffs
which flank both sides of the canyon are a favourite
haunt for rock pigeons. The site of the bridge provides
an interesting historical episode in the early annals
of Kullu.
Solang Valley
13 km. A splendid valley between Manali and Kothi which
offers views of the glaciers and snow-capped mountain
peaks. The plateau is frequently used for holding camps
by the trekking parties. Good skiing slopes of the Mountaineering
Institute. Venue of annual winter carnival from February
10-14. Bus service upto Palchan village (10 km) and
then by jeep or on foot.
Rahla Falls
2 km from Kothi. Here the river Beas hurtles down from
a height of about 50 metres. Charming spot for picnics.
Manali Sanctuary
A bridle path from the Manali log huts goes past the
Dhoongri Temple and wanders into the dense deodar, kail,
horse chestnut, walnut and maple forest which is a part
of this sanctuary. Camping overnight in tents at Lambadug
or Galiani Thatch is possible. Lush green alpine pastures
and glaciers lie beyond Galiani Thatch. Musk deer, monal
and brown bear are often spotted. For those who venture
still further into the glacier zone in summer, there
are herds of ibex.
Around Manali:
Rohtang Pass
51 km. At an altitude of 4,112 metres on the highway
to Keylong, the pass affords a wide-spread panorama
of mountain scenery. In place of the pinnacled hills,
sheltered valleys and cultivated tracts, the eye meets
a range of precipitous cliffs, huge glaciers and piled
Moraine, and deep ravines. Almost directly opposite
is the well defined Sonepani glacier, slightly to the
left are the twin peaks of the Geypang, jagged pyramids
of rock, snow streaked and snow crowned.
The Beas river rises near the crest of Rohtang from
a block of Mica-Schist. The pass normally opens for
traffic after mid-June and officially closes in November.
To its left, 200 metres higher, is the little lake of
Sarkund (Dashair) visited by a number of people, the
general belief being that a bath in these waters effects
a cure of all bodily ailments-real or imaginary. 10
km before Rohtang is the barren-landscape of Marhi which
hums with activity during summer and autumn months because
almost everyone stops here for refreshments.
Keylong
117 km. A fair sized village amidst green fields of
barley and buckwheat, Keylong is the headquarters of
the Lahaul and Spiti district, surrounded with brown
hills and snowy heights. Karding Monastery overlooks
Keylong and is 3.5 km across the Chandra river while
Shashur Monastery is about 1 km. HPTDC Tourist Bungalow.
Triloknath and Udeypur
These are two important places of pilgrimage in Pattan
Valley. At Triloknath is a six armed image in white
marble of Avalokiteshvara, Bodhisattava. Visitors will
enjoy crossing the Chandra-Bhaga river and the trek
of 3 km to reach the destination. The temple of Marikula
at Udeypur is highly remarkable for its wood carvings.
Udeypur is 166 km from Manali.
How to reach?
By Air : The nearest airport is
Bhuntar, 52 km south of Manali. There are flights to
Delhi via Shimla.
By Rail : The closest narrow-gauge
railhead is at Jogindernagar, 135 km away. The closest
broad-gauge railheads are Chandigarh (310 km) and Ambala
(355 km).
By Road : Manali is well connected
by road. By road, the distance from Delhi via Mandi
is 585 km, and from Shimla the distance is 270 km
.
India
Tour Packages