Location of Manali : - Manali is a serene hill station in state of Himachal Pradesh,it is situated around 545 km from the national capital Delhi. The state capital Shimla is around 270 kms from this small town. Chandigarh is around 300 kms from Manali. Manali lies in the kullu district of Himachal Pradesh the northern state of India.

How to Reach Manali

The Best Way to Reach Manali is by Road : - You can hire a taxi from Chandigarh / Shimla/Delhi to reach Manali, the road to Manali is reasonably good, though the hill roads are susceptible to landslides and sudden disruption any case of such eventuality is taken care off swiftly and promptly, the road to Manali is quite wide and is taken good care. Apart from the taxi you can even book a seat on the overnight Volvo bus service operating from Delhi. These buses leave Delhi around 10 pm and reach Manali in the morning at round 9-10 am. The non ac roadways buses are also readily available from major cities like Chandigarh/Shimla/Ludhiana/Delhi and all other cities of Himachal.

Manali By Air : - The nearest airport is the airport at Bhuntar which is located at a distance of 50 kms from manali and around 10 kms from the city of Kullu. This airport has reasonable connectivity with cities like Delhi. Apart from the regular flights, the Himachal Pradesh government also operates a charter service in association with Pawan hans, these charter flights connect Bhuntar with Chandigarh , Kullu and Dharamshala.

Manali By Train : - There is no operational broadguage railway station near the Manali city all the major stations are around 300 kms from Manali.This is the distance chart of Major stations from.

Pathankot-325 kms
Chandigarh- 310 kms
Kalka- 275 kms
Kiratpur- 268 kms

Even the nearest narrow gauge railway station lies at Joginder nagar around 175 kms from Manali. So after alighting at all these stations you will have to travel to Manali by road. Taxi is sure the best way to reach Manali as you can enjoy the lush green scenery even can stop and buy the organic fruits available throughout the year, in summers the orchards produce peach and cherry which the travelers can purchase fresh and enjoy, in winters the apples are available fresh from these orchards. Numerous springs arising from the high hills make the journey to manali a never to forget experience. The road side eateries (Dhaba’s) serve sumptuous hill cuisine, kidney bean and lentils can be relished at any Dhaba even the ever available Maggie noodles makes a good snack.

If you are a nature lover and love to enjoy the cool serene grooves with long trees then Manali is sure your destination. The high Himalayan peaks laden the year around with snow caps surround this city of Himachal. Numerous huge waterfalls arise from these peaks Manali is an ideal destination for those who seek peace and serenity amongst rich Himalyan flora and fauna. If you are a newlywed then this small sleepy town gives you all the privacy in the midst of green meadows.

If you live in a busting metropolitan city and have a very strict and tight schedule then Manali is an ideal gateway for you, you can unwind yourself relishing in the lap of nature re collecting all your energies surrounded by pure Himalayan air full of vital oxygen. The city is small but with ample amenities for travelers there are numerous hotels fitting all budgets, there are all sorts of eateries and restaurants serving the customers. There are numerous sightseeing opportunities and Manali is a start point for further excursions to leh- Ladakh, Lahaul-Spiti. Drive to Leh is a full day job and travelers who are thrill seekers do try out the Leh-Manali route which has numerous water crossings, high altitude passes and adrenaline raising off road tracks. The scenery on this road is breath taking. Now even this road is used by the freight trucks ferrying oil and gas to the city of leh. The Atal tunnel under the Rohtang pass has made this route open almost entire year.

Manali is also a city to start a journey to the area of Lahaul and Spiti. The road to Kaja via Kunjum pass is an experience and an activity for the thrill seekers. Atal tunnel also facilitates the travelers who aspire to travel to Lahaul and Spiti from Manali. The river Beas near Kullu offers an excellent opportunity for river rafting, the river has many rough patterns, An experience here is worth the pain. The jungles of Manali offer many trekking opportunities. The city experiences a severe winter with lots of snow fall so if you are desirous of experiencing the snow fall and want to enjoy the snow activities then Manali is a destination for you in winters. Adventurous activities like para gliding, para sailing, horse riding are also available in manali.

Major tourist spots in Manali

An old ancient tale of the pandavas how they came to Manali and one of the pandavas the “ Mahabali” bheem. Married an indigenous tribal women named “Hidimba” A son was born off this conjugation he was named Ghatotkach. Hidimba is revered as a deity in a temple of Manali. This temple has a very different peculiar architecture inspired by the pagoda architecture. The tall trees surrounding this temple make the scene a perfect picture. There is an effigy of Hidimba and her son Ghatotkach at the temple. Do visit this temple not only for religious reasons, sure this place is worth a visit.

Solang Valley: - Located at a distance of just 13 kms from the city of Manali this valley is famous for its lush green meadows, the amazing blue skies, and great spectacles. The Solang valley can be enjoyed in summers when the temperature is very conducive the green grass underneath and the blue skies create an angelic communion, you can enjoy various adventures activities like paragliding para sailing, rock climbing, camping, trekking etc here. In winters when this area is all under a thick snow cover then this place is a paradise for snow activities like skiing, snowboarding, enjoying ride on snow scooters etc.

Rohtang Paas: - Located at a distance of 50 kms from the city of Manali the eastern end of the high Pir Panjal mountains have a pass which connects Kullu valley via road with the Keylong city and Lahaul Spiti area of Himachal Pradesh, this road also connects the city of leh with the Manali, strategically too this pass was very important, Leh has two road links with mainland India one is through Shrinagar-Kargil and the other is through Rohtang pass-Keylong-Leh. In 1999 Pakistan waged a war with India when they bombarded the road to Leh and occupied the high peaks of Kargil Indian armed forces forcefully evicted the Pakistani army from these mountains. This war is still remembered every year a war memorial exists at Kargil.

The high Rohtang pass offers spectacular views of the glaciers, high mountain peaks; the pass is only open during the summers and remains closed during the cold winter months. A tunnel under the Rohtang paas has been constructed which is open throughout the year thus facilitating smooth movement of troops between Manali and Leh area even in winter months. This tunnel is called the Atal tunnel.

Tourist need to get a pass to visit the Rohtang pass as the Government wants to avoid big crowds in this eco sensitive area. The views of high mountains laden with snow make the visit worthwhile. Multifarious activities based on snow cover can be carried on while you visit the Rohtang paas. The elevation of Rohtang paas from sea level is 3980 meters (13058 ft).

Jogini Waterfalls: - if you are desirous then set out on a trek, located at a comfortable distance from the town of Manali walking across a lush green country side; you will reach the Jogini falls. The location is just amazing the tall trees, the snow capped mountains of Rohtang to sum it all it’s a wonderful scenery made complete by the gushing waters of a high perched cascade. There are many old Hindu religious shrines at the bottom of the Jogini falls. So either picnic or just trek and enjoy the serene beauty of the Jogini falls the decision is yours.

Manali Gompa: - During the 1960’s the political upheavals in Tibet led lots of Tibetans to seek political refuge in India, most of them chose Himachal as their home these Tibetan refugees who practice the Buddhist religion made a Buddhist temple called Gompa in Manali. This temple displays classical traits of Tibetan architecture. The Buddhist ideology and important events have been portrayed in the Manali Gompa, the sloping roofs, the flying Buddhist religious flagss, the prayer drums exhibit the religious vibes. This place is sure worth visit on a tour of Manali.