Your mind immediately jumps to all the exciting things you can do in and around the resort town of Manali the moment you mention its name. Is that how we should characterize this city? One area of Manali that we have yet to discover is filled with breathtaking vistas, towering deodar forests, shimmering lakes, and endless pastures. We know that the Himachal Pradesh hill town is one of the most popular tourist spots in all of India, but let’s do it right!
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Hadimba Temple
Hadimba Temple, also known as Dhungri Temple, is an architectural and artistic recreation of a scene from the Mahabharata. The temple was built for Hidimba Devi, one of Pandava Prince Bhima’s wives, and it is surrounded by towering deodar trees.
The temple’s sanctum is a cave shrine in pagoda style, where worshippers believe they can see the deity’s actual footprints. With the snow-capped Himalayas as a backdrop, the temple is undeniably one of the most photogenic spots in all of Manali.
Solang Valley
The most popular destination in Manali is the open valley with its meadows, blue skies, and breathtaking views. With the Himalayas as a backdrop, the Solang Valley is a veritable medley of nature.
All through the year, the valley is a hive of activity thanks to the influx of visitors. In the summer, visitors can go paragliding, zorbing, camping, rock climbing, or take a gondola ride, while in the winter, the valley is transformed into a snow territory where thrilling snow sports like skiing and snowboarding can be enjoyed.
The valley also hosts a number of annual state and national ski championships.
Rohtang Pass
One of Manali’s most popular sights, Rohtang Pass, can be found along a winding mountain road in the Pir Panjal Range. The pass provides summertime access to Lahaul and Spiti, two popular destinations among outdoor enthusiasts, creative types, and photographers.
The pass closes for the winter at the end of November due to the massive amounts of snowfall. Exciting activities like skiing, paragliding, and trekking are also available to visitors.
The Government has restricted overcrowding of the destination by enforcing regulated access of tourists in order to protect the pass’s delicate beauty, the alpine ecosystem, and the small creeks. Absolutely no visit to Manali would be complete without checking out this landmark.
Old Manali
A quiet pilgrimage town before tourists discovered it, Old Manali is a land of the past. Set against a backdrop of snow-capped mountains, this sleepy town is the stuff of summer vacation fantasies, thanks to its quaint neighborhoods full of historic mountain homes and apple orchards.
Manali has everything you need for a fulfilling vacation: ancient temples, riverside cafes, and manageable hiking trails. In Old Manali, the local markets sell souvenirs made by hand, and the pace of life slows down so that you can take a deep breath and relax in the beauty of nature.
Manali Gompa
Manali Gompa is the place to be if you’re looking for an experience of transcendental joy. The Tibetan exiles constructed this Buddhist monastery in 1960; it is also known as the Gadhan Thekchhokling Gompa.
This Buddhist temple is a popular destination in Manali thanks to its stunning pagoda-style yellow roof and magnificent murals depicting Buddhist ethics.
Tourists stop at Manali Gompa to meditate and contemplate the complex’s stunning architecture. The gift shops on the premises feature authentic Tibetan arts and crafts and rugs.
Hampta Pass
The Hampta Pass is a major draw for visitors to Manali. Manali is a mecca for thrill-seekers who want to lay back and enjoy the exciting challenges life has to offer.
Hampta Pass is a mountain pass on the Pir Panjal Range that requires hikers to ascend to an altitude of about 14,000 feet. The route to the pass includes fording rivers and passing through verdant meadows surrounded by pine and deodar trees.
The pass is an unparalleled setting for those who enjoy nature’s splendor. If you’re in Manali, you can’t miss the pass.
Manikaran
Tourists flock to Himachal Pradesh’s Parvati Valley to visit Manikaran because legend has it that two gods coexist there. Manikaran, a holy site for Hindus and Sikhs alike, is a microcosm of India’s rich religious mosaic.
The holy Gurudwara Manikaran Sahib shrine of Sri Gurunanak Dev is located in this town just 79.3 kilometers from Manali. The story goes that while Guru Nanak Dev and his followers were trekking through the Himalayas, they ran out of food. Bhai Mardana, a close friend of Guru Ji’s, was tasked with acquiring supplies for the langar.
There was plenty of food donated, but no way to cook it because there was no fire. When Guru Nanak Dev lifted a rock, a hot spring bubbled up there, and that’s where the food was cooked.
The Sikhs continue to use the holy water from the spring today to prepare their meals. Because of this, Manikaran is the place to go if you’re looking for a peaceful and enlightening spiritual experience.
Great Himalayan National Park
The Great Himalayan National Park is widely regarded as one of Manali’s top attractions, and for good reason. Himalayan wild animals are hidden in the great alpine grasslands that are surrounded by dense pine and deodar forests.
There are over 1,000 plant species, 209 bird species, and 31 mammal species in the park, many of which are threatened or endangered. Photographers specializing in wildlife love to explore fields of wildflowers in search of elusive and dangerous animals.
The snow leopard is the most dangerous animal in the reserve. In the designated areas of the park, visitors can enjoy activities like hiking and camping.
Jogini Waterfalls
Jogini is revered by the locals, who have erected numerous shrines at its foot. White water cascading over the rocks is a sight to behold.
You’ve found paradise at Jogini Falls if you’re looking for a quiet, undiscovered place. The falls are one of the best things to do in Manali, and getting there only requires a short hike through some beautiful scenery, including wild orchards, small creeks, and pine woods.
Bhrigu Lake
Bhrigu Lake, at the foot of Bhrigu peak, is a natural wonder bestowed upon us by the Himalayas. One of Manali’s finest hiking routes. Peaks covered in snow rise on all sides of the lake, as if to shield it from the outside world.
One of India’s seven great sages, Maharishi Bhrigu, supposedly meditated here. Because of this, the lake is considered holy, and even when the temperature drops to extremely low levels, the water never completely freezes over.
To cool off, the locals say their heavenly deities do the same in this sacred lake. And if you don’t want to go for the hike or the natural beauty, at least go for the mystery!
Manu Temple
Learn about the beginnings of our species at the historic Manu Temple. Many people think a global flood brought about the end of the world. Then, to save humanity, Lord Vishnu appeared as Matsya to forewarn Sage Vaivasvata Manu.
Sage Manu took his own advice and constructed a ship large enough to carry his family, nine varieties of seeds, and a variety of animals and birds to help repopulate the Earth after the end of the world. They say that after the flood, sage Manu meditated here on the ground, and that’s why the temple was built there. Being the sole temple of its kind, this shrine to the great sage is a major draw for visitors to Manali.