Manali

One needs to just have an excuse to hit the Himalayas. None can be better than the April heat-wave. Asmi has been away in the UK so I decided to go on a solo trip to the mountains. It ended up not so solo, as my school friend Rahul opted to join me. We started from Gurgaon on a long 600 Km drive to Manali. It takes roughly 10 hours. We broke our journey in Chandigarh, stayed overnight and did the remaining 6 hours the next day. The journey through the mountains were fascinating with the ever improving road infrastructure in the region. Starting from four-lane hilly roads to several tunnels, it would make our journey smoother at every step. Every foot we climbed we were leaving the heat of the plains behind. However, only after we crossed Mandi and reached the Beas View point that we needed to wear our jackets. And we had to straightaway shift to our ‘severe’ winter gear. It was still snowing in Manali till about two days back and forecasts indicated that we would need full winter gear even though it was already May. The Beas View point showed us an amazing rainbow, something which I had never seen before.

After putting on our winter gear we drove towards Manali crossing Kullu on the way. We reached at the stroke of evening at 6:30 PM, checked into a modest yet convenient Hotel Hilltop close to mall road and soon hit the town with the mercury hitting a low 6 degrees. Just what I wanted. Over the next four days we would have some great experiences.

Hadimba Devi Temple

This is a major point of interest in Manali. It is just 2 Km from Mall Road and a pleasant half-day trip. This temple is dedicated Hadimba Devi, the demon who married Bhima in the Mahabharata, and the mother of the legendary Ghatotkacha who played a key role in the battle of Kurukshetra. There is also a small temple dedicated to Ghatotkacha but its the mother’s temple which is iconic.

Sissu Valley

This is THE trip that I have been looking forward to. This was a one hour drive from Manali, crossing the magnificent all-weather Atal Tunnel and enter a fairytale land withing the Himalayas with snow-capped mountains all around. This is seen to be believed. This is on the Manali-Leh highway. Earlier this had to be reached through the Rohtang Pass but now thanks to the tunnel, Rohtang Pass can be bypassed. Most importantly, the link between Manali and Lahaul valley is open throughout the year. Once out of the Atal Tunnel, on the left is Sissu Village and on the right is Koksar Village, which leads to Spiti Valley. We opted to visit Sissu Village.

Solang Valley

This is on the way from Manali towards the Atal Tunnel. This is a place to do several adventure activities like para-gliding and zip-line rides.

Sethan Village

Sethan Village is an offbeat location 17 km from Manali. It can be reached in forty-five minutes driving up the slope on a not so good road. This acts as a base for the Hampta Pass trek. Its a tranquil location far from the hustle and bustle of the touristy areas of Manali. On the way there are multiple resorts and igloos to stay where one can get breathtaking and gorgeous views of the mountains.

We had breakfast at one of the cozy cafes named Thakur Cafe and then just enjoyed our walk. This felt like another world altogether. For company we had sheep, goats, a dog and even grazing cows. From every angle we were watched and followed by the majestic Dhauladhar ranges of the Himalayas.

How cool is to have coffee and Maggi at an open air cafe like this, overlooking the majestic Himalayas. There are quite a few such cafes. This one run by two wonderful ladies.

Jogini Falls

Jogini Falls is situated around 4 Km from the Mall road towards the north in Vashisht Village. It is on the same route towards the Rohtang tunnel. It is a 150 feet high waterfall and to reach the top one has to trek for a 4-6 hours. It is a beautiful route through nature. Unfortunately due to the limited time available to us, we did not undertake the trek.

Mall Road, Manali

While on a holiday in Manali, one of the best things to do is to walk on Mall road at any time of the day. Be it the first thing in the morning or after a tiring day back from various touristy activities, Mall road is always there. It has an amazing array of restaurants and street food options. Local dishes like Momos and Siddu being the top attractions along with Maggi and Parathas. And of course several shops where you can purchase gifts for yourself and your near and dear ones.

Cafes and Food

Cafe 1947

The Cafe with the best views on the way from Manali to Atal Tunnel, very close to Jogini Falls. Enjoy some drinks and great music in the evenings with the rumbling of the Beas river in the background.

Cafe 1986

This one is right on Mall Road. Ideal place to have dinner and drinks with some live music and any live sports on the telly