Hello friends! Today, I am taking you to a
majestic Himalayan resort town which will not only refresh your mood, but also lift
your adrenaline rush by offering you some of the best adventurous activities in
India.
Friends, I am talking about Manali, one of
the most popular Indian hill stations situated in the state of Himachal
Pradesh. The beautiful town is encircled with lofty Himalayan Mountains and the
lush green forests. Apart from this, its rustic culture, colorful markets,
adventure sports and delicious local cuisine are some of the major reasons that
attract tourists to visit this amazing destination. So, I would suggest you to
make aweekend trip to this wonderful spot. It is a perfect tourist destination to
visit with friends and family and is budget-friendly too.
Places
to Visit in Manali
Friends, it is important to plan in advance
to make your Manali sightseeing more wonderful and interesting. It’s each and
every place is worth watching. So here I am starting with pilgrimage sites in
Manali and its surrounding.
Hadimba
Devi Temple:
Actually, the temple is an ancient cave
dedicated to Hidimbi Devi, wife of Bhima. The temple is built in pagoda structure type,
which it makes somewhat different to others temples in India. The place is
associated with Mahabharata. It is said that
the whole of the region was ruled by a demon who was the brother Hidimbi Devi.
During their exile, Pandavas were passing through this place and on the request
of locals, Bhima Killed demon and married his sister. Hidimbi and Bhima fell in
love with each other. After marriage, Hadimba gave birth to son named
Ghatotkachh. Wooden Carvings inside the temple are worth watching.
Key
Points
-Temple is accessible
by road; you can take your vehicle up-to temple’s stairs.
- To avoid annoying
traffic, park your vehicle a KM. behind and walk to temple enjoying nature, if
you can.
- Get your pictures
clicked in traditional dresses, which are offered by nearby shopkeepers.
- Very important thing- To avoid heavy
queue rush in temple, visit temple early morning.
Manali
Bazaar:
Manali has its own beautiful bazaar that is
parted into three major parts Mall road market, Old Manali market and Tibetan
Market. So, if you want to buy a souvenir to keep your Manali trip memorable,
Manali Bazaar gives you lots of options.
Key
Points:
-Hand-woven carpets, shawls, rugs are worth
to buy in Mall Road Market
-If you’re decorative items, you can also
buy Tibetan artifacts and souvenirs from Tibetan Market.
Manali
Sanctuary:
Friends, if you’re on long vacation, then
you have lots options around Manali, but if you have to limited time and want
to visit best of Manali, head to its amazing sanctuary. Manali sanctuary is one
of the best places to visit in Manali in one day. It’s just a 2 kms distance
from the main Manali where you can seek pleasure in Himalayan flora and fauna.
Key
Points:
-Sometimes you may have to go 10-15 kms
ahead inside the park to see animals, depends on your luck.
Solang
Valley:
Friends, as I said above, Manali is
equally best place for adventure lovers along with nature lover; Solang valley
is the place where you can enjoy ice skating and paragliding. Few Ski agencies
are set up around the place which operates during winters. However, you can
enjoy Para-gliding, horse riding, and ropeway all year around.
Key
Points
For ice skating January is the best time
You can also head to an oldest temple
Anjaani Mahadeve, located 2.5 Kms from here.
Recommended for honeymooners
Jogini
Falls:
I personally liked this place so much in
Manali. I find myself very close to Mother Nature. Serene atmosphere, natural
sound of waterfall I think you can count yourself lucky, once you’re here. Sit
near to this eye-pleasing waterfall and enjoy tiny droplets of water on your
face.
-Best place for meditation as very less
people go here.
-You need to trek 1.5 km from Vashishta temple to reach here.
-There is no shop for food here, so keep
some snacks and water bottles with you.
Manikaran
Shahib:
The sacred place is approximately 35 kms
from Kullu and 80 kms from Manali. The founder of Sikhism Guru Nanak Ji came to
this place during third Udasi. There is a huge Gurudwara here on the right bank
of river Parvati. Every day thousands of devotes come here to seek blessing.
Key
Points
-Don’t forget to have bath in hot and holly
springs of Manikaran before going for prayer
- Relish the mouth watering langar (God’s
food).
Rohtang
Pass:
32 Miles away from Manali on Eastern Pir
Panjal Range, Rohtang Pass is a high mountain pass that connects the Lahaul and
Spiti Valleys. It is located on an elevation of 13,051 ft that remains open
only from May to November.
Key
Points
- With enchanting and
picturesque landscapes you may also face traffic in as lots of people head to
this place in season. I would suggest you head to this place as early as you
can in morning
- If you’re going through a local taxi
service, beware they may insist you to rent local winter clothes. They would
tell you that Rohtang pass is too cold; yes it is cold but not more than their
intention.
Vashishta Temple:
It is
almost 4000 years old ancient temple in old Manali. The beautiful temple is
dedicated to Rishi Vashistha, one of the seven
sages of Hindu.
Key Points
- You can have an exceptional view of the Beas River from the
temple.
- Bathing in hot water springs is an amazing experience here.
Friends, visiting Manali and not having its
local street food, is like you’re enjoying half of Manali trip. Believe me the
town gives best mouthwatering authentic local food that you would hardly get in
any 5 star hotels.
Trout
Fish:
If you love to eat Non Veg trout fish is
fantastic to have here, which is caught from the local river. The Johnson Café
is a perfect place to have it where it is served with roasted almond sauce.
Italian
Pizza:
Italian Pizza is another best food to eat
in Manali. There are lots of small-big restaurants in Mall Road that serve
Italian Pizza. I would personally recommend you to go to IL Forno Restaurant,
which is located on Hadimba Road. It is run by a foreigner lady. The best part
of their pizza is they use everything organic from their own garden.
Dham:
Dham is an authentic food of Manali that is
cooked during wedding ceremonies in Himachal Pradesh. It includes rice, curry,
and sweetened rice. There are many food eateries in Mall road that offer this
amazing, mouth watering dish.
Chinese
and Tibetan Food:
Chinese and Tibetan food is worth to taste
in Manali. Some shops are really good, especially which are far from Mall road.
May be because of they have less customer; they make it from their heart.
I hope you liked this post. Please do comment for your
suggestions and stay connected to read our next travel blog.