Travel Guide > Asia > India > Himachal Pradesh > Manali
Manali at about 2000 metres above sea level is one of most popular mountain resort in the state of Himachal Pradesh. Though it lacks the colonial characteristics of Shimla, yet it has grown over the years into a major hill resort with numerous hotels, lodges, resorts and offers a range of adventure sports activities. Situated along the Beas River, it offers breathtaking views of the surrounding snow capped mountain peaks. Originally known as Manu-alaya or the abode of Manu, the Hindu Law giver, the name was later simplified to Manali.
Manali also serves as a base camp for trekking and mountaineering expeditions into the Solang Valley and over the Rohtang Pass into the Lahaul-Spiti region. It is also the starting point of the epic 2 day Trans Himalayan journey to the cold desert region of Laddakh, connected by the Leh-Manali highway.
Traditionally Manali is a Hindu town with the important shrine dedicated to the Goddess Hadimba and the temple of Manu. However, in recent times a large population of Tibetan refugees has set up a mini-township with ‘Gompas’ and prayer flags fluttering across the houses.
Some of the important sites of tourist importance in the city are:
Some of the excursions that can be undertaken are:
The nearest airport is at Bhuntar, 10 Kms from Kullu and 50 Kms from Manali. Regular bus service is available from the airport to Kullu and Manali. Taxis are also available but they usually operate on a fixed fare basis.
The nearest railhead is Jogindernagar, which is around 135 Kms from Manali.
Manali is well connected by road to most of the North Indian towns. Bus stand is right in the centre of the town and frequent buses are available from Manali to other important towns like Shimla, Kullu, Chandigarh, Delhi, etc. State Transport Corporation has recently inducted modern air conditioned buses on important routes like Manali-Shimla and Manali- Delhi.
Plenty of Taxis/Autos are available to explore the city. It is better to fix the rate before boarding any vehicle as most of the meters in auto are not working.
| Property | Address | Type | Popularity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Camp Sarchu Heights | Near Beas Bridge Manali 175131 | Campsite | - |
| Hotel Holiday Village | Katrain Kullu | Hotel | - |
| Hotel Snow Princess | National Highway Rangri Manali | Hotel | - |
| Sarthak Resorts | Village and post office Khakhnal Tehsil Manali District Kullu Himachal Pradesh | Hotel | 95 |
| Solang Valley Camp Retreat | 1st Campsite, Solang Valley, Manali, Himachal Prad Ambeji House, d-1-64,janak puri | Campsite | - |
Cyber cafes are available in the main market with access rates of around 40-80 rupees per hour.
This is version 2. Last edited at 12:50 on Jul 17, 09 by arif_kool (+551). 2 articles link to this page.

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