Manali
2,050m · Beas river valley, Kullu district · the last proper town before the road climbs toward Lahaul, Spiti, and Ladakh.
Two towns, really — Mall Road and Old Manali.
Manali sits at around 2,050m on the Beas, and functions as two different places under one name. The Mall Road side is where most day-tour traffic lands — shops, hotels, restaurants. Old Manali, across the river, is quieter cafe lanes and guesthouses under cedar trees, popular with longer-staying travelers.
Either way, Manali is the practical staging point for the high country beyond it — Rohtang, Solang, and since 2020, the Atal Tunnel route into Lahaul, which now stays open through most of the winter.
A 500-year-old temple, and the road that changed the valley.
- 01Hadimba Devi TempleA wood-and-stone pagoda temple built in 1553, set inside a cedar forest just outside Old Manali.
- 02Rohtang Pass3,978m, the historic gateway to Lahaul — permit-controlled and seasonal, usually open late May to November.
- 03Atal TunnelOpened 2020, the world's longest highway tunnel above 3,000m — it now keeps Lahaul accessible for most of the year.
- 04VashishtA village just above Manali known for its natural hot spring baths.
- 05Solang ValleyManali's adventure-sports hub — see below.
Solang Valley does the heavy lifting.
Most of Manali's adventure activity concentrates in Solang, 13km out: paragliding over the valley, zorbing, and in winter, Himachal's most accessible skiing. Beyond Solang, the Beas offers river rafting closer to town, and the Hampta Pass and Beas Kund routes are the classic short treks based out of Manali.
Best time & getting here.
Best Time to Visit
March–June and September–December for the valley; December–February for snow at Solang. Rohtang Pass itself is only open roughly late May to November.
Getting Here
Nearest airport Bhuntar (Kullu–Manali), ~50 km. By road, ~270 km / 8–9 hrs from Shimla, or ~570 km from Delhi.
Activities
Paragliding and zorbing at Solang, river rafting on the Beas, trekking to Hampta Pass or Beas Kund, skiing in winter, mountain biking.
Good To Know
Rohtang Pass access is permit-controlled with a daily vehicle cap — we handle the permit as part of any itinerary that includes it.