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Snow clad peaks, peaceful environs, amazing flora and fauna, beautiful apple orchards, audacious activities, chilled out cafes, bars and lots and lots of shopping- that’s what Manali is all about.

The lovely hill station is perched on the northern edge of the Kullu Valley - just 40 kms away from Kullu, at an altitude of 1,926 metres, and makes a wonderful holiday destination ideal for a family vacation, a honeymoon or on your own. The mighty River Beas hurtling through Manali adds a dramatic tone and you can spend hours watching the river rush by.

Over the last few years Manali has developed into a major hill resort, chock-a-block with modern hotels and tourist lodges. The Mall or main bazaar in Manali is the hub of activity, flooded with shops, restaurants, trekking and mountaineering outfits and wayside food stalls.

Manali’s rapid ascent as a major tourist destination has been accelerated mainly by its tranquil and verdant surroundings- travellers who wish to seek solace come to the tiny hamlet to get soaked up in the environment and admire its spectacular landscapes, lush green valleys,

and meadows along with its mystical mountain lakes and rivers.

The excellent combination of wooded forests, snow covered slopes, lush green valleys and the swirling waters of the mighty Beas make Manali an ideal destination for treks and mountaineering expeditions into the Solang Valley and over the Rohtang Pass into Lahaul-Spiti.

It is also the beginning of the epic two-day trans-Himalayan journey up to the cold desert town of Leh in Ladakh, connected by the Leh-Manali highway. Manali comes alive in winter with immense skiing and ice skating opportunities- it is often called The Land of Snowballs and Skiing!

So travel to Manali and explore the natural beauty of Manali.

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Manali Charas is very popular and many tourists are lured here by the temptation to try it. But be warned- it is illegal even in the smallest quantity and local police are not averse to arresting people for possession or sting them for bribes.

Thrill seekers- be prepared to face the tough rapids of the Beas River, take up arduous treks or go skiing in the winter.

Nature lovers- admire the mesmerizing beauty of the little hamlet or just laze around fishing. The best rainbow trout are to be found in the river and streams flowing through here. For some R & R relax at the hot sulphur springs of Manali.

Shopoholics- get the best handcrafted shawls and rugs.

Believe it or not, legend has it that the human race was revived in Manali. According to the belief, as the entire earth was once drowning in a flood, Manu, a mythical character, step off his extraterrestrial boat at Manali and helped to recreate human life. He also saved the Vedas and the seven sages from this inundation. The region was initially known as Manu-alaya or abode of Manu, and the name was later changed to Manali. So all

you religious ones don’t forget to pay reverence at the Manu and Hadimba Devi Temple. After all this is Manali where there’s something for everyone!

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Historically Speaking

Manali's `history' is really more myth than history. According to the Hindu mythology, Manali was the home of the lawgiver Manu (after whom the town is named). Legend has it that when a flood deluged the earth, Manu and the gods were towed to dry ground by a giant fish, which was the seventh `avatar' of the god Vishnu. The area where Manu eventually found refuge was Manali.

Whether that's actually how it happened or not, Manali remained a fairly quiet place, more or less unknown to the outside world, till pretty recently. During the 20th century, the British started to frequent the town- its climate and natural beauty were equable enough- and Manali gradually began to acquire the reputation of a tourist destination. This reputation got a bit tarnished during the 1970s and 80s, however, mainly because of the discovery that marijuana grown around the town was particularly good.