Manali-The Snow-capped Valley Of India

Manali is a lovely city in the Kullu Valley region of Himachal Pradesh. It is basically a hill station located at a height of 6398 feet in the Himalayan Mountains. It is a popular tourist place for Indians and other foreigners who visit India. It is a famous tourist destination in summer and during winter the snow covered caps depict a magical view to the whole place.

You can even go trekking at the Chandrakhani Pass and Beas Kund. Manali is just 550 kilometers from Delhi. There are numerous buses that connect you with the township from Delhi and Shimla. You can make reservations for a bus ride from Delhi to Manali at State Bus Terminus or at the Tourism office. You may even hire a private car or taxi to get to Manali, but enquire if the driver is adept to drive through the hilly areas. If you want to travel in train, the nearest railroad is Ambala or Chandigarh from Delhi. But after alighting you may have to take a bus transport to reach Manali.

Foreign Tourists and Indians who prefer the luxury of an airplane can catch flights from Delhi and Chandigarh to Kullu airport. Major airlines like Air Deccan and Jagson Airlines have flights that operate from Delhi to Kullu.

There are many wondrous spots in Manali that is a feast to the eyes. Rohtang Pass is one such place; it is at an altitude of 13,050 feet above sea level. And surprisingly for the hot Indian subcontinent, the place is cold and chilly even on average Indian summer days. The Rohtang Pass is the highest point of Manali. And the view from such a height is majestic and awesome. You can get a magnificent view of the Himalayan Mountains that surpass the clouds in its pristine glory. There are several small lakes, one such lake is the Dassaur Lake. During winter season the Rohtang Pass is closed for security reasons.

Rahala waterfalls are another hotspot for tourists, about 16 kms from main Manali, these falls are located at a gigantic altitude of 2,501 meters. Apart from these Manali is dotted with many monasteries and shrines. The Buddhist monasteries are very popular and commonly known as Gompas. The financial management of the gompas is taken care with help of donations from Manali locals and through sale of hand-made carpets, which are sold in temple workshops.

Old Manali is situated at the northern side of Manali at an approximate distance of 3 km. Old Manali is very popular for its lovely flower orchards and old age guest houses and lodges. There is an old fort known as Manaligarh, which is presently in ruins. The famous Manu Maharishi Temple is also there and is mainly devoted to the great sage Manu.

Manali is one of main tourist destination of Northern India and Indian Tourist Department is thankful to the boom of foreigners every year to visit Hill stations like Kullu Manali and many others. Apart from traditional temples there are also lovely shopping arenas. The hilly surroundings are home to many wild animals that live in extreme climatic conditions of the Northern India.