This was our dream trip, a four day trip to Manali - "The abode of Manu". As every Delhiite does, we undertook this trip in the midst of the hot summer months in Delhi, so June it was. The drive itself is almost more than 11 hours. When you go by your own transport, the advantages are many.... The start the stop and the pit stops are your choice... your wish..I always feel that it is a good way to explore than going by guided tour operators.
So with all the knowledge from the internet and Lonely planet we set out for Manali at 3 in the morning, our idea was to take a pit stop at Heritage Haveli ( Rupnagar, India) which is the best available on the way. The place is situated almost midway and is clean and even has rooms available if you want to take an overnight pit stop. Once you cross Rupnagar the terrain changes drastically, almost throughout the trip you will be travelling through the banks of River Sutlej River, there are many eateries on the way, so you would not have to worry about food (can’t vouch for cleanliness though). Mandi is also a good place to stop over, but once you leave the town area there is nothing on the way.
We had booked our stay at Banon Resorts, Manali, which was situated just before Old Manali and was within walking distance from the Manu Temple and the lovely Old Manali Market. We reached the hotel in the evening by 6. More about the hotel later.
Though tired from a whole day of travel, we decided to explore Old Manali, the weather was really awesome. It was the best decision ever. With the quaint lanes and boho vibes Old Manali is a haven. There are little shops selling trinkets, Bikes on rent, coffee shops where you can sit by and watch the whole market bustling.
The cafes are another story altogether, as most of them are near the gushing river and overlooking the valley it is just serene to sit around with live music in the background and good company. We chose Cafe 1974, as it had the most rating on TripAdvisor, and it was just wow. Ensure that whichever cafe in Manali you choose you should definitely order trout fish. The fish here is almost always freshly caught and the taste is just awesome. The evening was the perfect start to our trip.
The next day, we decided to do the tourist stuff, now this includes going to Solang Valley or Rothang Pass, walking over the Mall Road. A note on Solang Valley and Rothang Pass - for someone who has experienced snow before this will be a very very disappointing trip. Especially if you are taking the trip during the peak summer/tourist season, the winding roads are filled with the cars and the buses going up the valley creating chaotic traffic throughout the trip and even once you are there it is not snow it is slush and mud....
To overcome the disappointment of the trip to Rothang Pass, we decided to take a walk along the Mall Road. It was an experience in itself. It is very very crowded. At the end of Mall Road, there is a Buddhist Temple, it is worth visiting. Behind the Buddhist Temple is a Tibetan Market(authentic) they have all Tibetan stuff - I shopped my heart out here. Tibetan Pray flags, dried mushrooms, ceramic ware, you name it, you will get it here. They also had some amazing silk shawls- i didn't buy them, so cannot give a review.
We asked one of the shop owners for an authentic Tibetan restaurant and they suggested we go to Chopsticks. So we went there for our dinner and we were hooked. This was from where we had our dinner three out of four days that we stayed in Manali. The food was delicious and the staff was so friendly. If you are into Tibetan food - read momo, wontons and thukpa - I would suggest that you should give this restaurant a try. We walked back from the mall road to our hotel, it was not a long walk, (if you are someone okay with crowds and traffic then it is fine walking, otherwise take an autorickshaw).
The next day we did a day trip to Kasol and Manikaran. The road to Kasol is much more rugged than the one to Manali. Once you reach there the first thing that anyone would notice is the number of Isreali shops and Isreali tourists that you get to see here. This is also the best place to be if you are a nature lover. Other than for the occasional sound of vehicles passing by the only sound that you can hear is the water gushing through the river and the birds chirping. It was a very peaceful experience.
Manikaran is famous for the Gurudwara and the hot springs. Though not as clean as other Gurdwaras it is worth a visit and the hot springs are also a thing of wonder.
I would not recommend doing much shopping here as most of the stuff they have caters to the foreign tourists, read very very expensive. Almost all the shops here have amazing stuff, but it was obnoxiously priced.
Again we drove back and went back to our favorite restaurant for dinner, while ordering dinner I came upon an item mentioned in there menu which they had listed stating that we should order 24 hours in advance. Now being the crack that I am persuaded by my beloved to place the order for that dish for dinner the next day.
We went back to our hotel and as it was still early evening we decided to explore Old Manali. We did some shopping and also rented out a Royal Enfield for the trip the next day.
The next morning we got our rented bike and started exploring Manali the way we really wanted to explore. It was fun, it was adventurous and it was tiring. It was every bit worth the sore muscles that we had at the end of the day :). We went to the Manu Temple first, and then set on our trip to Jana Waterfalls and Naggar Castle. On the way we also took time to go to the rope way. There is not much here but the rope-way experience was really good. Next to the rope-way there is also a quarry, where you can drive AVRs, it is really fun for kids and adults alike.
We also went to Jana waterfalls, on the way we came across a trout farm. This was really unexpected, but one of the highlights of the trip for sure. The farm itself was situated just by a waterfall. They have a restaurant on the farm where they catch the fish that you choose and will grill or bake it for you. The farm is a must visit if you have kids along with you. they will really enjoy the whole package.
After a lovely trout fish snack we set off on the road again. The road to Jana waterfall was in a really bad shape. Full of potholes .... We reached Jana waterfalls by noon. There is not much to do here other than a zip rope ride and the waterfall. There are some shacks around the waterfall which caters to the tourists coming. They have local pahadi food on offer, and if you are anyone like me who likes to taste different cuisine i would recommend having your lunch at one of the shacks. So you can expect red rice, some dal and vegetables and sidhu ( this is a local bread, usually steamed) with ... yes you guessed it right Pepsi.
After lunch we set out to Naggar castle, the castle is situated on a hilltop and the view from here is again beautiful. Full of intricate works and artifacts from the bygone era it was a wonderful experience.
Once back at the hotel, we returned the rented bike and we got ready our dinner at Chopsticks. As we still hand time in hand to reach Chopsticks, we went to Johnsons Restaurant. The music and food here are amazing. This is a must visit if you love continental food.
After a quick snack we set off on foot to Chopsticks, the dinner in itself was a huge surprise, Gyakok - the dish that we ordered in advance was ready. It took us a long time to finish and we both had our tummy and heart all full.
We returned the next day, relaxed, tired with a mind full of memories which we still reminisce.
A note on the hotel we stayed; Banon Resorts, Manali. The hotel itself is situated on the road leading to Old Manali. It is walk able distance from both Old Manali and Mall Road. The rooms are big and airy, the service is good and the washrooms are clean. In all it is a good budget hotel.
Happy Musings
Tina
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