India Travel
The Manali-Leh Highway in Himachal Pradesh
Since it opened to foreign tourists in 1989, the famous Manali-Leh highway has deservedly replaced the old Srinagar Kargil route as the most popular approach to Ladakh. In summer, a stream of clapped-out government buses, private minibuses and Enfield motorcycles set off from the Kullu Valley to travel along the second-highest road in the world, which reaches a dizzying altitude of 5328m. Its surface varies wildly, from fairly smooth asphalt through potholes of differing depths, to dirt tracks sliced by glacial streams, traversing a starkly beautiful lunar wilderness peopled only by nomadic shepherds, tar-covered road coolies, and the gloomy soldiers that man the isolated military checkpoints.
Depending on road conditions, the 485-kilometre journey can take anything from twenty-six to thirty hours. Bus drivers cover more distance on the first day than the second, stopping for a short and chilly night in one of the overpriced tent camps along the route. These, however, are few and far between after September 15. when the highway officially closes, In practice, all this means is that the Indian government won’t airlift you out if you get trapped in snow; some companies run regardless. For more details on transport between Manali and Leh
Related Properties from Gurgaon
New Manali in Himachal Pradesh
Situated a couple of kilometres south of Manali on the left bank of the Beas, the developing strip of hotels here include the Holiday Inn (01902/52262), Manali Ashok (01902/53103), Honeymoon Inn (01902/53234), Imperial Palace (01902/53330) and a couple of cheaper ones such as the Evergreen (01902/53038) and the Narayan (01902/53133).
Sarchu Serai to Tanglang La in Himachal Pradesh
Sarchu Serai packs up for the season from September 15. Northbound buses thereafter press on over Lachuglang La (5019m), the second highest pass on the highway, to the tent camp at Pang (4500m), which stays open longer. Unfortunately, this means that the drive through one of the most dramatic stretches of the route, through an incredible canyon, is in darkness. Sarchu Serai is also 2500m higher than Manali, and travellers coming straight from Manali nught suffer from the higher altitude here. The army camp at Pang, 3km north of the serai, stands at the mouth of the Pang Gorge at the
Moving on from Dharamsala in Himachal Pradesh
Indian Airlines fly thrice weekly to Delhi (Mon, Wed, Fri 3pm). HRTC run numerous buses to destinations in Himachal Pradesh, Delhi and Chandigarh. Most travellers prefer to book "deluxe" buses through operators in McLeod Ganj near the bus stand. Try Himachal Travels (01892/21428) or Potala Tours & Travels, Bhagsu Road, opposite Hotel Tibet (01892/21378). Buses to Pathankot, handy for train connections and road access to Dalhousie and Chamba leave every 30min from the rains bus stand in the lower town. As well as the services listed in the Travel Details on p.589, there are two or three buses a week
Manali to Beas Kund in Himachal Pradesh
The relatively easy trek to Beas Kund, a glacial lake at the head of Solang nala, is the region's most popular short hike. Encircled by 5000-metre-plus peaks, the well-used campground beside the lake, accessible in two days from Manali, makes a good base for side-trips up to the surrounding ridges and passes. From Palchan, a village 30min north of Manali by bus, follow the Jeep track up the valley to Solang, site of a small ski station, rest house, and the Mountaineering Institute's log huts. The next two hours take you through pine forests, grassy meadows and boulder chokes to the
Manikaran Nagar Practicalities in Himachal Pradesh
Nagar is equidistant from Kullu and Manali (21km) and connected to both by ;gular buses.The direct services that ply the left-bank road, on the eastern de of the valley, are slower (lhr 30min from Manali and lhr 30min from aillu), but more scenic and straightforward than the more frequent services long the main highway on the opposite, west side.The latter drop at Patlikuhl 3km north of Katrain), from where taxis, auto-rickshaws and hourly buses ross the Beas to climb up to Nagar (6km). If you arrive in daylight and are ot weighed down with bags, you can also walk from
Trekking in Lahaul and Spiti Practicalities in Himachal Pradesh
Keylong is connected by regular state buses to Manali, and (in summer) by private buses to all points north and south along the main highway. Note that onward transport to Leh can be difficult to arrange in high season (July & Aug), as most buses are full by the time they get there. Travellers frequently find themselves having to ride on the roof, or hitch a lift on one of the trucks that stop at the dhabas on the roadside above the village: neither legal, nor particularly safe. There are eight buses daily to Manali, the first one leaving at
Manali and around in Himachal Pradesh
Himachal's main tourist resort, MANALI, stands at the head of the Kullu Valley, 108km north of Mandi. Despite lying at the heart of the region's highest mountain ranges, it remains easily accessible by road from the plains; after one hour on a plane and a short hop by road, or sixteen hours on a bus from Delhi, you could be staring from your hotel veranda across apple orchards and thick pine forests to the eternal snowiields of Solang Nala, which shine a tantalizing stone's throw away to the north. With the continuing troubles in Kashmir, Manali has become increasingly popular
Old Manali Transport to Leh in Himachal Pradesh
If you can afford to split the Rs12,000 fare, mini-vans and Maruti Gypsy taxis are the most comfortable way to get to Ladakh from Manali and you might get a cheaper deal from a returning vehicle. Backpackers usually travel the 485km to Leh by bus - an arduous, but unforgettable two-day trip (28hr), involving 3 night halt under canvas along the route. HPTDC's daily "luxury" bus, bookable through the tourist office, costs around Rs1000, which includes accommodation at the tent colony near Sarchu. The journey can take three days, with two nights on the road. Other wise, choice is limited to
Old Manali in Himachal Pradesh
Old Manali. the village from which the modern town takes its name, lies 2km north of the Mall, on the far side of the Manalsu nala. Unlike its crowded, concrete offspring, the settlement retains an unhurried and traditional feel. To get there, head north up Old Manali Road, bear right at the fork in the road, and keen going through the pine woods until you reach the iron bridge across the river. You'll pass a string of small guesthouses and cafes before reaching the village proper, clustered on top of a steeply shelving ledge of level ground above the nala. It
Travel details in Ladakh
The bus details here apply during the tourist season between July 1 and September 15 only, after which date the Manali-Leh highway is officially closed. Most other roads, including the highway from Leh to Srinagar Kargil, remain open till the end of October. Despite heavy snow falls, the road from Leh to the Nubra Valley over the open all year. Buses Leh to: Alchi (1 daily; 3hr); Chemrey (3 daily; 2hr); Dishit (Nubra) (1 weekly; 6hr); Hemis (1-2 daily; 1hr 45minl; Kargil (2-3 daily; 6hr 30min); Lamayuru (2-3 daily; 6hr 30min); Likkir (1 daily; 3hr); Manali (6-8 daily; 28hr); Matho (2 daily;
Moving on from Delhi
Delhi has good domestic and international travel connections. Anyone heading from the south to the western Himalayas (Himachal Pradesh, Kullu. Manali, Ladakh) will pass through Delhi; it seldom takes more than a day to arrange the onward journey. Scores of travel agents sell bus and air tickets, and many hotels (budget or otherwise) will hook private buses for you; touts, concentrated at the top of Janpath, waylay tourists with promises of cheap fares, but can't always be trusted.
Keylong in Himachal Pradesh
Lahaul's largest settlement and the district headquarters. KEYLONG, 114km north of Manali, is a good place to pause on the long road journey to Ladakh. Although of little interest itself, the village lies amid superb scenery, within a day's climb of three Buddhist gompas. One visible on the opposite (south) side of the grandiose Bhaga Valley. A couple of stores in the busy little market sell trekking supplies if you are heading off towards Zanskar.
Manali to Lahaul. via the Hampta Pass in Himachal Pradesh
The three-day trek from the Kullu Valley over the Hampta Pass to Lahaul, the old caravan route to Spiti, is a classic. Rising to 4330m, it is high by Kullu standards; do not undertake it without allowing good time to acclimatize. Day 1, from the trail-head at Prini (near Manali) through Hampta village to the campground above Sethen, is an easy hike of 4-5hr up the verdant, forested sides of the valley. Day 2, another 5hr, brings you to Chikha, a high Gaddi pasture below the pass; stay put for a day or so if you're feeling the effects of
Old Manali Eating in Himachal Pradesh
Manali fs wide range of restaurants reflect the town's melting-pot credentials: Tibetan thukpa joints stand cheek-by-jowl with south Indian coffee houses, Gujarati thali bars, and Nepalese-run German pastry shops. Whatever their ostensible speciality, though, most offer mixed menus that include Chinese and Western dishes alongside standard north Indian favourites. For rock-bottom budget food, head for one of the dhabas opposite the bus stand. Virtually every cafe in Manali serves serious "tourist breakfasts" of porridge, pancakes, toast and jam; chai and omelette-wallahs appear on the Mall before dawn if you need to steel yourself for a long and bumpy bus journey. Finally,
Shimla and around in Himachal Pradesh
Shimla. Himachal's capital, is India's largest and most famous hill station, where much of the action in Rudyard Kipling's colonial classic Kim took place. While the city is a favourite spot for Indian families and honeymooners, its size does little to win it popularity among Western tourists who tend to pass through on their way to Manali. It is however, a perfect halfway house if Vo ' heading to the Kullu Valley, or back in the other direction towards the of Haryana and Punjab. It's also the starting post for forays into the rerrtnr regions of Kinnaur and Spiti. Northeast of
The Manali –Leh Travel details in Himachal Pradesh
Trains Pathankot to Joginder Nagar (2 daily; 7hr 30min-9hr10min). Shimla to: Kalka (4 daily; 4hr 45min-5hr 45min). Buses Dalhousie to: Amritsar (2 daily; 5hr 30min);Jullundhar (1 daily; 6hr); Kliajjiar (2 daily; 1hr);Pathankot (hourly; 3hr30min). Dharamsaia to: Baijnath (hourly; 3hr 30min);Chamba (1 daily; 9hr); Chandigarh (6 daily; 7-8hr);Dalhousie (1 daily; 6hr-7hr); Delhi (6 daily; 12hr);Dehra Dun (1 daily; 9hr); Haridwar (1 daily; 14hr);Jawalamukhi (8 daily; 2hr 30min); Kangra (every15min: 45min-1hr); Kullu (4 daily; 8hr); Manali (4daily; 10hr); Mandi (7 daily; 6hr); McLeod Ganj(every 20min; 40min); Nahan (1 daily; 12hr);Pathankot (10 daily; 3hr). Chamba to: Amritsar (1 daily; 8hr); Brahmour (7daily; 3hr); Dalhousie (10 daily; 2hr 30min); Delhi(1
New Manali The Town in Himachal Pradesh
Manah's main street, the Mall, quite unlike its namesake in Shjmla, is a noisy scene of constant activity, fronted by the bus station, several shopping markets, a line of hotels and restaurants, and travel agents. Find a good window seac and watch the world go by - locals in traditional caps, Tibetan women in immaculate rainbow-striped pinafores, Nepali porters, Buddhist monks, the odd party of Zanskaris swathed in fusty woollen gotichas, souvenir-hunting Indian tourists and a curious mix of Westerners. Most people staying a while in Manali stick to the quieter areas, lodging in the old town, and take daily
New Manali Model Town in Himachal Pradesh
A number of carbon-copy hotels are clustered in the grid of narrow streets immediately behind the Mall, in a quarter known as Model Town. Though bland and boxed-in, these mid-range places make good bases from which to hunt for other accommodation once you've found your feet. Recommended accommodation includes: Central View (01902/52319), which has bathtubs in some rooms, Diamond (01902/53058), Lhasa (01902/52134), Mount View (01902/52465), with rooftop terrace and views, and the Sangam (01902/53019).
Treks around Manali and the Kullu valley in Himachal Pradesh
The Kullu Valley's spectacular alpine scenery and proximity to some of HP's most dramatic and accessible peaks make it perfect for trekking. The trails are long and steep, but more than repay the effort with superb views, varied flora and the chance visit remote hill stations. Within striking distance of several major trailheads. Manali is the most popular place to begin and end treks. While package deals offered by the town's many agencies can save time and energy, it is relatively easy to organize your own trip with maps and advice from the Tourist Office and Mountaineering Institute at the bottom
Vashisht in Himachal Pradesh
Famous for its sweeping valley views and sulphurous hot-water springs, the ever-expanding village of VASHISHT, 3km north of Manali, is an amorphous jumble of traditional timber houses and modern concrete cubes, divided by paved courtyards and narrow muddy lanes. It is the epicentre of the local budget travellers' scene, with a good choice of guesthouses and cafes; the tranquil and traditional atmosphere is interrupted by the occasional rave that takes place in the woods, or if the weather is poor, in one or two obliging hotels. You can get to Vashisht by road, or along the footpath that winds up the