Places to Visit in Manali

Manali is one of the best scenic hill stations in Himachal Pradesh. It is equally famous as the hill station of Shimla. Manali is famous for its temples and trekking. Old Manali has a very vintage feel to it, with its rustic hamlets, shopping, and hippie culture. We can recommend to you some of our best Himachal Tour Packages that include Manali and all its nearby places. We also suggest you book our Manali sightseeing package, which cover most of these famous places. Manali is also a famous destination during summer and winter. Apple orchards, lush green forests, mountains, and valleys look so green and beautiful during summer. But in winter, the same places are covered with a thick carpet of snow. People especially want to tour Manali to experience the first snowfall of the season. If you want to tour Manali then we can recommend to you the below best places to visit in Manali.

1. Hidimba Devi Temple

Hidimba Devi was the wife of Bheem and this temple is dedicated to her. It is one of the very famous temples in Manali due to its pagoda-like architecture. The temple is situated in forests and is very scenic. It has wooden architecture and its door and walls have elegant carvings.

2. Solang Valley

One of the best famous tourist places in Manali is Solang Valley. Due to its fantastic scenery and activities, tourists love coming to Solang Valley. Solang Valley looks beautiful during summers and winters. During summer, you can do various activities like paragliding, and quad biking. During winter, you can go skiing, horse riding, snow trekking, etc. People also love to camp and trek here. Solang Ropeway is another famous attraction here.

3. Rohtang Pass

Rohtang Pass is one of India’s highest mountain passes. It is the most famous tourist attraction in Manali. Due to its snow-covered landscape, Rohtang Pass is a favorite among tourists. Tourists love to do so many adventurous activities here like photography, biking, sledding, skiing, etc. The views of snow-covered mountains, glaciers, and rivers from this pass make it one of the best scenic places in Manali.

4. Vashisht Hot Water Springs & Vashisht Temple

Vashisht Temple is believed to be 4000 years old, and it is one of the best places to visit in Manali. The temple is dedicated to Sage Vashisht, who was the guru of Shri Ram. Vashisht hot water springs are natural hot springs that have healing powers. Taking a dip in these hot springs is a favorite activity of tourists.

5. Rahalla Falls

Rahalla Falls is another famous waterfall in Manali. A trek to Rahall Falls is a very exciting one. Tourists who visit Rohtang Pass can halt at Rahalla Falls on their treks. The natural landscapes all around Rahalla Falls make it look even more scenic. The waterfall is cold and comes from melting glaciers.

6. Gulaba

Gulaba is a beautiful little village in Manali where you can enjoy trekking and camping. It was named after the king of Jammu & Kashmir, Maharaja Gulab Singh, who stayed here for a while. Gulaba looks very beautiful with its green farmlands, dense deodar forests, and scenic mountains. You can do many adventurous activities here like trekking, camping, yak and horse rides, stargazing, etc.

7. Malana

Malana is a small hamlet with very beautiful landscapes. The villagers of Malana consider themselves descendants of Greek soldiers who served Alexander the Great. Malana is famous for its marijuana cultivation. But the natural scenery of Malana is equally beautiful. River streams, valleys, mountains, and ancient temples are the best things to experience in Malana.

8. Arjun Gufa

Arjun Gufa or Arjun Caves are ancient caves that you can visit on your trip to Manali. It is so named since Arjun meditated here for some days. The naturally formed caves are situated in picturesque surroundings. Arjun Gufa is near the Beas river and you can visit Kunt Bhayo Lake and Kunto Matha Temple, which are also near Arjun Caves.

9. Hampta Pass

Hampta Pass is a very scenic mountain pass in Himachal Pradesh. This mountain pass connects Kullu to Lahaul, and the Hampta Pass trek is one of the most famous treks in Himachal Pradesh. The trail goes through alpine meadows, glaciers, and dense forests, and gives you scenic views of the panoramic mountains. Hampta Pass trek is a 4-5 days trek on which you can camp and trek the most beautiful places in Himachal Pradesh.

10. Beas River

Beas River is a major Indian river that flows in Manali. Due to its strong flow and rapids, the Beas river is best for river rafting. There are many places near Beas River where you can set up a camp and pitch a tent. Vashisht Village is one of the best places to experience the beauty of the Beas river. The village of Pridi on the Beas River is best for kayaking and white water rafting.

11. Bhrigu Lake

Bhrigu Lake is one of the many lakes in Manali. This high-altitude lake is famous for the Bhrigu Lake trek is one of the best treks in Himachal Pradesh. The high location of Bhrigu Lake and the meadows surrounding the lake are best for hiking. One of the most interesting things about Bhrigu Lake is that it never freezes completely in winters. The trek from Gulaba to Bhrigu takes a route that goes through scenic landscapes and mountainous terrain.

12. Jogini Waterfalls

Jogini Waterfalls is one of the spectacular waterfalls in Manali. A trek to Jogini Falls is best if you want to see the natural beauty of Manali. Jogini Waterfalls is surrounded by thick forests and greenery. Jogini Waterfalls is 160 feet in height and the cascading water makes a very scenic sight. On the trek to Jogini Waterfalls, you can have hot tea along with Maggi noodles and other snacks.

13. Katrain

Katrain is one of the very beautiful villages in Manali. It has many river streams which are perfect for fishing and angling. The scenery of Bargarh Peak can be seen from Katrain. In Katrain, you can visit apple and plum orchards. This scenic village is best for short hikes and nature walks.

14. Rozy Waterfall

Rozy Waterfall is a picturesque waterfall in Manali. The waterfall is very scenic and is a picnic spot. Rozy Waterfall is on Manali-Leh Highway and is on the route to Rahalla Waterfalls. This waterfall is surrounded by thick deodar forests and is a very scenic waterfall.

15. Jagatsukh

Jagatsukh is a small village in Manali, which is famous for its natural scenery and ancient Hindu temples. The temples are very old and were built in the 8th century. There are apple orchards, green meadows, coniferous forests, and natural scenery of streams and mountains. You can go on treks like the Deo Tibba trek from Jagatsukh and visit the hot springs here.

16. Gauri Shankar Temple

On your trip from Manali to Naggar, you can visit Gauri Shankar Temple. This is a very ancient temple with very beautiful architecture. The temple is more than 800 years old and is dedicated to Lord Shiva. The carvings on stone walls are very detailed and done with great craftsmanship.

17. Manali Sanctuary

Manali Sanctuary is one of the best places in Manali for nature lovers and wildlife spotting. You can spot rare Himalayan wildlife such as musk deer, black bears, snow pigeons, Himalayan Monal pheasant, etc. The thick deodar forests in this sanctuary are best for trekking and camping trips.

18. Chandrakhani Pass

Chandrakhani Pass is one of the most scenic mountain passes in Manali. It is considered to be the best trek in Himachal Pradesh. You can visit Malana village, Parvati Valley, and many other places on this trek. This trek is a multi-day trek where you can find places to camp for the night.

19. Mall Road

Mall Road is one of the best places in Manali for shopping, dining, sightseeing, and enjoying the natural beauty. Due to the many book shops, restaurants, cafes, shopping malls, bazaars, and handicraft shops, Mall Road is full of tourists. There are many hotels here where you can find a stay.

20. Kullu

Kullu is another famous hill station in Himachal Pradesh. It is close to Manali, and you can reach Kullu by a drive. Kullu is famous for its ancient temples and treks. Raghunath Temple and Jagannath Devi Temple are some famous temples here. Kullu is the best place to visit apple orchards, deodar forests, and lush farmlands. Some treks like Parvati Valley trek, Bijli Mahadev trek start from Kullu. Kullu is the base from where you can reach Kasol, Manikaran hot springs, Naggar, Malana, and other places.

21. Kothi

It is one of the very beautiful villages in Manali. Kothi village falls on the road to Rohtang Pass. Due to its beautiful natural scenery of glaciers, mountain peaks, and the Beas river, Kothi is best for treks and camping. Many Hindi movies were shot here in Kothi.

22. Jana Waterfall

Jana Waterfall is one of the spectacular waterfalls in Manali. It is a 30 ft high waterfall. The trek to Jana Waterfall is easy, and the route goes through thick forests. You will have to cross wooden bridges that come on this route and reach Jana Waterfalls. The water comes from mountain glaciers and is fit to drink as it is very pure and refreshing in taste.

23. Parvati Valley

Parvati Valley is a very beautiful places in Manali, where there is nothing but spellbinding scenery and landscapes. Trekkers and campers love Parvati Valley, as it offers many places to pitch a tent and camp overnight in the lap of mountains. Parvati Valley is known for its hashish (drug) cultivation, hippie culture, and nomadic villages. There are so many places to visit in Parvati Valley like Kasol, Manikaran, Malana, Tosh, etc.

24. Old Manali

Old Manali is much quieter than New Manali. It is full of forests, greenery, apple orchards, and mountains. The cafes in Old Manali are best for tasting delicious food. Old Manali is away from the more touristy New Manali. There are many attractions here like Hidimba Temple, Jogini Falls, etc. Backpackers love Old Manali for its charm and free spirit.

25. Sethan Valley

Sethan Valley is one of the small villages in Manali. It is best for adventurous activities during winters like snowboarding, ice skiing, etc. The village is home to nomadic tribes called Gaddis, who is Buddhist. There are mythological sites here and many other places of scenic beauty. Sethan Valley trek is one of the best treks in Himachal Pradesh.

26. Manikaran

Manikaran is famous for its Manikaran Sahib Gurudwara and Manikaran hot springs. It is on the banks of the Parvati river. Sikhs and Hindus, both visit the gurudwara due to its huge religious significance. Manikaran hot springs are in the gurudwara itself. Langar meals are served in the gurudwara, and the meals are cooked in the hot water of the springs.

27. Atal Tunnel

Atal Tunnel is a 9 km long tunnel that connects Manali to Lahaul. It is open throughout the year and is not closed for winter like Rohtang Pass. Atal Tunnel is named after former Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Atal Tunnel officially is listed in the World Book of Records as the “World’s Longest Highway Tunnel above 10000 Feet”.

28. Van Vihar National Park

Van Vihar National Park is one of the best sightseeing places in Manali. You can spend some time here in a green and picturesque environment. There are many walkways in this national park where you can take forest walks. The tall deodar trees are home to many birds. You can do boating here. Van Vihar National Park is on Mall Road and is a type of park where you can do nature photography.

29. Museum of Himachal Culture and Folk Art

You can see the old history of Himachal Pradesh and explore its rich antique collection in the Museum of Himachal Culture and Folk Art. There are many folk art and antique pieces that are kept in this museum. Many ancient things will give you an idea of the ancient culture of Himachal Pradesh. Among the best things to see here are musical instruments, handloom, wooden items, utensils, jewelry, etc.

30. Manu Temple

Manu Temple is a very old temple in Manali, and it is dedicated to Manu, an old Hindu sage. It has a pagoda style of architecture. The surrounding woods give a very scenic look to the temple. You can reach Manu Temple on a short trek.

31. Himalayan Nyingmapa Buddhist Temple

Himalayan Nyingmapa Buddhist Temple is an ancient Buddhist temple in Manali. The temple has very popular among tourists who visit Manali. The Tibetan architecture of this temple often strikes with its pagoda architecture. There is a tall statue of Lord Buddha sitting in a meditative posture. You can see Tibetan monks going about in their everyday life. The temple has Tibetan motifs and symbols, and there are prayer wheels in this temple.

32. Siyali Mahadev Temple

Manali has so many ancient temples and one of the most famous is Siyali Mahadev Temple. The temple is very old and the shiv linga is thought to be there since ancient times. This temple of Lord Shiva in Manali is very popular among locals. You can spend some time here and see the wooden architecture, walls, and typical Himachali architecture. You can also do puja here.

33. Nicholas Roerich Art gallery and Museum

Nicholas Roerich Art gallery and Museum is near Naggar Castle and is an art gallery that contains the paintings by the famous Russian painter Nicholas Roerich. You can see his house, and browse his various paintings of his, along with his car. The gallery is situated in the middle of natural landscapes of deodar forests and mountain scenery.

34. Gadhan Thekchhokling Gompa Monastery

Gadhan Thekchhokling Gompa is a Tibetan monastery in Manali. Tibetan refugees who fled Tibet built this monastery. You can visit this monastery and see the Buddhist culture of the monks who reside here. The monastery is beautiful in structure. There are prayer wheels, colorful paintings, sculptures, and idols. There are spacious halls for prayers, walkways, and corridors for walking.

35. Nehru Kund

Nehru Kund is a natural spring of crystal clear water. It is one of the many sightseeing places in Manali that you can visit. Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru used to come here and drink water from this spring. The water of this spring comes from Bhrigu Lake. Nehru Kund is a must-visit if you are going on a trip to Manali.

36. Naggar Castle

Naggar Castle is one of the most famous tourist sightseeing places in Manali. It was once the residence of Raja Sidh Singh Kullu. Today it is a heritage hotel offering a comfortable stay in Manali. There is beautiful woodwork, elegant staircases, vintage furniture, and magnificent artworks in this castle. Many movies have featured Naggar Castle in their scenes. There is a souvenir shop where you can take back some gifts.

37. Dhakpo Shedrupling Monastery

When you visit Manali, you must visit the Dhakpo Shedrupling Monastery. This Buddhist monastery in Manali is the best place to experience Tibetan culture and the life of monks who stay here. The bold red and golden colors of this monastery look very beautiful from the outside. There are elegant paintings, sculptures, wooden carvings, and Tibetan motifs on walls, pillars, and ceilings.

38. Keylong

Keylong is one of the famous sightseeing places in Manali. It is a rest stop on the route to Lahaul and Spiti Valleys. In Keylong, you can visit various monasteries and gompas. Keylong does not have the greenery of Manali but there are high mountain passes like Baralacha Pass and lakes to visit. Pin Valley National Park is also worth visiting on your trip to Keylong.