Manali 2 Days Itinerary

Nestled in the mountains of the beautiful Indian state of Himachal Pradesh, Manali is one of the most popular hill stations in the country. It is the perfect blend of nature, culture, tranquility, adventure and architecture. Manali is equally popular among adventure seekers and honeymooners, luxury travelers and backpackers!

We had reached Manali around 3 at night & I rushed to our hotel room’s balcony to see the view. Ofcourse nothing much was visible at night, so I woke up at 6 again & peeped through the window. The early morning light hitting the mountains, the long stretch of deodar trees, the chirping of birds, the faint sound of the stream, it was love at first sight!

We visited Manali in October, soon after Himachal Pradesh officially opened for tourism post lockdown. I don’t know whether we’ll be able to experience Manali the same way next time. Manali is usually very crowded, the tourist attractions & markets are always packed, the popular cafes have queues waiting and long traffic jams are very common. But we were really fortunate to see & experience a different Manali, Manali in all its former glory, pure beauty and serenity.

Manali has a lot to offer & will leave you mesmerized whether you are here for a day or a month. Here’s a perfect 2-Day Itinerary for an amazing Manali trip.

Day 1: Manali Local Sightseeing
Day 2: Day Trip To Rohtang Pass & Solang Valley
Note: You can take a day trip to Naggar and/or Kasol if you have one or two extra days.

Day 1: Manali Local Sightseeing

The local sightseeing spots of this charming hill station are a must-visit. Breathtaking sceneries, ancient temples with fascinating history and beautiful monasteries give Manali a fairy tale like setting.

Hidimba Devi Temple

It is an ancient cave temple dedicated to Hidimba Devi, wife of Bhima & mother of Gatotkach. The temple is surrounded by a cedar forest called Dhungiri Van Vihar at the foot of the Himalayas.

Vashisht Temple & Hot Spring

Vashisht village is famous for its sulphurous hot water springs and Vashisht temple, built just next to the springs. The temple is dedicated to Rishi Vashisht, one of the Saptarishis of the Hindus & also the Kula guru of Lord Ram & Laxman. The hot springs are said to have healing powers.

Vashisht Village offers a beautiful panoramic view of the surrounding mountains & valleys.

Club House

The Club House in Manali is an amusement centre with indoor/outdoor games & adventure activities. It is set up on the banks of Manalsu Nalla, a branch of the beautiful Beas river.

Sit by the riverside listening to the sound of the stream and get transported to another world. You can also try Ziplining here.

Himalayan Nyinmapa Buddhist Monastery

Himalayan Nyinmapa Gompa is a Buddhist monastery located near the Mall in Manali. It is one of the most famous monasteries situated in north India.

Manu Temple

The shrine of Manu Temple is dedicated to Sage Manu, who according to Hindu mythology, is acknowledged as the first human and the creator of human race on earth. Infact, the name Manali has been derived from the term ‘Manu-Alaya’, which means ‘the abode of Manu’.

Read about the fascinating history about Manu Temple here.

Mall Road

Mall Road is often acknowledged as the heart of Manali and is very popular for street shopping. Buy woollen garments and souvenirs from here. Mall Road also has some amazing food joints.

Read: Top Things To Do In Manali In A Day

Day 2: Day Trip To Rohtang Pass & Solang Valley

A trip to Manali is incomplete without a visit to the famous Rohtang Pass. Rohtang La, situated at a height of 13058 feet, is a high mountain pass on the eastern end of the Pir Panjal Range of the Himalayas. It connects Kullu valley with Lahaul and Spiti Valley for half of the year, until it closes in November due to heavy snowfall.

We drove through Atal Tunnel, which is the longest highway tunnel in the world and was recently inaugurated in October, 2020. This strategically important tunnel is built under the Rohtang Pass and connects Manali to Lahaul and Spiti valley throughout the year. Since Rohtang Pass closes every winter due to heavy snowfall, it rendered Lahaul and Spiti Valley inaccessible. Hence a need was felt to build a tunnel under the pass.

Located 13 kms from Manali, Solang Valley is a side valley at the top of Kullu Valley and lies on the way to Rohtang Pass. It is popular for adventure sports like paragliding, quad biking and zorbing during summer and skiing in the winter.

Check out this article for complete details on Rohtang Pass & Solang Valley.

Don’t forget to watch our video on Rohtang Pass & Solang Valley.

Visiting Himachal Pradesh for longer? Read my guide on 5 Days In Himachal Pradesh.

Planning Guide

How To Reach Manali

By Train: Joginder Nagar Railway Station is the nearest railhead to Manali but it is not well connected to the rest of the country. Chandigarh and Ambala Cantt are more popular options to reach Manali by train. You can take a cab or bus from there.

By Air: The nearest airport to Manali is Kullu Manali (Bhuntar) Airport. Direct flights to Bhuntar are only available from Delhi and Chandigarh and is not a reliable option due to weather conditions. In case you still decide to come via Bhuntar, you can take a cab to reach Manali from Bhuntar.

The best option is to fly to either Delhi or Chandigarh Airport and take a cab or private bus from there.

By Road: The most popular way to reach Manali by road is to take an overnight Volvo bus from Delhi ISBT Kashmiri Gate.

You can self-drive, rent a car or take private bus to Manali from Delhi, Chandigarh (or other parts of Punjab & Haryana), most parts of Himachal Pradesh (the most common being Shimla, Dharamshala, Spiti, Lahaul) & Leh. Basically, you can take a road trip to Manali from most places in North India.

We rented a car with driver from Himachal Car Rental Service for Delhi-Manali-Shimla-Delhi for 5 Days which costed us Rs. 16,000 for a Sedan. It included all transfers, sightseeing (except Rohtang Pass), toll tax & parking. Rohtang Pass costed Rs. 2,500 extra.

Where To Stay In Manali

We stayed at Hotel The Conifer in the Log Huts Area in Old Manali and would highly recommend it. The view from the room & the balcony is beautiful, the service is excellent, the food is delicious, and all that within a reasonable budget.

You can book your stay in this hotel by clicking here.

Book your stay in Old Manali to avoid the crowd and wake up to gorgeous views. Vashisht Village is also popular among backpackers.

Check more hotels in Manali here.

Visiting other parts of Himachal Pradesh as well? Check out Booking.com for great hotel deals or rent an Airbnb for longer stays (and get an amazing discount on your first trip – for new sign-ups only).

Best Time To Visit Manali

Each season in Manali has its own charms, though monsoons should be avoided due to frequent landslides.

Summer months from April to June is the most popular time to visit Manali. It is the perfect time for adventure activities like paragliding, rafting & trekking. Many unique festivals and events also take place during the summer months. But it is also the peak season & sees a huge number of tourists. Accommodations, car rentals and activities are all overpriced during this time.

During the winter months from December to February, the slopes are buried in thick ice blankets.

Monsoons should typically be avoided due to frequent landslides & heavy rainfall. But tourists are limited during this time and accommodations & activities offer heavy discount.

Where To Eat In Manali

We had an amazing time cafe hopping in Manali & would highly recommend you to visit the cafes we did. We ate a delicious pizza sitting by the river at Cafe 1947, tried the popular trout & chicken steak at Johnson’s Cafe, sipped hot chocolate by the riverside at The Lazy Dog.

Camera Gear Used For Photography:

Check out my ‘What’s In My Camera Bag‘ blog post for more details.

I really hope you enjoyed reading this article and you’ll find the information useful whenever you plan to visit Manali.

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Happy Travelling! 🙂

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Manali 2 Days Itinerary – Manali Travel Guide