The roads from Delhi to Manali is pretty good and the highway is well maintained. There are few check posts in between which can consume your time in long queues otherwise there is no issue. There are plenty of Dhabas and restaurants on the way, you can munch something whenever you feel hungry.
The food we recommend are: Aloo paratha, Rajma chawal, Dal chawal, Chole puri & kucha chole. We recommend not to have Maggi on you first few days because later on that is the only food available throughout your trip.
The first pitstop was at Hanogi bridge at Mandi. This place is famous for its hanging bridge over river Beas which leads to a Devi temple perched on top of the hill. The temple is also famous for the breathtaking view of the valley and the river flowing underneath add to it. We visited this place because of the fascinating bridge we came across while passing the place.
We reached Manali around 5 pm and it was so pleasant to be surrounded by coniferous trees and mountains. Never I my life had I imagined to see the Himalayas so closely. It was almost dark by the time we reached our homestay.
We stayed in Hampton Homestay at village shuru, Manali.
The next day began with treat to our eyes, at 6 am I wake up to see the mighty Himalayas behind our homestay. Also, the homestay was surrounded with Apple trees. My mind said wow!! And my heart was pounding with excitement to touch these apples.
Being born and raised in plateaus and coastal areas this was my first time in mountains. It was no less than a dream come true. This was just the beginning as I had no idea there were more wishes to be fulfilled during the trip.
We decided to explore Manali for the whole day and as the first place everyone visits in Manali is Mall road . Also, our major reason was to get permit for our rented car.
*Harrytinkers Tip: the queue for ladies is minimal so it’s better that a female member in the group goes to get the permit
We had amazing parathas from Aashiana pure veg restaurant in mall road and headed towards Himalayan Nyinmapa Monastery.
This was my first visit to a monastery and I found it very peaceful and beautiful. The colors they use is very bright because of that the monastery looks vibrant.
Next we headed for some adventure activities in Solang valley, famous for adventure activities like zorbing, paragliding , archery, ropeway, skiing, river rafting and horse riding.
Paragliding is the most adventurous activity during summers and skiing during winters. The rate for paragliding for adults is Rs 2000 /- (1500 for paragliding + 500 for ropeway) and for kids its Rs 600/-
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