Manali is a town at 2,050 m at the head of the Kullu valley in Himachal Pradesh, about 550 km by road from Delhi. It is the base for Solang Valley, Rohtang Pass and the Atal Tunnel into Lahaul. Leisure Himachal is based in Manali, opposite the Circuit House, and most of our Himachal packages spend two or three nights here.
Getting there
How to reach Manali
By air
Kullu–Manali Airport at Bhuntar, about 50 km south. Flights are few and weather-dependent, so most visitors fly to Chandigarh and drive.
By rail
There is no railhead close to Manali. The nearest broad-gauge stations are Kiratpur Sahib (268 km), Chandigarh (310 km) and Pathankot (325 km).
By road
About 550 km from Delhi (12–14 hours by overnight Volvo) and 282 km from Chandigarh, on the Chandigarh–Manali highway through Mandi and Kullu.
Permits. Rohtang Pass needs a vehicle permit from rohtangpermits.hp.gov.in, issued in daily slots under limits set by the National Green Tribunal. The road is closed on Tuesdays for maintenance. The Atal Tunnel and Sissu need no Rohtang permit.
Sights
What to see in Manali
01
Hadimba Devi Temple
A 16th-century wooden temple with a four-tiered roof, set in the Dhungri cedar forest above the town.
02
Vashisht hot springs
Sulphur springs and temples to the sage Vashisht and Lord Rama in Vashisht village, about 3 km from the Mall.
03
Old Manali and the Manu Temple
The original village above the Manalsu stream, with the shrine to Manu, the first man in Hindu tradition. Legend says Manali was born when the waters of the great flood receded and Manu's ark came to rest on a hillside in this valley.
04
Mall Road
The pedestrian centre of town — shops, cafés and the Tibetan market.
05
Solang Valley
About 14 km north — snow from December to March, skiing, the ropeway and paragliding.
06
Atal Tunnel and Sissu
The 9.02 km tunnel under the Pir Panjal, about 25 km from Manali, opening onto the Chandra valley at Sissu.
07
Rohtang Pass
The 3,978 m pass 51 km from Manali. Tourist vehicles need an online permit, and the daily number is capped.
08
Naggar and Jogini Falls
Naggar's old castle and art gallery on the left bank of the Beas, and the waterfall walk above Vashisht.
The guide
Manali travel guide
Is Manali worth it?
Manali sits where the Kullu valley narrows and turns north towards the Pir Panjal range. It has grown into Himachal’s busiest hill town, but the reasons people come are still the ones close by: cedar forest on every slope, the Beas running loud through the middle of town, and snow within an hour’s drive for most of the year.
It is also the starting point for anything further up. The road through Solang continues to the Atal Tunnel and into Lahaul, and from there to Spiti or to Leh. That is why many of our longer trips — the Manali to Leh jeep safari and the Spiti circuit — begin here.
When is the best time to visit Manali?
There is no closed season, but each part of the year gives you a different town.
March to June — clear, mild days in town and snow still lying at Solang and Rohtang. This is the busiest period; Rohtang usually reopens for the season in May.
July to mid-September — the monsoon. The valley turns very green, but landslides can close the highway for hours at a time. Leave buffer days.
October and November — the clearest light of the year and far fewer people. Nights drop close to freezing.
Mid-December to February — snowfall in town is likely, and Solang is fully under snow. Rohtang is closed; the Atal Tunnel road is the way to see deep snow, when it is open.
Our season rates on the Manali packages apply from 15 April to 15 July and from 20 December to 5 January; the rest of the year is off-season.
How many days do you need?
Three nights is the shape most of our guests choose, and it is how our Manali Volvo tour is built:
Manali itself — Hadimba Temple, Vashisht, the monastery and the Mall.
Solang Valley and the snow — Rohtang Pass when permits allow, otherwise the Atal Tunnel side.
The Kullu valley — Kullu’s shawl weavers, Kasol and the hot springs at Manikaran.
Local sightseeing in Manali is done by taxi, and taxis for Solang, the Atal Tunnel and Rohtang run under the local union’s rules. Every package includes sightseeing by car; for your own plans, see taxi services in Manali.
Three nights covers the town, a day at Solang and the Atal Tunnel or Rohtang, and a day in the Kullu valley at Kasol and Manikaran. Add a night if you want an unhurried day or a buffer for a closed road.
When does it snow in Manali?
Snowfall in Manali comes mainly between December and early March. Solang Valley, 14 km higher up the valley, usually holds snow longer than the town itself.
Do I need a permit for Rohtang Pass?
Yes. Tourist vehicles going to Rohtang need a permit from rohtangpermits.hp.gov.in, released in daily slots with a cap set by the National Green Tribunal. Taxi operators normally arrange it. The Atal Tunnel and Sissu do not need it.
How far is Manali from Delhi?
About 550 km by road. The overnight Volvo buses from Delhi take 12 to 14 hours. Our Manali packages from Delhi use these overnight coaches so you arrive in the morning.
Is Leisure Himachal based in Manali?
Yes. Our office is opposite the Circuit House in Manali, District Kullu, Himachal Pradesh 175131.
Facts on this page were checked against these sources on 24 October 2026. Fees, permits, timings and road openings change — check them before you travel.
