The landscape here is breath taking. One sees well-defined snow capped peaks, the Beas river with its clear water meanders through the town. On the other side are deodar and pine trees, tiny fields and fruit orchards. It is an excellent place for a holiday, a favorite resort for trekkers to Lahaul, Spiti, Bara Bhangal (Kangra), and Zanskar ranges. From temples to antiquity, to picturesque sight-seeing spots and adventure activities, Manali is a popular resort for all seasons and for all travellers.
Attractions:
Solang Nala (Valley): drives its name from combination of words Solang (Nearby village) and Nullah (water stream). It is a side valley at the top of the Kullu Valley in Himachal Pradesh, India 14 km northwest of the resort town Manali on the way to Rohtang Pass, and is known for its summer and winter sport conditions. The sports most commonly offered are parachuting, paragliding, skating and zorbing.Giant slopes of lawn comprise Solang Valley and provide its reputation as a popular ski resort. A few ski agencies offering courses and equipment reside here and operate only during winters.
Snow melts during the summer months starting May and skiing is then replaced by zorbing (a giant ball with room for 2 people which is rolled down a 200 metre hill), paragliding, parachuting and horse riding. A ropeway was recently opened.
Rohtang Pass : due to people dying in bad weather trying to cross the pass) (altitude 3,978 m or 13,051 ft), is a high mountain pass on the eastern Pir Panjal Range of the Himalayas around 51 km (32 mi) from Manali. It connects the Kullu Valley with the Lahaul and Spiti Valleys of Himachal Pradesh, India. Manali-Leh Highway, a part of NH 21, transverses Rohtang Pass.
Bhrigu Lake is a lake located at an elevation of around 4,300 metres (14,100 ft) in Kullu district, Himachal Pradesh, India. It is located to the east of Rohtang Pass and is around 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) from Gulaba village. It can be reached by trekking either from the Vashishth temple, which is famous for its hot water springs, which is close to the town of Manali or from Gulaba village. It is named after Maharishi Bhrigu. Legend has it that the sage used to mediate near the lake and hence it has been rendered sacred; the locals believe that due to this the lake never freezes completely.
Bijli Mahadev Temple: is one of the sacred temples of the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. It is located at an altitude of about 2,438 m in the Kullu Valley. Bijli Mahadev is one of the excellent temples in India. Located 10 km from Kullu across the Beas river, it can be approached by a rewarding trek of 3 km.A panoramic view of Kullu and Paravati valleys can be seen from the temple. The 60 feet high staff of Bijli Mahadev temple glistens like a silver needle in the sun.In this temple of lightning it is said that the tall staff attracts the divine blessings in the form of lightning. It is believed that the priest of the temple has to restore the Shiva linga placed inside the temple using butter and sattoo after every lightning as it shatters to pieces with flash of lightning.
Pin Valley National Park: is a national park located in Spiti region of the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. The park is located in the cold desert area of the Spiti valley, in the Lahul and Spiti district within the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh.[1] It was declared a park in 1987. Declared a National Park in 1987, Pin Valley is located in the cold desert region of the Spiti valley. With its snow laden unexplored higher reaches and slopes, the Park forms a natural habitat for a number of endangered animals including the Snow Leopard and Siberian Ibex. Spreading south of Dhankar Gompa near the Tibetan border, the park marks the border between the formerly separate districts of Lahaul and Spiti. The elevation of the park ranges from about 3,500 metres (11,500 ft) near Ka Dogri to more than 6,000 metres (20,000 ft) at its highest point.Steeped in history, the influence of Tibetan culture is prevalent in the area surrounding the park, visible in the Buddhist lamas, shrines, monasteries and culture of its residents.
The Pandoh Dam: is an embankment dam on the Beas River in Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh, India. Under the Beas Project, the dam was completed in 1977 and its primary purpose is hydroelectric power generation. Part of a run-of-the-river power scheme, it diverts the waters of the Beas to the southwest through a 38 km (24 mi) long system of tunnels and channels. The water is used for power generation at the Dehar Power House before being discharged into the Sutlej River, connecting both rivers. The power house has an installed capacity of 990 MW.
The Manali Sanctuary: is a wildlife sanctuary in Himachal Pradesh in northern India. The sanctuary starts about 2 km from Manali. It is the catchment of Manalsu khad. A path from Manali log huts and Dhungri temple passes through dense Deodar, Kail, Horse chestnut, Walnut and Maple forests. Musk deer, Monal and Brown bear, Leopard and Snow leopard are some of the common animals seen here. Herds of Ibex are seen migrating in the glacier zone in summers. The area of the sanctuary is about 31.8 square kilometres. The following area was declared as a sanctuary on 26 February 1954, under the Punjab Birds and Wild Animals Protection Act of 1933.
