Experience Kullu Manali

Visiting Himachal was a longtime dream for me and my friend, always fantasizing of experiencing the snow melting in our palms. And when it happened, it was beyond imagination. So, here is a blog of two female South Indian travelers experiencing the Icy Himachal on a budget in Feb 2019.

Travel:

Since I am based in Bangalore, taking a flight to Delhi, and then travelling to Kullu by bus turned out to be our cheap and best option. The flight to Delhi was a three hour journey from Bangalore. We had pre-booked a bus from Delhi to Kullu on Redbus. It is a 30 minute journey from the Delhi Airport to Bus stand.

One important thing that you have to absolutely make sure, is to check the type of bus you are booking. We had booked an HRTC (Himachal Government) bus which was a seater and not the good kind. It was a common passenger bus (like BMTC) and having to spend a whopping 14 hours is very uncomfortable.

We had booked an early morning bus from Delhi (around 7 AM) and reached Kullu around 11 PM. We wanted to enjoy the scenery as I had heard it would be amazing. But let me tell you something, it is not worth the 14 hour bus journey. I promise you that you’re going to find more stunning scenic views in Himachal. I do believe that this bus journey did tire us out and was not the best decision. Since Kullu has an airport, booking a flight there directly will help.

Stay:

In Kullu we stayed at Shobla Royale. It was very convenient as it was barely 1km from the Kullu bus stand and was priced 2K per night. You can easily walk through the shortcuts (we almost got lost a couple of times, but you will get the hang of it) to reach the bus stand within 10 minutes. The hotel was very decent with 24-hour room heater, hot water supply and good food. There is a Domino’s pizza right next to it for your late night pizza cravings! Since we visited Himachal in February, having a room heater was an absolute necessity. The temperatures drop down to negative in the night, and you can feel your legs shaking from the cold when you step outside of your room (coming from an unfit person who hates exercising with passion).

The room view and the view from the common balcony outside was something that made me want to get out of bed and out in the cold (and I am someone who dearly loves my bed).

Now that I’ve talked too much (I’m someone who talks more on paper than in real life), let’s get down to business.

Places to visit in Kullu:

1. Bijli Mahadev

Bijli Mahadev is a scenic view spot with a Shiva temple that holds history. If you are planning to visit Bijli Mahadev in the beginning of the year, rest assured that there will loads of snow. You can allot an entire day to visit this place because believe me, you will be tired. I was craving to cuddle my bed by the end of it as my poor legs were screaming at me for being so unfit.

We took a bus(more like a private tempo) from the Kullu bus stand at 9:00 AM. The frequency is good. The locals told us a tempo leaves to Bijli Mahadev every hour from the Kullu bus stand. We reached the place in about 45 minutes. There are two places that the tempo might drop you. The first place you will need to climb extra steps (not recommended) which will take about an extra hour (if you’re as unfit as me) and it might drain you a bit. If they drop you at the last point, then you can start the trek from there. You need to trek for about 4 kms to get to the spot (if there is snow the distance will seem longer, trust me).

The trek is beautiful with amazing views all the way. The path mainly consists of steps that are easy but might be slippery because of snow. You get to witness the hills, the snow and apple plantations along the way.

If you are visiting in winter, ensure that you have proper shoes to trek in the ice. A lot of places are really slippery and for first timers like us, it was really difficult as we slipped quite a few times. It took us about two and half hours to reach the top. We had almost given up as the ice was too steep, but a couple of strangers helped us get to the top. Another thing to remember, there are not many people that visit this place, ensure that you are not alone.

But the view is absolutely worth it. As this place is not crowded, you can spend a few hours in peace viewing the surrounding peaks. But be sure to return back to the bus stop as the last bus leaves at 5. There are a few small shops that provide Maggi and tea/coffee if you get hungry.

I had carried my backpack filled with snacks (facepalm), an umbrella, and a water bottle. I had also carried a pair of extra clothing just in case (double facepalm). Yes, I’m guilty of carrying way too many unnecessary things which was a burden to trek. Ensure that you carry only the necessities.

2. Nature Park

This is a small park within Kullu by the river. You can avail a tempo to and from the Kullu bus stand which will take about 15 minutes. There is a small entry fee and a small eatery inside. You can spend some time by the river and have a few snacks. There is nothing much to do other than that. And if you do not have time, this place can be avoided.

3. Manikaran and Kasol

Manikaran (45 km from Kullu) is a beautiful valley which houses the Manikaran Sahib Gurudwara. The specialty here is that the Gurudwara is by the river Parvati but is located on top of hot springs.

To get to Manikaran, you have to first take a tempo from the Kullu bus stand to Bhuntar (a small town) which takes about 15 mins. From Bhuntar, there are tempos waiting to go to Manikaran. Once you get down at Manikaran you can see the Gurudwara on the other side of the river. You will have to ask around to get to the Gurudwara. The path is quite tricky as you have to navigate small lanes.

In the Gurudwara, there is a place to keep your shoes. Wear a shawl over your head when you enter. There is a separate hot spring bath for men and women. You can dip in to enjoy the hot water. Meals are also provided at the Gurudwara. If you are interested, you can volunteer to either serve or cook to offer your service to the Gurudwara. There is also a Shiva temple right next to it which is also worth a visit.

On our way back, we got down at Kasol (4 km from Manikaran). The town is really scenic. We trekked along the road and went to sit by the river side. The view is breathtaking and calming in so many ways.

The funny thing is you will have dogs walking along with you! I kid you not! When we went to the river side (with our unnecessary backpack again), we had a Labrador, a Husky and an Indian dog following us around.

There is also a public toilet here if nature’s call arises. We spent time by the river and walked around town. We then took a tempo back to Kullu. Ensure that you do not stay too long as the frequency of the tempos reduces with the dying sun.

Places to visit in Manali

1. Solang Valley (along with Vashishtha Temple and Nehru Kund)

Solang valley is 14 km from Manali. We had to first take a bus to Manali which is about 40 km from Kullu. It approximately takes about an hour and a half based on the weather and the road conditions. There are no tempos that take you can take in Manali. You will have to either hire a vehicle if you want to drive or you can take a travel taxi.

Taxis are really expensive in Manali. We wanted to visit the Vashishtha Temple, Nehru Kund and Solang Valley (which we had googled the previous night). The taxis quoted 2000 to 3000 for these three places (my wallet was crying at the cost). Since we were on a budget trip, we hired the next best thing. An auto! He charged us 600. Even though it was cold and windy (probably not the best option), we enjoyed the slow ride and the scenery.

Vashishtha Temple is an architectural beauty. Situated in a cozy hill town, it gives a peaceful vibe. There is also a hot spring inside where you can dip only your legs and hands. Ensure that you look around the temple as the lanes are earthy.

Nehru Kund is just a small place where you’ll find hot springs again. It’s just by the road on the way to Solang valley and is not worth a stop if you do not have enough time.

Solang valley is a place for all kinds of snow sports (with loads of snow of course). And it is going to be really crowded. You’ll barely find space to walk. As soon as you enter, there are going to be different travel guides who are going to follow you judiciously (stalker alert) until you agree to one of them. Also, there are going to be loads people who would want you to hire waterproof (or snow-proof) suits and gum boots. I would not recommend hiring anything, as you wouldn't need it. But if you think your shoes are not meant for snow, you could hire gum boots. Ensure to carry a pair of sunglasses if you are sensitive to snow blindness.

You can find someone with reasonable prices. For the two of us, the guide charged us 3k together for zipline, amateur skiing (do not expect much it’s just for good photos), snow tube and snow bike. Ziplining is worth it as you get to fly over the small stream, and you get a good view. For snow tube, they push you down a small hill which is exhilarating for about 30 seconds. Yup, it ends too soon. Amateur skiing helps you waddle across (try not to crash into people) a small stretch with skiing boots and the ski poles (I googled the name). Snow bike is a little scary honestly. Not because its fast but because there were way too many people. I was constantly praying that we do not run over anybody (I had to blindly trust the rider’s skills).

But most of all I would recommend paragliding. You’ll have to find a reasonable price from one of the guides again. I paid 2.8k individually for both cable car and paragliding, which in my opinion is way too much. I would recommend you bargain well because the cable car costs 600 for one person both ways. For paragliding, you’ll have to travel in the cable car up to a distance. From then on, you’ll have to trek along with your guide to reach a certain point.

At the beginning, when you look at different people jumping off (or trying to), it might be scary but believe me the experience is worth it. There is not much of safety (I was only wearing a helmet), but the guide is going to be jumping with you and navigating, which makes it a little less worrisome (hopefully).

When you finally manage to find courage (when your turn finally arrives) and fly, you will be happy. It was one of those calming moments that just made me tear up. Watching the snowcapped peaks with green blooming in the middle, it was just wonderful. I cannot explain in words how your chest blossoms with pure happiness and your eyes get greedy to take in as much as possible. And I would do it all over again.

2. Hadimba Devi temple

This temple is about 2 km from the Manali bus stand and we just decided to walk to this place. The roads are pretty good and the view along the way is beautiful. The trees surround the path beautifully winding and melting into the distance. Once you reach the temple you have to climb steps up to a particular point which is not much. The Pagoda shaped temple which is supposed to be 500 years old is a treat to your architectural fantasies. You can spend time here as there is a lot of greenery in and around the temple. There are two entries to this place and make sure to not get confused on your way out (because I did).

3. The Mall Road

This stretch near the Manali bus stand is a shopper’s heaven. You can find all types of woolen clothing, artifacts, shawls and everything else to satisfy your shopping desires. There are pretty good restaurants (South Indian as well) for hungry tummies (virtual wink).

McLeod Ganj

Travel:

We travelled to Dharamshala from Kullu to visit McLeod Ganj. We had pre-booked an HRTC bus again from RedBus to Dharamshala (big mistake). This overnight journey was spent sitting in a normal passenger bus. We hadn’t taken a printout of this particular ticket and when we asked in the ticket counter about the bus details, the person refused to acknowledge the ticket because there was no printout. And no matter how many times we tried to show him our bus tickets, he cursed and dismissed us. He only urged us to buy tickets to a Volvo seater which about 1000 or more per head.

And of course, RedBus customer care did not help us one bit. Our bus was supposed to leave by 7 PM but we had no details about the bus at all. We were waiting at the Kullu bus stop for about half an hour with the only option to buy tickets and go to McLeod Ganj. After some more requesting by us (and cursing by the man), he shooed us off to one of the local buses that was leaving to Dharamshala.

When we got into the bus, our booked seats were already taken by random people and when we requested the bus conductor for our seats, he just angrily pointed to random seats and told us to go sit down. If you are a solo female traveler, please avoid travelling by passenger buses at night. This was not a safe experience for us.

The bus finally reached Dharamshala at 3 AM in the morning. The bus conductor gave us a stink eye when we were taking out our luggage from the bus and cursed some more. There are taxis at the bus stand almost 24/7. You can find them parked outside and it’s a bit of extra charge, but you can reach your destination. The driver did drive us round and round to make it seem longer and when we pointed it out showing him Google maps, he shrugged it off (signs of a bad day).

Stay:

We were staying at Divyansh Hotel by DLS Hotels which again was pretty under budget(about 2k per night) and good rooms (according to Google). The staff was polite but there was no room heater even though it was mentioned in the hotel page. It may not seem like a big deal to people staying in that place, but for a South Indian who is not used to 0 degrees, I cannot stress enough about having a room heater.

When we requested for one, they charged us extra and the tiny box (heater) seemed like it had asthma. There was no hot air coming out of it in any shape or form. And to top it all, the power cuts were so frequent (this has turned into a venting blog now). But they did their best to provide us good food (though only maggi and some rice was available) and the room had a balcony with an ok view.

Rain seemed to pour down on us continuously for nearly a day and a half. We were only left with a few hours to look around before we boarded our bus to Delhi. We decided to visit the Dalai Lama temple and shop for a bit.

Places to visit it McLeod Ganj:

1. The Dalai Lama temple

We hired a taxi service on our own (googled it) to visit the Dalai Lama temple. It is situated in Tsuglakhang where the Dalai Lama resides. This place is really serene and houses a beautiful statue of Lord Buddha. You can walk around the temple and spend time outside. There is also a museum encasing beautiful art depicting the Tibetan culture.

The street right outside the temple, has various tiny shops with variety of souvenirs to buy. There are beautiful shawls, jewelry, and different artifacts that you can buy. There are also small eateries for maggi (we survived on maggi endlessly).

We also stopped at the Church of St. Johns on the way. This place is not very well maintained and has overgrown shrubberies all around. If you do not have time, I would recommend not stopping here.

And that’s it from me. Though there were a few not so smooth days, the place is absolutely worth visiting. And I’d do it all over again!

Happy travelling!