Ladakh Odyssey – Part 1 of 4
This series is about my bike trip to Ladakh & Nubra Valley in year 2006. Its long time since I did this trip but…
Read MoreManali
Manali is a popular resort for all seasons and for all travellers. It has temples, sightseeing spots and adventure activites. Situated near the end of Kullu valley on the National Highway leading to Leh, it is a favourite resort for trekkers going to Lahaul, Spiti, Bara Bhangal and Zanzkar Ranges. The Beas river meanders through Manali town while snow capped peaks, deodar and pine trees, tiny fields and fruit orchards make it a picturesque holiday spot.
Manali is popular destination for adventure sports seekers being a staging point for a number of treks to Beas Kund, Chandrakhani Pass and sports such as white-water rafting, skiing in winters. This town also offers sightseeing opportunities like the exquisite Hadimba Temple, Manu Temple, Buddhist and Tibetan monasteries.
Best time to visit: March to June, October to February
Languages spoken: Hindi, Pahari, English
Climate: Cool summers and cold winters with heavy snowfall
Holy Places: Hadimba Temple, Manu Temple, Vashista Temple, Old temples in Jagatsukh
Adventure Tourism: Trekking, White-water rafting, Skiing
Natural Wonders: Solang Valley, Rohtang Pass
5. Naggar (HP) and road back home via Chandigarh-Rothak-Ajmer-Ahmedabad-Mumbai
Had it not been for the book, Outlook Traveller Gateways (on HP), Naggar would not have happened. Books are still much much superior as compared to host of blogs and websites. Online forums, at best, are good for an “occasional tip” and that too happens cause people speak about the content which is quite recent. Books need to re-published. The Outlook Traveller Gateways (on HP) which I referred to was published in 2008 and two years down the line nothing much had changed….
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Car Trip Mumbai-Manali-Mumbai, Part 4, Shimla-Manali-Rothang Pass
Then we ate the worlds best “maggie noodles”. Nowhere, repeat nowhere can there be a better display of Indian ingenuity… nowhere…
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Part 3 Delhi-Ambala-Amritsar-Ambala-Shimla
The Planning for this phase underwent many refinements. Golden Temple was a must and a absolute central to this part of the trip. However,…
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Car trip, Mumbai – Manali – Mumbai, 4550 kms in 15 days – Part 2 Udaipur-Agra-Delhi
This was the best part of the trip. THE COMPLETE FREEDOM to go anywhere, anytime. I felt like a true ghumakkar OR had my ghumakkar ahaa moment!!
I confess. I did pat on my back for having made the road trip plan, in my car, and not tied it up via air / rail transports.
Car trip, Mumbai – Manali – Mumbai, 4550 kms in 15 days
The “car-driving-bone” was predominantly present, had tickled at will and left it’s mark on a number of occasions…….
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Kaza to Manali : A road less travelled
Many years ago, my wife read about a place called Lahaul-&-Spiti and somehow fancied the idea of going there. When the time came, we…
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Delhi – Manali (The Long Way Round)
It had been quite some time since I rode long distance on BB. being out of action due to a bike crash, has a…
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Travelling with the “Shooting Star”
The events that preceded her journey to Spiti gives any solo woman traveler a sense of deja vu where families restrict and discourage solo travel owing to the many infamous incidents known to them.
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The Unplanned Travellers
Harish and I was chatting over tea in office cafeteria and planning to go on a road trip somewhere in India in his car with friends. It started turning in to shape when one of our friend “Vikas” agreed to join us and finalized the destination to Goa “Mohali to Goa”. Next day he called up and cancelled his plan due to some work assignment and we were back to same stage of planning. Harish had a passion to cover Leh Ladakh on his bullet which he bought recently for this purpose only but could not plan the trip so far. Finally both of us agreed to go along on one bike 😊
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Explore hill stations in the foothills of the Himalayas
Kullu is by the River Beas. It has the Kali Bari temple, Raghunath temple, Bijli Mahadev temple, Akhara Bazar and the Bhutti Weavers Colony. Manali is closer to the snowline and towering peaks. It is ideal for trekking and has many orchards.
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