Beautiful View
PC: Swena (Trek Leader)
Manali is located in the Kullu district of Himachal Pradesh near the northern end of Kullu valley in the Beas river valley.
At an elevation of 6726 feet, Manali is easily reachable from most parts of North India. This brings us to our first question, Is Manali well connected to the other major cities and how to reach Manali?
Here's all you need to know about reaching Manali
1) By Road: Manali is very well connected to all major towns in Himachal Pradesh and major cities in the neighbouring states. You can always find a bus to and fro from Manali to Leh, Shimla, Kullu, Mandi, Dharamshala, Chandigarh, New Delhi etc.
Many state-run and private bus ply regularly on the route to Manali. You can also opt for a private taxi from New Delhi or Chandigarh.
Here is the distance of some major cities and towns from Manali for your reference:
|
New Delhi
|
Manali
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532 KM
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Chandigarh
|
Manali
|
309 KM
|
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Shimla
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Manali
|
270 Km
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It takes around 13 hours to reach Manali if you start from ISBT (Inter State Bus Terminal) at Kashmiri Gate in Delhi. Most people opt for travel from ISBT as it is very convenient. Taking an HRTC (Himachal Pradesh Road Transport) bus is recommended as they are on time and very easily available.
2) By Train: One of the cheapest ways to reach Manali is to cover half the distance by train and the rest by road. You can take a train from New Delhi to Ambala Cantt and then take a bus from there. The railway station nearest to Manali is the Jogindernagar station.
It takes 5 hours from Jogindernagar to reach Manali by road. But it is very convenient to take the Ambala train and then take a bus. Alternatively, you can take a train to Chandigarh and then take a bus or a taxi further.
3) By Air: The nearest airport to Manali is the Bhuntar airport located at a distance of approximately 50 km. The Bhuntar Airport is known as Kullu Manali airport also. Almost all major airlines in the country have direct flights to Bhuntar. You can take a taxi from Bhuntar to Manali once at the airport.
Once you have your travel all planned, it is very important to know about the weather of the place that you are headed to.
Here's the complete information about the weather and the temperature of Manali.
Knowing about the weather details will help you plan your trip and decide which is the best time for you to visit.
I truly believe that one should visit Manali in winters as well as summers, as the experiences in both seasons are quite different from each other. So here's a chance for you to decide.
1) The winter months start from October and last up till May. The average winter temperatures in Manali vary from a high of 18◦C during the days to a striking low of -15◦C during the nights.
The snowfall starts in October and lasts up till May. As the winter progresses the snowfall gets heavier during the months of December, January, February, March, and April. Most of the snow activities happen during these months of the year. It is suggested you carry heavy woollens during this season of peak winters.
2) The summer months start from June and last till September. The average summer temperatures in Manali vary from a high of 26◦C during the days to 10◦C during the nights.
The summers are mostly pleasant in Manali. It is during the summer months of August, September, and October when you can enjoy the famous Himachali apples. You can see apple trees laden with fruits during these months. Expect rainfall during the months of July, August, and September in Manali.