Urgent advice for Manali !! pl help :)

family

Hi all ! We are a family of four including two teenagers travelling to Manali in July for ten days.
We probably won't see this part of Northern India anytime soon and would like to know if we should:

a) See Manali ( in and around places)
or
b) Tarvel to leh and Ladakh along with Manali.


Please help us we would need to book our tickets soon!!

Thank you

Regards,
Madhu

capt_mahajan

I would go for the first option. 10 days ex Bangalore may not be enough, unless you fly into Ladakh.

But if you decide on the second option, do read up here on AMS.

Presume you are flying into Delhi from Bangalore, else even Manali will be tight.

And monsoon is a factor....

zoltan

a) See Manali ( in and around places)
or
b) Travel to Leh and Ladakh along with Manali.

I was in Manali 3 (?) years ago and it was a pleasant location to visit but, 10 days there would be way too much.

If you have the available funds, fly to Ladakh, spend a few days (4-5) there and then get public transport back to Manali and then back to Delhi for a flight back to Bangalore.

Cheers
Zoltan

__________________
India (and other) photos click here

nayan

I second the captain. for 10 days ex-bangalore... ladakh is only a possibility if you fly to leh from delhi (assuming you fly to delhi from bangalore).

ladakh is not a place for a hectic schedule. you need at least 6-7 days there (because you will have to spend 1-2 days inside the hotel acclimatizing).

I had done ladakh last year for 9 days ex-hyderabad.

family

Dear all,
I did read the posts but could you please clarify the foll.
a)visiting manali,rohtang.gushaini,spiti kinnaur sangla is better? We are hiring taxi to manali,where bo we stop for a night and reach naggar next day by 12;

b)do we take a train to chandigarh and drive to manali, on the way back do kinnaur etc,as we have booked naggar for 29th july.Ex blore we have 15 days.
c)what is the weather going to be 1st week of july?What about chandratal.
c0We are looking to see as much of h.p. and leh-nubra as we are flying and this trip may not be possible again.

d) can we fly from c`garh to leh

Please ans. a.s.a.p
thankyou

mandrake

[quote=family;496348] Dear all,
I did read the posts but could you please clarify the foll.
a)visiting manali,rohtang.gushaini,spiti kinnaur sangla is better? We are hiring taxi to manali,where bo we stop for a night and reach naggar next day by 12;

b)do we take a train to chandigarh and drive to manali, on the way back do kinnaur etc,as we have booked naggar for 29th july.Ex blore we have 15 days.
c)what is the weather going to be 1st week of july?What about chandratal.
c0We are looking to see as much of h.p. and leh-nubra as we are flying and this trip may not be possible again.

d) can we fly from c`garh to leh

Hi 'Family'

Lots of questions and a very ambitious plan for sure...Hope I can help you get some clarity. Would really help if one knew what your overall goal from this trip is.

I've been to Manali and adjoining areas about 4 times and have also driven from Delhi to Leh. However, all these are pretty time consuming.

You have 15 days overall - which is not less time by any stretch of imagination. But doing all in one go is not going to be possible. Remember you are talking of areas that are pretty high altitude as well.

If Manali, Naggar, Chandratal, Kinnaur to Shimla is your plan. It sounds good. Would be great if you flew in to Delhi/Chandigarh and then drove up to Manali in a taxi/took a comfortable VOLVO Bus. Staying in Manali and/or Naggar would help you acclimatize for the journey ahead and also give you time to stock up etc.

You can also, alternatively, get to Manali (stay a couple of days) and take a cab that'll be exclusive to your family and go by road to Leh. Fantastic idea but not the faint hearted. You should also negotiate to get 2 stops on the way to Leh. That way it's more relaxed, your body gets time to acclimatize and you enjoy the route which is truly one of it's kind in the world.
And from Leh you can fly back to Chnd/Delhi and onwards to Bang based on your budget (flight/train).

Manali, of course, at this time is choked with tourists so it's great to get there and go beyond. If it's one of those trips that won't be happening anytime again soon - then be ambitious and go for Leh. Why not!!!

Haven't written much specifically bout Manali or Leh town as your plans are still at planning stage. But either way there is lots to do and see once you're there and you need to give enough time to just take the place in.

Mandrake

nayan

1. If you have 15 days ex-bangalore then definitely go for Leh. Himachal maynot be so enjoyable in the monsoons.... and it is the only season for ladakh.

2. You cannot fly to leh from chandigarh. If you have 15 days then do manali-leh by road and you can fly back from leh to delhi.

jitendra

5 days are sufficient for Manali.

family

Thankyou so much for the valuable input.But we are afaint hearted family!I have heard that the tents at sarchu and other stops are basic-basic,pepole vomit and altitude sickness is common.Do you suggest that we drive up and down manali (we have paid up for the hotel,wish I had joined the forum earlier)and then fly to leh?I know for the rest of the year we will be able to eat dal-chawal only!It`s hard on the budget,But thats the only way to introduce the teens to nature.So it is clear that h.p. will face monsoons,and 3 days in manali are enough.Lahaul-spiti valley face rains bet 3-6 july,?How do they compare to Leh?Purpose of the trip is to have a family holiday tog. as the kids are flying the nest soon!Give them a glimpse what and how stunning is India!Since tkts to del.are bkd and naggar is bkd from 29 to 1st. Now how should we proceed?We dont want to be stuck in landslides,rains?
thankyou

vmehra24

If you have not travelled in high mountains earlier, it would be prudent to skip Ladakh. Spending 9-10 days in Himachal is pleasant and you could cross Rohtang to Lahaul to get a flavor of Trans-Himalaya.

family

Presume we have decided it is going to be naggar lahaul spiti.Please can you plan including chandratal.starting date from delhi 28 june ,3 days in naggar and then what?whats the weather?can we see snow anywhere?thanks

kullu gang

Hi I live in kullu and the weather here for the last 10 days have been rain rain and more rain but todat clear beautiful skis last year was hot sun no rain or monsoon what Im trying to say is you plans are with the weather gods if weather is good then..

a)Catch sleeper bus from Delhi get bottom sleepers only.

b)Go to Nagger and try to book any off your tours from here they are more sencere then the monni grabbers in Manali and will advise accordinly.

c)Ladakh will be pretty tireing in the days you have and from experiance I would rather have a happy trip then one of panic and time watching so I would go for lahaul spiti and/or Zanskar.

d)Not to confuse you more but kashmir is again very popular with over 48000 forigners traveling there last year it is breathtakinly beautiful and you can fly there from any where

e)Have a excellent time and enjoy...

Dilliwala

But there always used to be flights between Leh and Chd. Have they been stopped?

family

Thankyou to all for the valuable tips.I have been informed that it could rain in first week of july.So that leaves us with the option of wait till you reach and then plan?We are hiring a private taxi what route to take to reach kullu,overnite halt somewhere?thanks

Mod note: You seem to have started a new thread instead of posting in an older one. Now finding and merging threads

kullu gang

Hi again today it is very cloudy with light rain feels like post monsoon its been like this for a week I should imagine this is in for the long duration but if clears you will be in for clear views last year was hot with no visability.There is only one route to Kullu there is one road in and out unless if your coming in from shimla in which you would be going the long way around.As for stop overs I drive regulary from kullu to Delhi vis versa and I have never bothered to stop as it takes me around 9-11 hours and thats travelling with my two boys aged 10 and 12 if you need to stop there are so many places but get off the plains first.