Manali in Dec-Jan

Hello,

I intend to travel to Manali in late Dec'05 - early Jan '06. Appreciate any input from anyone who has visited Manali during the Dec-Jan time frame or knows what the weather conditions are during this time of the yr..know will be cold, but what temp ranges to expect. and what all places of interest would not be accessible or would be accessible?. what kind of activties(apart from skiing) still on during this time of the yr?
Also the best way to get there..I will be travelling to and from Bombay. I was not able to find any flights to help shorten my travel time..

Also, ofcourse weather permitting, but anyone knows if the Rohtang Pass is accessible during this time of the year?
Is Kullu a better place to stay or Manali? any hotel recommendations? do I need to look into booking accomodation early on?

Any inputs greatly appreciated,
thanks in advance..

Hi,
Manali is great in December and January ... First you can go Sking/snow boarding ... second if you are more inclined you could try Heli Sking .... however if that is not your intention then you could definitely go Hiking ... you could attempt the Chanderkhani to Malana, or do the trek from Naggar to Bijli Mahadev ... you could also go Mountyain cycling with Raju www.magicmountainadventures.com or you could just sit back and feast on MOMO ...tthough it has not been regular snow in December since the past few years you can expect snow in Marhi, Solang ... Also Manali would be not at all crowded at this time except for during the christmas break ..... Rohtang is inaccessible at this time .... Not Kullu not Manali I would prefer to stay at Naggar ... however there are good lodging options in Manali as well ... Johnsons Lodge, Sunshine Guest house, Kalpana guest house ... these are the basic option but have a certain character ... then Banon by far is the best ... all the rest boarding and lodging options in Manali are characterless (my opinion of course) .... One good thing in December/January is the whole vibe of Manali ... you can relax if you want to or you can go out and party .... do it ...

Cheers,
dhananjay

Hi,
Got back again ... for got to mention Peter Dorje who does Yak Skiing in Manali ... I also have not tried it but the way it has been described is a sure temptation .... also the temperature would be cold ... expect 0 to 8 degrees celsius in the winters ... if the days are sunny then 12-15 degrees ...

Cheers,
dhananjay

Between Manali and Kullu, the latter is a better place to stay at, as its quieter. You can also look at Raison and Katrain in Kullu valley as options. Naggar, as already recommended by dhananjay, is a great place too.

Hi All

Dhananjay you forgot Vashist, or do you think places in Vashist are also charactorless.
I stay in Vashist. In Hotel Brighu.
Each Room has a private wooden balcony as big as the room with Chair and Table. You can see the River Beas as it enters Manali. You can also see the snow covered mountains all around, and the road to rohtang seems so small with trafic moving on it. It's like seing it from an Aeroplane.
Between the road and The Balcony it's all Apple Orchids.
You'll always hear the sound of the water rushing in your room.
Each room has Wall To Wall carpeting, Double Bed, Attached Bathroom with Hot & cold water, and Colour TV with Cable Channels.
In peak season it costs 500 a night and in off season Rs 250-300
Pretty reasonable in my opinion.
And don't forget the amazing roof top restaurant Basho. You take off your shoes and it's all matresseses and on the floor and Bolsters. YOu have Home Theatre for DVD movies, you can eat amazing continental/India food at reasonable rates, or you can simply lie down and doze off.

When i went in November only the Rainbow Cafe and the Blue heaven were open in vashist, all others had closed down.
Don't miss breakfast at Rano's if you're in Vashisht.


Amit

Hi,
Styler indeed I forgot Vashisht .. it is great and hotel Bhrigu is owned by a friend ... A great place to stay and chill .. I love the Jacuzzi there ... the only reason why (the only one reason) why Naggar for me scores over Vashsisht is because its much quieter and sublime ... Vashisht can get very crowded and Nasty at times ... I remember being there once and at Bhrigu only where we had to ward off miscreants from all the mess they were creating and this is not uncommon there .... however still vashisht is a must go place even if you decide not to stay there .. and I just love the flea market ..

Cheers,
dhananjay

Hi All,
HW far is vashist from Manali?? Can U gmme the add of Hotel Brighu? Is online booking possible & do they offer any package tour?
Cheers

Hi Meher,

Vashist is 4 kms from Manali. YOu could take an Auto to Vashist for Rs 40/= , and the way back to Manali they would get you for Rs 10/=. YOu could also walk to Vashist and it would take you 20 -30 mins.

Bhrigu is a small hotel with about 12 Rooms . The Current offseason prices would be Rs 400-500 and the season prices would be 500-700. Hotel Bhrigu closes for a couple of months in the Winter. You can call up Hotel Bhrigu on +91-1902-251137, or the owner Hans Raj on his mobile at +91-9816165931. They don't have a website. You could see some pictures i took in march 2007 during the heavy snowfall . My name is Amit and you can give my reference if you call them.

Link to pictures taken by my Camera Phone K750i is
http://www.wildadventures.in/manalimarch2007-k750/

Link to pictures taken with my Canon 20D are at
http://www.wildadventures.in/manalimarch2007/

There is a long road in Vashist with some good continental restaurants. At the end of the road are 2 Temples, one of which has the hot water springs and a small pool where anybody can take a dip. It's like a jacuzi with hot water from a natural source.
The World Peace Cafe, The Freedom Cafe ( Next to Bhrigu) and the Rainbow Cafe (Steps up from the end of the road at the temple) are great places to eat. Most of the Reataurants in Vashist close for the Winter in Nov, and reopen in March. Rainbow Cafe is open through the year.

Styler.

loghuts area in manali is another option with multiple hotels and is quieter.

Thanx styler for the info....

Hi,

Can anyone help me regarding sight seeing options in Shimla and Manali in December...

The HPTDC buses for sight seeing are they convinient and do they operate in this season....

Thanks in advance.....

HPTDC buses for sight seeing are available through out the year except if the roads are closed. They are convenient and cheapest option for exploring the places.
The other option is hire local Taxi and they will carry you for sight seeing. The rate will depend upon the places you want to cover. Prices are usually fixed. approximate 700 - 1000 INR per day.