OLD MANALI

If you want to see the other side of Manali and the touristy town, just take a walk across the Manalsu River bridge and cross over into the part of Manali that is also known as ‘Old Manali’. The exotic charm of the village will make you feel like you have walked into a whole other world. The town has somehow carved out a niche of its own and managed to retain the old world charm, where you have the characteristic world traveller, hippie vibe in its midst, it also has the traditions of the relics of the older civilizations. 

The idyllic village setting will make you feel like you have walked into the happy and hippie 1960s! The pathways are lined with swaying Eucalyptus trees and the small roads pas through valleys that are abundant with greenery. The calmness of the surroundings is broken only by the twittering of birds and the gush of the River Kullu.

Attractions: Apart from the sheer mountain beauty, there are a number of places to visit in Manali old town. The most peculiar and must visit amongst them being the quaint eateries like Lazy Dog, Red House Café, Bob Dylan’s Café, Café m 1947 and Pizza Olive. All of these serve awesome world cuisines like Pasta, Burgers and mouthwatering Pizzas

Partitioned by the river Beas from New Manali, Old Manali resides at an amazing height of more than 6000 feet above sea level. Quiet and peaceful yet mesmerizingly beautiful, the city is vastly preferred by tourists, quite specifically by solo travelers, as a place to relax and unwind. The small city is also a fraction of the pancake banana track that trails through southeast Asia. Additionally, Old Manali is a place much enjoyed by walking through the city and taking delight in the lush green tropics.

Apart from the bewitching natural retreat that Old Manali is, it is also fashioned for a wide array of restaurants and cafes. Looking at the spike in tourism the localities, throughout the years, have been able to garner the skills to curate various national and international cuisines, serving dishes from across the globe. Visitors can also shop at the local markets here for various ornaments, traditional costumes, artifacts, Music CDs, T-Shirts and jewelry among other things. The town also holds an ancient temple, Hadimba temple which lies amidst the dense tropics and travelers and devotees from around the country are known to visit the place. 

All in all, with a calm and soothing atmosphere, extraordinary nature delight and delicious delicacies, Old Manali provides for the perfect place to holiday away from the hustle-bustle of city life. Adventurers can also find themselves at home in Old Manali with activities like river rappelling or they can just hire a cab or a scooter and ride along to unexplored territories of the town and discover new fascinations including grabbing the perfect spot to enjoy the gorgeous sunset. So, remember to carry your cameras. Old Manali, with its serene ambiance and diverse offerings, makes for an ideal addition to your Manali holiday package itinerary. 

How To Reach

There are a couple of ways one can choose to reach Old Manali from Manali City Center. Since the distance from the City Center to Old Manali is just about 2 kilometers, visitors can use local transportation services to travel. Private cabs can also be hired who can take visitors close to old Manali and from there traveled can find guides who can help them explore the town throughout.

If you are someone who loves to walk, you will love the route to Old Manali. It would not take visitors more than 30 minutes to reach the place from City Center on foot. The entire route is decorated with lush tropics, cafes, and shops which the tourist can enjoy too. Visitors will also have to cross the mesmerizing Manalsu River bridge and it is, in its entirety, an extraordinary experience.

Best Time To Visit

The beautiful town of Old Manali can be visited throughout the year but if you are someone who loves to experience a cold and chilling atmosphere including snowfalls the best time to visit Manali is between the months of January and February. Activities like snowboarding, skiing, trekking, among others are much enjoyed during this time. 

You can also visit the place between the months of April and June when it's summertime and the temperatures are still very comfortable as compared to other parts of the country and many activities including trekking and camping are much enjoyed around this time of the year in Old Manali.

There are quite a few places to explore in Old Manali and one must have enough time in hand to explore all that the town can offer. It generally takes up to 5 hours to uncover the place at Old Manali and visitors must start their journey early in the morning.