The hill station - Manali is blessed with nature's finest gifts. The enchanting valley is so picturesque that it has earned the name 'Switzerland of India'. The sky touching mountain peaks, the kingdom of clouds, the colorful valley, the lush green vegetation, the friendly people and many more things come to one's mind when they think about Manali. There are many legendary and mythological stories attached with the birth of the wonderful place. The area earned its name from the great sage - Manu.

The most interesting part about Manali is its serenity despite the regular visits of thousands of tourists. Manali is situated only 40 km away from another beautiful hill station - Kulu. It is in fact, located at the northern border of the Kulu Valley. With a mix of various communities like Kullus, Kashmiris, Ladakhis etc. the total population of Manali is around 4000.

The paradisiacal valley is situated at an altitude of 1950 meters. The overall climate of the area is very rejuvenating and refreshing; however, the winters are pretty cold with temperatures going down below zero degree centigrade along with heavy snowfalls.

Places to see
Manali, known for its picturesque surroundings, is a magnificent spot with high mountains towering above it. Manali can be made the headquarters of a mountain holiday, with hikes, climbs & picnics punctuated with sun bathing and fishing etc. The clubhouse is a hub of tourists and is the newest landmark situated around 1.5-km from Tourist Bureau, and provides comfort and luxury by courteous staff.

Temple of Hadimba Devi (The Supreme Sacrifice):
The temple of Hadimba devi is a lovely temple which stands as a mute tribute to the supreme artist who sacrificed the very hand with which he carved this poem in wood dedicated to the goddess of the Dhoongri temple- Hadimba Devi, wife of Bhim- one of the Pandavas. Every year in the month of May, there is a major festival here. This temple is approachable by a footpath close to Hotel Manaslu and it is almost 1km from Manali.

Vashisht Hot Sulphur Spring:
About 3.2 km away from Manali bus stand across the Beas river situated at an altitude of 1982 m (6200 ft), just down below the temple are hot Sulphur Springs named as Vashisht. Nearby is a pyramidal stone temple dedicated to Vashistha.

Nehru Kund:
Nehru Kund is 6 km from Manali on Manali—Keylong road. Arjun Gufa is near the village of Prini, 5 km from Manali. This place is famous for its clear water spring, which is named after the late Prime Minister, Jawahar Lal Nehru.

Solang Valley:
This place is about 13 km from Manali and is a splendid valley between Manali and Kothi. It offers the views of glaciers and snow capped mountain peaks.

Sport Activities
Institute of Mountaineering & Allied Sports, Manali: The Institute undertakes basic & advance training courses, in trekking, mountaineering, skiing and water sports. Skiing and trekking equipment’s can be hired from here by booking in advance.

How to Reach There
By Air : Bhuntar 10 kms from Kullu and 50 kms from Manali is the nearest airport. Services of Vayudoot and Jagson and Continental Airlines connect the region from Delhi.

By Rail : Chandigarh (397 kms from Kullu and 357 kms from Manali) is the railhead from Kullu..

By Road : Kullu and Manali both the places are on the National Highway No. 21., regular bus services connect Kullu & Manali to most of the important places in Himachal Pradesh and the neighbouring states.