Kullu Manali Best Place to Visit : Top 15 Places To Visit In Kullu Manali

Situated at a height of 2460 meters in the Kullu valley, Bijli Mahadev temple is a sacred ancient temple in India. The temple is located at a distance of 22 kilometers from Kullu town near the Beas River. It requires a 3 kilometers trek uphill to reach the temple. The 60 feet high staff of Bijli Mahadev temple glistens like a silver needle in the sun.

The temple is also famous for providing the panoramic view of the Kullu, Parvati, and Garsa valley. Being located at a good height, the temple sometimes remains closed during the winters. Hence, for visiting the temple during winters, the tourist must collect the permit from the temple authorities at the base.

4. Manikaran Gurudwara Manali: 

Manikaran Shahib | by Sanjaymahara (CC BY- SA 3.0)

Manikaran which is an important and sacred place among the Hindus and Sikhs,  is located at a height of 1760 meters on the Parvati Valley near the Parvati river. is famous for the historic temples of Lord Rama, Krishna, Vishnu (Raghunath) , Goddess Bhagwati and the Manikaran Shahib. Manikarran is also known for its hot water springs which are believed to be a great remedy for arthritis.

Like all the other gurudwaras, the Manikaran Shahib also has a large community kitchen (Langar) that serves free food to the devotees and people in need. The food for the Langar is cooked in these hot water springs only, making it one of its kind in the world.

5. Beas Kund Manali:

Beas Kund | by Gaurav Dhingra (CC BY- SA 4.0)

Situated at an elevation 12140 ft, Beas Kund is a high altitude alpine lake. This pristine blue colored lake is believed to be the waterbody where the Sage Vyas, the author of Mahabharata used to take his daily bath. Beas Kund is another small trek in Himachal Pradesh and the trek begins from Solang Nallah (Nala)

This trek presents you some of the most mesmerizing views of nature, which includes the meadows of Dhundi and Bakarthach, Hanuman Tibba, Friendship Peak, Shitidhar peaks. The path is also carpeted with wild strawberries and mushrooms. The Beas glacier along with the herds of sheep are the important attraction of this trek.

6. Solang Nala:

Solang Valley Mountain | by Anuragomer (CC BY- SA 4.0)

About 14 kilometers away from Manali Town, Solang Nala (Nallah) is situated at an elevation of 8400 ft in the northwest direction towards the Rohtang Pass. Solang Nala shares its border with Solang village on one side and Beas Kund on the other, hence it offers panoramic views of the surrounding snow-capped mountains and glaciers.

During summers, the popular sports are paragliding, zorbing, mountain biking and horse riding. In winter, especially between January and March, it is used for skiing, snowboarding, and sledding. The famous winter skiing festival is also organized at the Solang Valley which attracts a large number of adventure junkies.

7. Hampta Pass Manali:

Hamta Pass  | by Kunalsvnit(CC BY- SA 4.0)

Situated at an elevation of 14039 ft in the Pir Pranjal range of the Himalayas, Hamta pass is a small corridor that connects the Lahaul valley to the Kullu valley. The Hampta Pass trail bring many small treasures of Mother Nature like the scenic landscapes, open green pastures and meadows, glacial valleys, easy access and an exceptional, adventurous and sharp crossing.

Vertical rock walls, waterfalls, hanging glaciers, pinewoods, rhododendron forests, open meadows, tiny lakes and peaks rising above 6000 meters are the major attractions in this trek.

8. Hidimba Devi Temple Manali:

Hidimba Devi Temple  | by Gerd Eichmann (CC BY- SA 4.0)

Built-in 1553 A. D., the Hidimba Devi temple is located amidst the snow-covered hills of Manali. This four-story temple is situated in the middle of a  forest, called Dhungiri Van Vihar. The temple is hence popularly known as Dhungiri temple among the locals and dedicated to Hidimba Devi, wife of Bhima ( one of the 5 Pandavas) and the mother of the great Ghatotkach.

The top conical roof is in metal while the other three square-shaped floors are roofed with timbre tiles. There is also a 24-meter high tower. The temple does not have an idol of the Goddess but a huge stone carrying her footprint is kept here.

9. Brighu Lake Trail:

Brighu Lake  | by Darth Tang (CC BY- SA 3.0)

Brighu Lake is a high altitude alpine lake located at an elevation of around 14,100 ft. It is located to the east of Rohtang Pass and is around 6 kilometers from Gulaba village. It is named after Maharishi Brighu, who used to meditate near this lake. The unique feature of the lake is that although being situated in such a height and surrounded by snow-clad mountains, the lake never freezes completely even during the winters.

The trail offers fascinating natural vistas, views of snow-capped mountains, lush meadows and the forests rich in apple orchards. The  Hanuman Tibba and Seven Sisters peaks are among the several attractions that this trek offers you.

 10. Jogini Waterfall:

Jogini Fall | by Asbjørn Hansen (CC BY- SA 4.0)

Just a 4 kilometres trek from Vashishth temple, Jogini Falls is a beautiful waterfall situated near Vashisht Village about 7 kilometers from Manali Town. This is a famous sightseeing spot in Kullu- Manali. The stream that these falls plunge into eventually flow downstream into the Beas River.

Falling through multiple levels, the water plunges from a height of almost 150 feet and forms a pool at the bottom, where many visitors love to take a dip.  At the base of the falls is the Jogini Mata Temple which is also popular among the locals.

11. Gyuto Monastery Dharamsala:

Gyuto Monastery | by Gerd Eichmann (CC BY- SA 4.0)

Dharmasala is the largest religious hub in Himachal Pradesh. The Gyuto Monastery is one of the most famous monasteries in Tibet and specializes in the study of Tantric meditation, Tantric ritual arts, and Buddhist philosophy. Jetsun Kunga Dhondup, the main disciple of the first Dalai Lama, founded the 1st Gyuto Monastery in 1474 in Eastern Tibet. As a result of the communist Chinese invasion in 1959, the Monastery was re-established in India.

The Gyuto monks practice the major Tantric texts such as Guhyasamaja, Chakrasamvara, and Yamantaka and have  passed these lineages on to the younger generation of monks for over 500 years without disruption. The main chamber of the monastery has a majestic statue of the Buddha with a backdrop of the snow-clad Dhauladhar Mountains.

12. Kangra Valley Dharamsala: 

Kangra Fort in Kangra Valley | by Abhijit Saggu (CC BY- SA 3.0)

Situated at an elevation of 20,000 ft, Kangra is a river valley in the Western Himalayan region. The history associated with Kangra Valley dates back to the Vedic Era of more than 3500 years and this valley is a home to many ancient temples like the Chamunda Devi, Bajreshwari Devi, Jwala Devi, and Baijnath Shiv temples. Kangra valley is also known for its numerous perennial streams and the Dhauladhar range (White Mountain) which marks the boundary between the valley and Chamba.

The world-famous,  Kangra Fort was built by the royal Rajput family of Kangra State (the Katoch dynasty), which traces its origins to the ancient Trigarta Kingdom, mentioned in the Mahabharata epic is a must visit attraction in Kangra Valley.

13. Kareri lake: 

Kaneri Lake | by Ashish Gupta (CC BY- SA 2.0)

Around 9 km North West of Dharamsala, Kareri Lake is a high altitude lake present at a height of 9626 ft in the south of the Dhauladhar Range. The snow melting from the Mankhani Peak of the Dhauladhar Range is the primary source of water to this lake and the Nyund Stream is the primary outflow. The Kareri Lake trek originates from Mcleodganj and leads to Kareri village at 1,800 meters passing through a thick pine forest and several small villages.

On descending down the village the entire zone is covered with dense oak forest. The lake appears to be especially appealing during the winter months of December to March when the lake is frozen and an air of tranquillity envelopes it.

14. Chamera Lake Dalhousie:

Pir Pranjal and Chamera Lake | by Amit J Sangekar (CC BY- SA 4.0)

Located at an altitude of 763 meters, Chamera Lake is an artificial water body about 25 kilometers away from the Dalhousie main town. Chamera Lake is actually a reservoir developed by Chamera Dam (positioned at an altitude of 1700 meters) on the Ravi River at Chourah. It is a very prevalent location for camping, picnics etc among the locals and other tourists. The Chamera lake is surrounded by beautiful green meadows and exquisite pine tree valleys.

Many water sports activities such as boat riding and fishing are offered as a part of the Chamera Hydroelectric project that is built over the Ravi River. The Dam site enjoys very sharp changeability in climate between April to June.

15. Gilbert Trail Kasauli:

Gilbert Trail | by Black Pearl (CC BY- SA 4.0)

Kasauli is best known for its natural scenic beauty with greenery all around. With greenery on every corner of the Kasauli, it offers one of the best trek routes in Northern India. The very famous Gilbert Trail is one of the best ways to rejuvenate yourself in Kasauli. Gilbert Trail owes its splendid beauty to the small narrow kaccha path (mud road), bordering green landscape, hills at the backdrop, view, and sound of colorful birds and scenic serene environment.
The track is located towards the right off the main road and stretches to almost one and a half kilometers from Lover’s Lane. The entire trail is across the beautiful landscapes and rich in a wide range of Flora and somewhat fauna. Gilbert Hall is a must-visit attraction for bird watchers. The temperature and climate in this region remain almost the same throughout the year hence, the Gilbert trail is quite popular throughout the year.