Mall Road Manali

It is the main road located at the right side of the river Beas. It is not only the geographical centre of the town but also the centre of most activities for the people of the area. It has offices of Nagar Panchayat, Civil Secretariat, Tourism Department etc. Until a few years ago, most traffic of the town used to move through this road only. It was later decided that it should be made a walking plaza. Hence, except emergency vehicles, no other automobile is allowed on it.

The inception of this road dates back to 1930s when it started as a common Marketplace for various essential items. Not only was it a commercial centre for the buyers and sellers of the adjoining areas, but also of Lahaul and Spiti district, which is located just north of Rohtang Pass. In the years after that, it has seen itself grow into a major tourist attraction. ‘The Mall Manali’, as it has been often called, has a number of shops, restaurants, cafes, outlets and showrooms. The tourists enjoy shopping, eating, strolling or just sitting here. One can find handicraft products of not only Himachal Pradesh but also of Kashmir and many other states of India.

Food connoisseurs can find a variety of cuisines from different parts of India and the world. A number of multi-cuisine restaurants offer Chinese, Tibetan, Punjabi, Himachali, Italian, South Indian and Gujarati food. Tourists can also book taxis to visit various places around Manali. One can go to places such as Rohtang Pass, Nagar, Kasol, Manikaran, etc by booking a cab here. There are a number of booking offices for Volvo and luxury buses for the return journey from Manali.

The Mall Manali also boasts of a Multiplex theatre, where one can catch a latest flick. Just at the southern end of the Mall Road is the gate to a place called Van Vihar, where one can enjoy activities such as boating and electric-cart ride in the midst of a forest. With so many attractions to offer, the Mall Road of Manali must be the first thing on the list of every person visiting Manali.

We, at Hotel the 1965, are proud to offer you a stay at a quiet, yet happening location just one minute walk from the Mall Road Manali. This makes your time much more enjoyable, easy and relaxing at Manali.

Rohtang Pass

‘Rohtang Pass’ or ‘Rohtang La’ is one of the most visited places in India at such a high altitude. It is a high mountain pass on the eastern Pir Panjal range at an elevation of about 4200 metres or 1300 feet above sea level. It is considered as the second highest motorable pass in the world. It is around 51 kilometres from main Manali. It connects the two valleys of Kullu and lahaul-Spiti of Himachal Pradesh. It divides the two districts which are separated by their language and culture to some extent.

It is usually open from May to November. It is through this pass that a number of military vehicles cross to reach Leh. It is therefore of utmost national importance too. Not just that, most people visiting Manali don't consider their trip complete unless they visit Rohtang Pass.

The road is steep with many sharp turns. Dangerous points can be encountered during the climb with steep cliffs and gorges. The attitude increases by almost two thousand metres in such a small distance of just 51 kilometres, thus changing the weather in a short span of time. The temperature dips as one reaches the top. The main attraction of this pass is the availability of snow throughout the year. Possibility of fresh snowfall can never be ruled out, irrespective of the month.

Government is adding another attraction soon to this place: cable cars or ropeway from Kothi village to Rohtang Pass. It is going to add to the exhilaration this wonderful place already gives to the visitors. Another attraction being added is a 8.8 km long tunnel called ‘Atal Tunnel’ which will connect Kullu district and lahaul and Spiti district. It is expected to reduce travel time from 8 hours to 30 minutes.

We, at Hotel The 1965, help our guests to get the best taxi service for Rohtang Pass. One can also get a bike from our in-house fleet of motorcycles.

Solang Valley

‘Solang Valley’ or ‘Solnag Nala’ is a side valley at the top of the Kullu Valley. It is around 14 kilometres from Manali Town located towards north west direction. It can be reached by taking a small detour on the Manali-Rohtang Pass road.

It is a very popular place for all the people visiting Manali. It is famous for its adventure sports activities. It has to offer a variety of such activities with a separate set for summer and a separate one for winter conditions. In the summertime, one can enjoy paragliding, ATV ride and zorbing here. While in the winter conditions, one can have a wonderful experience of skiing, snow-boarding and snow-scooter ride on the giant slopes of the valley.

A few years ago, a new attraction was added to the place: Ski Himalayas Ropeway. This cable car system takes one to the top reaching the Summit. A Canadian store-cum-showroom offers excellent quality imported products ranging from lifestyle to adventure gear goods. Solang Valley is also known as Solang Nala by the locals.

We, at Hotel The 1965, help our guests to get the best taxi service for Solang Valley. One can also rent a bike from our in-house fleet of motorcycles.

Manali Van Vihar (Part 1)

Out of a number of tourist attractions that the Mall Road Manali has to offer, there is this quiet,   peaceful and serene place called Van Vihar. Just as one walks down and crosses the hustle-bustle of the central market of the town, one can spot this beautiful gate to this forest. Developed by the  forest department of Himachal Pradesh, this is a huge forest full of tall devdaar trees, stretching from the south end of the town, all the way to the northern part till old Manali, along the Beas river.

There are two parts of this forest that one can visit. Though interconnected in between, a new visitor will usually have an impression that these are two different places. In this article, we shall be covering the southern part, which has more activities to offer such as boating and electric car ride. This part has an entry ticket of rupees 30 per person. Once one enters the place, usually one is going to find a number of other tourists enjoying the natural beauty of the place. There is a boating place where one can spend some time enjoying the paddle boats. Also, in the tourist season time, there is an electric cart that can take you around the large forest on a rough but beautiful track. There is a canteen-cum-café, in case you find yourself hungry or thirsty. The location of this place makes it very convenient for one to visit it and relax in its calmness.

We, at Hotel The 1965, are proud to be located so close to the Mall Road Manali, and therefore one can just walk and reach the Van Vihar gate in just 5 minutes from our hotel.

Manali Van Vihar (Part 2)

In the last article we recovered the southern part of Manali Van Vihar which has a number of activities to offer, is closer to the mall road and hence attracts tourists in larger number. In this article we are going to cover the northern part of Manali Van Vihar. This part is located a few metres from the main Chowk at the north end of the Mall Road Manali.

As one walks a few metres on the Manali-Hadimba Temple Road, one can spot the Wildlife Information and Interpretation Centre. After entering the gate, just on the side of the centre, is another small gate where one has to pay a nominal entry fees of rupees 20. After entering one can spot a track that goes through the thick devdar forest. The total length of the track is is over 1.5 kilometres and one can reach old Manali at the other end. One can hardly find any other visitors in this calm and serene place. The locals usually use this as a traffic-free shortcut walking route to connect Old Manali area with the main Manali town.

The place has no activities to offer, only vast dense forest, a view of the Beas river on one side and a small bird sanctuary with a few unique Himalayan species. The forest is a perfect picnic spot, with only one thing to be kept in mind, that is not to litter around at all. The place is best suited for long walks, jogs, chatting sessions, relaxation, or working on something with the natural background.

We, at Hotel The 1965, are glad that our guests can reach the place through a shortcut walking path in just 2 minutes and enjoy the nature for many hours.

Motorcycle Rides in the Himalayas

In this article, we shall cover the happiness and thrill of riding a motorcycle in and around Manali. We shall therefore be restrict ourselves to discussing short trips under a day only.

The peak tourist season usually brings with it traffic congestions. The local administration has taken some praiseworthy steps to tackle this issue. Still the traffic usually moves at a slower pace at a few bottlenecks during the peak summer season in this small hilly town. To beat the stress, it is an excellent idea to rent motorcycles or scooties for yourself and reduce your travel times to visit beautiful places around Manali town.

It is easy to get any two wheeler on rent. There are various places that offer various motorcycles, mostly from the Royal Enfield stable. These heavy bikes have a particular suitability to the Himalayan terrain. Though the other motorcycles are also good, one has usually grown to have a particular fascination for Royal Enfield. Apart from being powerful machines, their popularity owes to the recent bloggers, vloggers and enthusiasts riding this particular brand. It will not be wrong to say that any other two wheeler such as Pulsar, Avenger or a few powerful scooties are also well suited to the hilly roads.

Another advantage of using a two wheeler is that it costs you less. Many travellers want to squeeze most things that Manali has to offer in a tight budget. Hence, a two wheeler costs less to rent as well as consumes less fuel as compared to a four wheeler. Also nothing beats the convenience of self-driving.

There are a number of places that one can go to on a two wheeler, such as Hadimba temple, Old Manali, Vashishth etc. These are all under 5 kilometres from the Mall Road. There are also various interesting places within a radius of 80 kilometres, that can be done in a day, such as Rohtang Pass, Solang Valley, Kullu, Manikaran, Kasol, Nagar etc. One can plan and cover a couple of these places on one day and the others on another.

We, at Hotel the 1965, are located next to the mall road. We have an in-house fleet of two wheelers such as Royal Enfields and scooties to offer to our guests. We assure you fully maintained two wheelers at a discounted rent. We also help our guests in planning their rides in and around Manali.

Cycling in Manali

There is a difference in the use of the word ‘bike’ around the world. While in this part of the world we usually understand it to mean a motorcycle, where as in the West, it is used to denote a bicycle. The bicycle has come a long way in its design and selection of material since its invention in the early 19th century. It is much lighter and more robust nowadays than it used to be to be. Besides that, it is much smoother, has less vibrations and is a lot safer.

Two particular types of bicycles are more suited for the Himalayan terrain. The first is the mountain bike (MTB) and the second is the fat tyre bike. The MTB is more popular one due to its suitability on a variety of mountainous paths. The thrill of bicycling multiplies manifold when one travels on narrow hilly roads. There are many places around Manali that offer you exactly that.

One can get the best bicycles on rent at various places in and around Manali. There are a couple of maintenance and repair service centres too. It is an excellent idea to go on any of the roads that connect Manali to the nearby villages. It is a great way to explore these locations and stay healthy in the process, not to mention your reduced carbon footprint.

 We, at Hotel 1965, have in-house bicycles that we offer our guests at a nominal discounted rent. In addition, we are glad to help you plan your rides to beautiful places.

Himachali Cuisine

The first thing that comes into one's mind when one hears the word ‘Himachal’ is the beauty that the hilly state is famous for. Seldom does one think of the scrumptious food that the different places in the state have to offer. Historically, the different areas of Himachal have been geographically separated by the high mountains and rough terrain. This is evident in the drastic difference in the dialects, culture and customs of the various areas, usually as one goes from one district to the next one. The same can be seen in the local cuisine.

In this article, we shall focus only on the dishes that the Kullu-Manali region has to offer. Here's a list of the that are getting popular nowadays:

1)     Siddu: It is a side dish made from wheat flour and filled with a paste of walnuts and poppy seed. The wheat flour dough is kept for a few hours for the yeast to settle down. It is then filled with a fine paste of walnut, poppy seed and other condiments. It is then steamed in a special steamer. It is best served hot with chutney and warm ghee.

2)     Fiddle-head fern: It is a wide variety of the fern family with curled top ends. Locally, it is popularly known as lingri for lungru. This plant has traditionally been prepared in various forms. It makes a fantastic main ingredient of pickle which is nowadays also available commercially at local outlets. It is also cooked as a vegetable as well as raita with curd.

3)     Trout fish: It is a species of freshwater fish of the salmon family. It is considered as one of the best choices when it comes to fish due to its numerous health benefits. It comes from the nearby fish farms in the Kullu-Manali region. There are various recipes of the fish that are available at the different cafes and restaurants of Manali

We, at Hotel the 1965, make our guests feel home by offering these delicacies in addition to the other cuisines.

Must-Visit Places Around Manali

Manali is a beautiful hill station located at an altitude of approximately 1800 metre or 6000 feet above sea level. It has a very special mark on the international tourism map.

Here is a list of the places one must visit in and around Manali:

1)     Mall Road Manali: At the heart of this picturesque town, is its main market and commercial hub called the Mall Road or simply The Mall Manali. It has a number of shops, showrooms, travel offices, restaurants, cafes etc. One can enjoy shopping, eating, drinking or simply sitting at this walking plaza where entry of automobiles is not allowed.

2)     Rohtang Pass: Around 51 kilometres from main Manali town on the Manali-Leh highway is this famous point. It is located at an altitude of around 4000 metres or 13000 feet above sea level. This makes it a full year round snow point. Though it is closed in the long winter season, the visitors can capture beautiful memories of playing in the snow in summer. The road itself has its thrills and hence  it is definitely the main attraction for the tourists.

3)     Solang Valley: Around 14 kilometres from the Mall Manali, is this beautiful valley with steep slopes, making it the perfect spot for adventure sports such as paragliding, zorbing and ATV rides in the summer time and skiing, snow scooter rides and snowboarding in the winter season.

4)     Hadimba Temple: This marvellous ancient wooden temple is just 2 kilometres from main Manali town. One can go there in a car, taxi, two wheeler, auto rickshaw or even by  walking. The temple has a great mythological as well as historical relevance. No Manali trip can be considered complete unless you visit the temple.

5)     Old Manali: Old Manali used to be a small village of the devotees of Manu Rishi. It is approximately 2 kilometres from Manali. The temple of Manu Rishi is situated in the centre of the village. The whole place has numerous restaurants, cafes, hostels, shops and travel officers which make it a must visit place. Here one can relish cuisines from all around the world.

We, at Hotel the 1965, are glad to assist our guests in planning their complete itinerary for spending their best days in and around Manali.

Places You Should Not Miss on Your Next Manali Trip

Manali in itself is a very popular and enchanting hill station. Tourists visiting the small town have a mental list of a few popular nearby must-visit places such as the Mall Road, Hadimba temple, Old Manali, Rohtang Pass and Solang Valley.

We have compiled a list of a few more places one must definitely try to visit:

1)     Vashisht Village: This small town is around 3 kilometre from the main town of Manali. It has a temple of Vashisht Rishi surrounded by a number of other temples. Just next to these temples is a natural hot water spring. Also the place has a few excellent restaurants and cafes to fill your palate.

2)     Naggar Village: Naggar is a not so small village around 20 km southwards of Manali on the left bank of river Beas. It has a few ancient temples, but it is most popular for Naggar  Castle and Roerich Art Gallery. These attractions make it a very important tourist point.

3)     Jana Waterfalls: Around 13 kilometres from Nagar is a small village called Jana. It has a small but beautiful waterfall. One can sit there dipping one’s feet in fresh cold water of the waterfall, sip a drink and enjoy a bowl of hot Maggi. A better recommendation is to try the local Kulvi thali with a number of delicacies in one of the small dhabas run by the local village people.

4)     Manikaran: Around 80 kilometres from Manali is this important tourist as well as religious place called Manikaran. It is an important place for both Hindus and Sikhs. It has mythological and historical significance. Situated in the Parvati Valley, this place is famous for its natural sulphur hot water spring.

5)     Kasol: In the Parvati Valley, approximately 4 kilometre just before one reaches Manikaran, is a small place called Kasol. It got its popularity only a few years ago, before which it was an unknown name for most people. It has some of the best restaurants, cafes and bar in the region. The beauty of the place is added by the flowing Parvati River on one side. It is also famous for Kasol Music Festival on New Years.

We, at Hotel the 1965, love to help our guests reach and enjoy such fabulous places around Manali.

Hidden Gems Near Manali:

Manali is a world famous tourist place and with it, many must-visit nearby points have grew in their popularity such as Rohtang Pass, Solang Valley, Hadimba Temple, Nagar, Kasol and Manikaran just to name a few of them. Apart from these popular places that visitors usually throng to on every Manali trip, there are a few Hidden Gems that get ignored by most people. We have made a list of a few of them here:

1)     Jogini Falls: It is a waterfall which can be reached by walking for around 1 hour from Vashishth village near Manali. It is a scenic route through a number of villages. The waterfall has two points: the base and the top. It takes another 15 minutes of walk to reach the top

2)      Hampta Pass: This pass lies at an altitude of approximately 4200 above sea level. It is a small pass between the Chandra Valley and Kullu Valley. It is the starting point of many multi-day treks. We are suggesting you to at least reach a lovely place called Sethan by road. This place has become particularly popular for igloo stays. The distance is 16 kilometres from Manali.

3)     Barod-Parsha Waterfall: This one is the newest addition to the list of wonderful places around Manali. It was developed as a tourist point just recently. It is a small trek of approximately 15 minutes from Parsha village. The walk though steep, is quite comfortable as it has been leveled and a railing has been fixed recently. There is a photography point too where great pictures can be taken with the waterfall in the background.

4)     Van Vihar: We are not talking about the one that has its gate just on the lower end of the Mall Road Manali but about the one that starts a few metres away from the upper end of Mall Road. This has no activities to offer, just dense deodar forest and a path to walk on. Just entering the place will give you an immense serenity.

5)     Sajla Waterfall: This is a beautiful little waterfall in a village called Sajla. The place is around 10 kilometres from main Manali town on the left bank of river Beas. It is a trek of around 1 hour from the village. There is a cafe surrounded by a lovely Deodar forest.

We, at Hotel The 1965, are happy to help our guests plan a visit to these hidden gems when they have spare time on their Manali visit.

Kasol

Kasol is a small hamlet situated just before Manikaran in the Parvati Valley. It is on the left bank of river Parvati. It is approximately 30 kilometres from Bhuntar, the confluence of Beas and Parvati river and about 75 kilometres from Manali.

It has been called ‘Mini Israel’ due to a very high influx of Israeli tourist. It has recently become very famous among the Indian tourists, specially the youngsters who try to take long break from their work to chill out at this place. Kasol has some magnificent places nearby such as Grahan, Tosh etc. It also acts as the starting point for treks to Malana village and Kheer Ganga.

One can find marvelous restaurants, cafes and bars in the area offering the best cuisines from around the World. The place has the best camping places near the Parvati river and in the midst of coniferous forest.

We, at Hotel The 1965, recommend a day trip to the place and we are delighted to help our guests plan their travels.

Summer Adventure Activities in Manali

Manali has become famous for a number of adventure activities in the recent years. One can have an amazing time both in summer as well as winter.

Here is a list of various activities that one can get in and around Manali in the summer time:

1)     Paragliding: One of the most thrilling activities is paragliding. Visitors love experiencing it at Solang Valley, Marhi or Raison

2)     River Rafting: It is a must-do activity when in Manali. The water in river Beas is rapid with wicked twists and turns. A good place to experience it is Pirdi to Jhidi.

3)     Zorbing: It is a a giant rolling ball with transparent layers. A person goes inside and the ball is rolled on the slope. The best place to get this upside-down experience is Solang Valley.

4)     ATV or Quad-biking: Another thrilling activity is riding an ATV across rough, mountainous, rocky terrain. It can be experienced at many places in and around Manali.

5)     River-Crossing: This activity is loved by many visitors. One has to cross the river hanging from a rope. One can try this activity at Old Manali near Club-house and many other places.

We, at Hotel the 1965, love to guide our guests to get the most thrilling experiences at the best places.

Kullu Dussehra

Kullu Dussehra is an annual world famous festival. It starts on Vijaydashmi and goes on for the next seven days. It is of great importance for the local people of whole Kullu district. The event has a footfall of more than 5 lakh people every year from all across the globe. The festival mainly takes place in a place called Dhalpur which has a big ground at its centre.

The history of the festival goes back to the 17th century. The local king of Kullu at that time, Jagat Singh, declared God Raghunath as the deity of the Kullu Valley. The festival attracts locals as well as tourists in equal number. The local people of the Kullu and nearby towns and villages get an opportunity to meet friends and relatives. The main attraction, of course, is the congregation of deities in the ground.

For many, it is a chance to buy things at a bargain at the numerous stalls and exhibitions. The schools of the region declare holidays during this period. A number of food stalls are also opened offering various cuisines to the people.

We, at Hotel The 1965, like to help our guests enjoy local events such as Kullu Dussehra, Manali Winter Carnival etc.

Winter Adventure Activities in Manali

Manali has a number of adventure activities to offer the enthusiasts both in the summer as well as winter. In this article we shall be covering the winter ones, that is, the activities that are related to snow.

In winters, Manali becomes a wonderland. The white blanket of snow covers every part of the region. This is a great time to enjoy adventure activities. Here is a list for all adventure lovers who like to try new things in life:

1)     Skiing: It is a snowy adventure sport, which is sought after by most visitors in Manali. The best place for experiencing it is Solang Valley. Other places where one can get such an opportunity are Rohtang Pass, Marhi, Gulaba, Dhundi etc.

2)     Snowboarding: This one is similar to skiing but it usually needs a steeper hill and a higher skill-level. This sport will definitely give you a thrill that you will remember for the rest of your life. One can get an opportunity to get this experience in Solang Valley and Rohtang pass.

3)     Snow-Scooter Ride:  This is a relatively easy sport to enjoy in the snow. There are many snow scooters that one can hire at Solang Valley and Rohtang pass. This machine has recently gained a lot of popularity.

We, at Hotel The 1965, are happy to guide our guests to reach the right place to enjoy all adventure sports in Manali.