I absolutely have no words to describe Manali. Clearly the most beautiful place I have ever been to. Since I haven’t been to Kashmir, I can safely call it no less than paradise...
We went to manali on a college tour in the peak of winter, in January(This is when you can see snowfall). We started from Goa and boarded the Goa express till Delhi.The tour was organized by Yatrik travels, who provided us with a bus.After seeing some places like Delhi, Agra, Chandigarh and Shimla, we went to Manali. We stayed there for around 3 days...
The main attraction here is the snow point. Its not easy to reach the snow point during this time as the road is filled with a thick layer of snow(3-4 inches), as a result of which there is a high chance of the vehicle skidding off the road. Drivers, don’t be over adventurous here. One small mistake would be a perfect recipe for disaster on this mountain. The only way to go ther is to hire a sumo driven by the experienced gurkha drivers. After some anxious moments, we managed to reach the snowpoint. This was the first time I ever saw snow in my life. We tried skiing for about an hour. It was simply a great experience. The natural beauty here enthralled us all. The sight of the snow capped peaks is still fresh in my minds...
There is also a hot sulphur spring which you will find on the way to the snowpoint. A bath in this is said to rid you of your skin ailments if any.
For pilgrims, there is the Hidimba temple and a buddha temple. You can buy things such as the rudraksha and other such decorative and religious articles...
You will find yaks over which you will be allowed to sit and click photographs in traditional dresses which the yak owners provide for some 10-15 rupees...
Manali is also famous for icecreams.
Accomodation charges were not that high. Rooms have heaters which will warm up the room a bit. Tea and hot soups need to be gulped down fast. They cool down in just about a minute. I am sure you will always want to extend your stay at manali if you happen to visit it.
Highly recommended.