“If you need to describe Manali with one word after your last visit, what would that be?”, I asked one of my friends with whom I was travelling to Manali, with three others. “Petrol”, she replied firmly. I was visiting Manali for the first time while three of my friends had been there once. The four of us were heading to the famous Himachali town in the middle of a heavy monsoon season. In response to my friend’s petrol remark, we got deep into the conversation figuring out how to avoid excess cars and honks. Of course, the only solution was that we will explore offbeat hidden gems in Manali and avoid the crowded spots. Everyone was convinced of this rule. Manali has often been defamed as the popular child of Himachal, where everyone is always going. But because of our determination to avoid the touristy areas and thanks to the monsoon for playing its part, we were able to explore a 12-days unexpected sight of a magical and mystical Manali, that transported us to the lush green vistas, little known picturesque villages, jaw-dropping views, and gushing waterfalls, making you feel one with nature.
We were staying in Shuru, a quaint little side of Manali, away from the hustle and bustle. All hail to one of our friends, who was driving his personal car throughout the entire journey, we were able to wander off in the nearby villages without much thought. Making the most out of this arrangement, giddy with excitement for the early Friday work log-offs on the first weekend of our arrival, we headed out to explore Sissu.
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Sissu – Town in Himachal Pradesh
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Sissu is nearly 40 km ahead of Manali which has now become incredibly easy to access because of the Atal tunnel. Sissu is a small dreamy town with a motley crew of traditional Himalayan-built stays to offer a very dramatic and breathtaking landscape. Wherever we were stopping and gazing was a soothing sight to sore eyes. As much we were enjoying the nippy yet fresh as mint air and soft sunset glue in the starkly azure sky, we could not stop ourselves from going into the Sissu lake. Nestled in the valley between Himalyan ranges, a fierce mountain river flows between the valley. Just above this blissful landscape lies a roaring waterfall falling from the glaciers high in the mountains. There are several campsites beside the river where you can spend your nights, star gazing and enjoying bonfires.
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Old Manali
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Just half an hour from the main buzzy town market of Manali, Old Manali is the story book-beautiful side waiting for you to discover it. Filled with cobblestoned roads, quirky little shops, and rows of rustic café, Old Manali is meant for you to take a walk in a light hue of dawn while listening to strangers strumming the guitar in chic surroundings. Taking a walk in Old Manali sets the mood for your entire evening. Himachali cuisine, Italian, Asian, Indian, Goan, the cafes here serve all your gastronomic cravings. A perfect spot for college students, family, friends, or couples, you can unwind here in any corner and it’s safe to say that you will find your like-minded crowd. The shops that adorn the streets carry intricate handwoven and exotic collections of Himachali artifacts, apparel, and souvenirs. There are several traditional wooded carved temples too where you can trek uphill and enjoy the architecture and dreamy valley views.
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Gulaba
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If monsoon can play its magic on mountains, Gulaba is their land of adventure. Gulaba is a small local settlement which you will cross on your way to Rohtang Pass. But stepping into Gulaba during the prime time of a rainy day was like stepping into a time capsule. The landscape changed the minute we entered Gulaba and beautiful waterfalls were welcoming us at every turn of the road. There was a heavy mist in the surrounding valleys, the mountain ranges were covered in dense cedar and pine forests and rolling green hills. We parked the car at a parking spot and decided to enjoy some rain-soaked walks in the winding, curving, disappearing-into-the-forests-road. It felt like time stood still at that point as we walked up a green meadow on a hill. Upon reaching the meadow, the view that welcomed us left us in awe. Several green patches of meadows were slowly coming into clear view from the opposite hills as clouds were clearing. Snow-clad mountain peaks were visible like icing on top of a green kiwi cake and glaciers were melting from it. We decided to stare at this endless horizon for some more amount of time with hot piping tea by the roadside before ending the day.
Baralacha La pass
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The day we decided to do a day drive to Baralacha la pass, which lies in Lahaul Valley of Himachal, the weather was in our complete favour. It was a sunny Saturday with a clear sky. We left early morning from Shuru to drive all the way to Baralacha. Along the 6 hours long one-way drive, we crossed Jispa and Keylong. Both are small tranquil Himalayan villages where you can stop, have refreshments, and wander around gazing at the wilderness of high mountains. Jispa offers plenty of activities to indulge in for the adventurous souls, including stargazing and camping by the riverside. Ahead of Jispa before reaching Baralacha, lies a surreal and pristine blue lake known as ‘Suraj Tal’ lake. It’s the third highest lake in India. The lake is located at the backdrop of a gorgeous valley with glacier-clad peaks. Once reaching Baralacha, you can spot snow-crusted mountains with rocky Tibetan flag-bearing peaks from where you can feel the cold wind grazing your face, the sky changing its colour as the Leh-Manali highway offers a gorgeous vista of Lahual valleys.
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Naggar Castle
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Once the capital kingdom of Kullu, Naggar’s pace is slow, soothing, and peaceful. The valley view is a sight to behold with Beas river flowing surrounded by little Himachali huts. Naggar Castle, an ancient traditional Himachali-built castle with astonishing woodwork, lies in the heart of the town surrounded by cozy European-looking cafes with plenty of Tibetan and Italian options. There are stay options available too in the castle along with a café and a jaw-dropping view of the Pir Panjal range.
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Author Bio:
Sriparna Samajdar
I am a writer who’s always making the next places to visit in her head. I write about travel, lifestyle, and culture. Follow me on my Instagram handle @sriparnasam where I share my travel experiences.
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