If you are heading from Delhi, both places can be covered well in 4 – 5 days.
Please notice that there are further places ahead from the Kasol worth exploring. But we wanted to check out Manali too, so we head back from the Kasol only.
Day 1
A night earlier we had caught the Himachal tourism bus from Delhi, which dropped us in Bhunter (a place) in the morning. You get to see the beautiful sights well before a couple of hours from reaching the Bhunter, so better grab the window seat.
There is not much to see in Bhunter so we hired the taxi to Kasol and checked in to our hotel. During the months of June – October, the season is at its peak and it is advisable to book the hotels in advance. After having some rest, we headed to the famous Manikaran Gurudwara. The ride took at least an hour and the roads were beautiful. Bathing in hot water at Gurudwara was a divine experience. Later, we ate at the langarr and head back to Kasol.
After taking a short nap, we then explored the town, took a good walk and did a little shopping. We went to the famous German bakery shop and satisfied our taste buds. After that, we settled to a local lounge which served us beer. The place was too cozy to pass out and one shall be cautious on how much to drink. We had registered for the private party and went to the location in the jungle. The path can be really sloppy and dangerous. Be equipped with the torch if you plan to attend such party at night. The party place was totally unsafe and dizzy. No measures of security were taken in route and at the exact place as well. We got bored and left soon from there to be settled at some secluded place in the Jungle and spent some quality time. We made to the hotel after some time as it was too late in the night.
Day 2
During the next day, we had breakfast at a riverside food joint. We were already tired of Italian music buzzing everywhere. We decided to explore the jungle and to hike at random places. There is a bridge which connects the town to the mountains. After crossing the bridge we decided to hike in the right direction (most people go to the left direction). The path was narrow, the hike was sharp and slippery. After exploring the area the for some time we found a heavenly beautiful place, almost untouched, undiscovered. The place was almost secluded and one can completely enjoy the solitude there. We found a small beach-like area and an old empty house. The place is not on the map and we don’t know how we reached there. We just ended up hiking in the right direction from the bridge and went down to the Parvati river then.
After spending the whole day there, we head back to the hotel, packed our bags and took the taxi to Manali. After some rough three 2 – 3 hours we reached Manali and decided to spend the night in the hotel lounge.
Day 3
Next day, we met with our agent and hired bikes. We roamed around the whole city and went to Solang valley. After Spending few hours there, we came back to the city to visit the old Manali. Some beautiful temples and interesting streets were awaiting there. There is a local fair which is organized in winters. If you have time, you can enjoy the fair. Next destination was mall road where we walked, ate and spent some quality time. The city sleeps around 11 so we had to come back to our hotel.
Day 4
Next day we hired an SUV and went to Rohtang Pass. The driveway itself is very adventurous and the roads can be dangerous at some points. Rainy season is not a good time to visit as mountain sliding occurs too often. After some odd three hours, we reached the peak. The place is surrounded in clouds and you can see the white solid snow at distant mountains from Rohtang Pass. You will find yourself in the clouds once you reach the peak. The place is now too crowded but people there, not go very far. We suggest you to put a marking at the starting place and go further. The place is like a heaven and can remind you of some European mountain valley, too clean and too scenic. One can face breathing problems and cigarette lighter does not work there. If you find a tea seller, have the tea. Nothing can beat the experience of having tea in cloudy mountains. There is a small hidden lake in the valley and one can find the lake by tracking the small water paths. We were awestruck by the beauty of the lake and surroundings. The whole day was not a place for such a place. We got back to our starting point and started back to the city around 3. At 6 in the evening, we were in the city. We spent our time hanging out in the town, shopping and partying. We get back to our hotel at 10.30 in the night. The agent collected the bikes from us and we caught the bus to Delhi around 11.30 in the night. Next morning we were back in the capital city by 10 in the morning.
Things to do.
Hire bikes in advance.
Hire the taxi in advance.
Book the hotel in advance.
Get the maps and some essentials like a torch, medicines, and a rope.
Things, not to do
Do not get over drunk.
Don’t buy drugs from locals.
Stay away from parties in the jungle.
Happy Travelling :)