Manali in 2, 3 or 5 days: which trip should you pick?

2 days: Prashar Lake Snow Trek in 2 Days — A Floating Island and a Pagoda Temple

1. Day 1Mandi to Baggi, trek to Prashar Lake — Pickup in Mandi, Through the deodar forest, Prashar Lake (about 2,730 m), Bonfire and dinner
2. Day 2Sunrise, down to Mandi — Sunrise over the Dhauladhar, Descend to Baggi, Drive to Mandi

Highlights: A high lake with a floating island that drifts across the water · The 13th-century three-tiered pagoda temple of Rishi Prashar · Snow from December to March, on one of Himachal's easiest snow treks.

3 days: Beas Kund Trek in 3 Days — To the Source of the Beas river

1. Day 1Manali to Dhundi, trek to Bakarthach — Pickup in Manali, Along the Beas, Bakarthach camp (about 3,300 m)
2. Day 2Beas Kund and back — Up the moraine, At the lake, Back to Bakarthach
3. Day 3Bakarthach to Manali — Walk out, Drop

Highlights: The glacial lake where the Beas river begins · Close views of Hanuman Tibba, Shitidhar and Friendship Peak · A short, high trek that starts 45 minutes from Manali.

3 days: Kheerganga Trek & Tosh Valley in 3 Days — Hot Springs, Parvati Valley, Manikaran gurudwara

1. Day 1Manali to Kasol · Manikaran — Pickup in Manali, Manikaran, Kasol
2. Day 2Barshaini to Kheerganga — Drive to Barshaini, The trail, Kheerganga (about 2,950 m), Night in camp
3. Day 3Down to Tosh, back to Manali — Morning on the meadow, Descend to Barshaini, Tosh village, Drop

Highlights: A natural hot-spring pool at the top of the trail · Rudra Nag waterfall and the Parvati valley forest · The boiling springs and langar at Manikaran gurudwara.

4 days: Bhrigu Lake Trek in 4 Days — A High-Altitude Lake Above Manali

1. Day 1Manali to Gulaba, trek to Jonker Thach — Pickup in Manali, Through the forest, Jonker Thach camp (about 3,300 m)
2. Day 2Jonker Thach to Rola Kholi — Onto the high meadows, Rola Kholi (about 3,800 m)
3. Day 3Bhrigu Lake, down to Pandu Ropa — To the lake, At the lake, Down to Pandu Ropa
4. Day 4Pandu Ropa to Vashisht — Last descent, Vashisht hot springs

Highlights: A high lake at about 4,300 m, reached in just two days of climbing · Some of Himachal's widest meadows at Rola Kholi · Views of Hanuman Tibba, Deo Tibba and the Seven Sisters.

4 days: Manali & Sissu in 4 Days — Atal Tunnel, Lahaul Valley & Snow

1. Day 1Arrive in Manali · Old Manali and Hadimba — Pickup and check-in, Hadimba Devi temple, Orientation dinner
2. Day 2Naggar Castle and Solang Valley — Naggar Castle, Solang Valley, Vashisht
3. Day 3Atal Tunnel to Sissu and Lahaul — Through the Atal Tunnel, Sissu, Lahaul villages, Night in Sissu
4. Day 4Sissu to Manali — Slow morning, Back through the tunnel

Highlights: Two valleys in one trip: green Kullu and the cold desert of Lahaul · A night in Sissu, across the Atal Tunnel · Naggar Castle and the Roerich art gallery.

5 days: Sar Pass Trek in 5 Days — Snow Pass & a Famous Slide Down

1. Day 1Kasol to Grahan — Meet in Kasol, Up the Grahan nala, Grahan village camp (about 2,350 m)
2. Day 2Grahan to Min Thach — Steep forest climb, Min Thach (about 3,400 m)
3. Day 3Min Thach to Nagaru — Onto the snowline, Nagaru (about 3,800 m)
4. Day 4Sar Pass, down to Biskeri Thach — To the pass, The slide, Biskeri Thach (about 3,400 m)
5. Day 5Biskeri Thach to Barshaini, drive to Kasol — Via Bandak Thach, Drop

Highlights: A snow pass at about 4,200 m above the Parvati valley · The long snow slide down from the pass (May and June) · Forest and meadow camps at Grahan, Min Thach, Nagaru and Biskeri.

When to go

October to February for snow, March to June for green valleys and adventure sports, and July to September for a quieter, rainier Manali.

Getting there

Bhuntar (Kullu) airport is about 50 km away with limited flights; most travellers come by overnight bus or car from Delhi and Chandigarh (12–14 hrs and 8–9 hrs). Our trips start and end at Manali bus stand, or Bhuntar Airport with a pickup charge.