Not only Indians, but even foreigners love to visit the hill station Manali in Himachal Pradesh as its pleasant weather, natural beauty, snow-capped mountains, and beautiful sight-seeing places serve as a great holiday destination.
However, there is another important reason that makes Manali a must-visit place in every traveller’s bucket list and that is the numerous fun and adventure activities that Manali offers. In fact, for those who seek adventure, Manali would spoil them for choices. The hill station is the hub of adventure activities, ranging from mountaineering, paragliding, snow camping, and various others.
And these adventure activities are available throughout the year depending on the weather of course. For example, in winter, snowmobiling and skating would be the preferred adventure activities as snow would be in abundance. But in the summer months, water rafting would be the go-to adventure activity. So, here are the 5 adventure activities you can do in Manali.
Club House, Manali
If you are looking for all types of adventure in a single place, then Club House near the Mall Road should be a must visit in your Manali tour package. The Club House, which is run by the Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation, is home for fun and adventure activities of all age groups.
It has both indoor and outdoor games that make the Club House a must-visit adventure hot-spot in Manali. Among outdoor adventure activities, it has zip-lining where you can cross a water body via a ropeway. You can also try go-karting and skating.
For those seeking indoor fun, they can try carrom, table tennis and billiards. There is also a library, a bar, and auditorium in the Club House. For the young ones, there are video games that they can try their hands at. Club house also has restaurants at their premises.
Timings: It is open on all days from 10 am to 8 pm.
Photography Hike and Snow Camping
This is one of the most loved adventure activities in Manali. However, you need to be at a good fitness level to endure this adventure. Various travel groups will offer different packages for photography, hiking and snow camping. But you can choose the one that suits your preference, fitness, endurance level, and budget.
This activity is available in the winter months from October to April when Manali peaks are fully covered in snow. One such adventure you can try is Kakhnal Theli package where adventure seekers start the hike from Kakhnal village to reach the campsite in Banad.
From Banad, you hike to Kakhnal Theli and on the way, you’ll get numerous opportunities to do photography as you ascend the white snow mountains and enjoy nature’s beauty. Once you reach the campsite back in Banad, you can do snow camping, enjoy the bonfire, and even cook on a makeshift barbecue.
Beas Kund trek
If you are looking for your first Himalayan trek, then try the Beas Kund trek in Manali because it is easy to moderate in terms of difficulty level, and plus it would give you an encounter that should not be taken lightly. The trek to the Beas Kund lake, which is situated at a height of 3650 metres in the Kullu Valley, will take you through green grasslands of Bakarthach and Dhundhi.
You will also pass through a populated coniferous forest and the Solang Valley, and will also sight various peaks such as Shitidhar and Ladakhi on the way to Beas Kund, which is where the River Beas begins its journey. Overall, you’ll get to experience the best of nature in Manali on the Beas Kund trek. You’ll also get to camp in the open amidst nature. The best time to undertake the Beas Kund trek is from May to October.
Mountain Biking in Naggar
This is another adventure activity that must be a part of your Manali tour package. Mountain biking in Naggar through the challenging terrain will leave you with high spirits. All you need is a good bike that can endure the rough mountain terrain while you ride on it through the scenic beauty of Naggar.
You can also soak in the local village culture and their way of living. You can also visit the famous Naggar Castle, which is now run as a heritage hotel by Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation.
The castle is famous for its beautiful western-Himalayan architecture and houses paintings of Russian artist Nicholas Roerich. Mountain Biking in Naggar with your friends would make this adventure even more memorable. Mountain biking in Naggar is best during the summer months when the weather is favourable.
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Paragliding in mountains
Paragliding is an extremely must-do adventure activity when you visit Manali for your holiday. Hence, you must include it in your Manali tour package as paragliding through Manali at about 2500 metres above the sea level or more will satiate your need for adventure.
Solang Valley is one of the best places in Manali to try paragliding as it gives unforgettable views of the greenery.
The next best spot for paragliding is Fatru if you are an experienced paraglider as you could sail across the sky for a longer duration here. Bir Billing in Kangra district is another famous place for paragliding in Manali. You start from Bir and land in Billing while you traverse through the beautiful Kangra Valley.
You can even paraglide solo here. It is also called the Paragliding Capital of India and has even hosted the World Cup, and other international tournaments.
The costs of paragliding in Manali can range from Rs 800 to Rs 2000 for a short ride (5 to 10 mins), and Rs 2000 to Rs 5000 for long rides (10 to 20 mins).