Himalayan Escape - Tirthan and Manali

We pick you up from Chandigarh and head to Tirthan Valley - the gateway to the Great Himalayan National Park and a popular destination for trekkers and nature enthusiasts. The valley has some fascinating traditional architecture to explore and trout angling locations. Reach and rest for the evening. You can explore the local village around the hotel and chat with the locals over a cup of chai.

After breakfast we head to Jalori Pass. A high mountain pass at 3200 mtrs, Jalori Pass is one of the favourite places for trekkers, mountain lovers and riding enthusiasts. Jalori Pass is the starting points for 2 treks (Serolsar lake and Raghupur fort) and you can easily do one of these – the hike to Serolsar Lake is without a guide. A 5 km trek from the top of Jalori pass brings you to Sareolsar Lake, a lake with unpolluted crystal clear water. This lake is tranquil and known for being the seat of local goddess Budhi Nagin. As Jalori Pass receives a heavy amount of snowfall during the winter, it is only accessible between April and November. Get back and got for a short (1 km hike from Jhibi market ) to the beautiful Jhibi waterfall.

Today will be adventurous as you will be trekking in this beautiful region. You can chose one of two treks today. Trekking to the majestic Chaini Fort or towards the Great Himalayan National Park. Please note that you will need a guide for your trek to Chaini fort which your host can arrange for you upon request. Chaini Fort is a 3-4 hr trek from Jhibi village. Chaini village is known for its ancient structures inspired by Chinese art and archaeology. Sharingi Bagi temple is another major attraction which lies mid way and you can take this detour to the temple if you are upto it. The other trek you can opt for today is the 8 km long trek towards the Great Himalayan National Park from a spot in Gushani. Just reaching the gate of the Great Himalayan National Park can be considered a trek in itself. If you wish to enter the GHNP you need to take a permit. Only people who wish to go on multi day treks to explore the national park take permission. You can relax in the evening and go for a stroll to Jhibi waterfall nearby. The final excursion option to choose from is to visit beautiful Sainj valley situated at the base of the Great Himalayan National Park. A scenic off beat location is perfect if you do not want anything too touristy. Sainj Valley is more famous for the Shahangarh meadows, the Pundhrik Rishi Lake (which is a hike from Deori village) and Raila village to see the twin towers of Raila.

Head to Manali today, with a visit to Naggar enroute. Naggar Castle, is a medieval monument in Naggar town nestled between Kullu and Manali. Naggar used to be the ancient seat of the King of Kullu, but is now run as a heritage hotel and tourist monument. A little ahead of the castle is Roerich Art Galley, which used to be the habitation of world famous Russian artist Nicholas Roerich and his family. The place is now turned into an exhibition space by a joint venture between the Russian and Himachal Pradesh governments. It is visited by most people who come to Naggar and is an inspirational space for budding artists to see Roerich’s work on Kullu, Lahaul and Spiti Valley. You can chose to have lunch in Naggar village at one of it’s many cafes before heading to Manali. Reach Manali and rest this evening.

Start your day after a relaxing breakfast, first stop is Vashisht temple, famous for its sulphur hot springs believed to have healing properties. From Vashisht is a small hike to Jogni waterfall. Do the hike only if you have the time and are upto it. It will take around 2 hrs to complete the hike and come back to the parking spot. The hike is a beautiful walk through the forest leading to magical glimpses of the waterfall. You can hear the water roaring from a distance as you start your hike. Next we head to Solang Valley for some paragliding (if the weather is good). Go up the ropeway in Solang Valley and enjoy the views from atop, you will end up spending time in Solang Valley indulging in adventure activities on the ATV etc. Visit Manu temple which is a walk from the Old Manali bridge. This is the drop off point, due to lack of parking on the Old Manali road. The temple dedicated to sage Manu, is where Manali gets its name from. It has superb views of the original Old Manali village and a must visit for everyone. After your visit to the temple you can walk down Old Manali road and do some souvenir shopping, stop by for a late lunch in one of the many cafes lining the street. We then visit the famous Hidimba temple also known as Dhungri temple. It is an ancient cave temple dedicated to Hidimba Devi, wife of Bhima, a figure in the Indian epic Mahabharata. Surrounding the temple are the Dhungri forests which are also a nature sanctuary. After a day of some interesting sightseeing and activities you can head back to your hotel just in time for dinner.

Head back to Chandigarh this morning after breakfast and catch your flight back home. Trip ends today.