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INTRODUCTION
TOURISM IN HIMACHAL PRADESH
Himachal Pradesh is one of India’s best
tourist attraction regions, with its green
valleys, snow covered Himalayan
ranges and unique beauty, and it is
indeed a comfortable place for tourists.
The region has a rich cultural heritage
that attracts thousands of tourists each
year. In Himachal, every town, every
holy shrine, and the land around is
steeped in a culture and history that goes
back over four millennia. Bordering Tibet in the east and bound by the states of
Punjab, Jammu & Kashmir, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, Himachal is a favourite
destination for tourists as well as pilgrims.
A visit to the state of Himachal Pradeshcan be amazingly invigorating, with a view
of towering snow clad peaks glistening in the early morning glow of sunrise, or
rippling waters in rivers and streams, a fragrant breeze whispering some long-
forgotten tale through towering pine forests, or stark brown mountains standing
guard over this timeless land.
The most visited places in Himachal Pradesh include Shimla, Manali, Dharamshala
and Macleod Gang. With the amount of tourists coming to Himachal increasing with
each passing year, it is predicted that Himachal will be soonrecognized as a tourism
powerhouse at national as well as international level in near future.

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MANALI
Blessed with some of the most spectacular and beautiful landscapes anywhere, it is
a travelers paradise -lofty snow peaks, deep gorges, lush green valleys, fast flowing
rivers, enchanting mountain lakes, flower bedecked meadows, beautiful temples and
monasteries steeped in time. May it be for relaxing, sightseeing, trekking,
mountaineering, fishing, para-gliding, skiing, ice skating and golf, Himachal has it
all.
A stunning hill station surrounded by massive snow clad mountains and thick
pinewood forests, Manali has the twisty Beas River as its magnificent centrepiece.
Manali in the state of Himachal Pradesh is popular for its breath-taking Himalayan
beauty. A scared land, which is the abode of various Gods and Goddesses, this
striking hill resort has a full calendar of numerous colourful events and festivals.
Popular as the queen of valleys, Manali is named after the law giver ofancient India,
Manu. Manali literally means the abode of Manu and hence this place has huge
importance from the perspective of the ethnic culture and tradition of India
Manali tourism is fuelled by two main seasons. The summer Holiday season when
many people and families travel to this place on Manali holiday packages and the
second big push to Kullu Manali tourism comes from the wedding season with
thousands of honeymoon couples heading to the region.
Manali also turns out to be an enchanting stopover for one who is driving up to the
snow-clad hues of Ladakh route some of the highest mountain passes in India.
Manali also has someof the ancient hamlets inherited by the Tibetans that comes on
your way to Leh-Ladakh. In addition, the popular treks from Manali are -
Chandrakhani - Malana trail, Beas Kund Trek and Bhrigu Lake Trek.

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PLACES TO SEE IN MANALI
•Rohtang Pass:
The Rohtang pass is 51 KM north of
Manali and it is located onManali Keylong
Highway at an altitude of 3,978 meters
(13,050 ft.). This pass opens for tourist
from April end to Octoberend of the year.
In May, Rohtang becomes a place for
nature enthusiasts and adventure seekers. The snow-covered mountains provide the
perfect opportunity to go skiing and snow scooter riding. All types of food stuff,
coffee and drinks are available at Rohtang pass and these are sold by local people.
The weather here is highly unpredictable.
•Hadimba Temple
Hadimba Temple in Manali is one of the
major tourist attractions when it comes to
local tourist places. It is a four storey
wooden temple. The temple is surrounded
by a cedar forest at the foot of the
Himalayas. About 70 meters away from the
temple, there is a shrine dedicated to
Goddess Hadimba’s son, Ghatotkacha who
was born after she married Bhima. The sanctuary is built over a huge rock jutting
out of the ground, which was worshiped as an image of the deity. The structure was
built in the year 1553 and is one of the most visited tourist destination in Manali.

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•Solang Valley
13 km from Manali Solang valley is a
splendid valley between Manali and Kothi
which offers views of the glaciers and
snow-capped mountain peaks. The plateau
is frequently used for holding camps by the
trekking parties. Good skiing slopes of the
Mountaineering Institute. Venue of annual
winter carnival from 2nd January to 6th
January. Bus service are available upto
Palchan village (10 km) and then by jeep or on foot during winters.
•Buddhist Monasteries
The Gadhan Thekchhokling Gompa in
Manali was constructed in the year 1969. The
architecture of the monastery represents the
Tibetan style of architecture designed with
hued frescoes. Thestatue ofthe Lord Buddha
presides in the monastery. The monastery is
run by the local people who gather funds
through donations. Tibetan Monastery is one
of the oldest and famous place in Manali.
Due to huge number of Tibetan peoples settled in Kullu Manali Tibetan Monasteries
has been set up. The main attraction of the monastery is the handicrafts of Tibetan
artistry and the carpets that are woven and sold in the monastery.

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•Vashisht Temple and Hot Sulphur Spring
The village is 6 km from Manali at the banks
of the Beas River opposite Old Manali.
Vashisht is reachable from Manali byhalf an
hour walk or a short drive up a slanting road
by Auto Rickshaw for Rs.50. Most foreign
tourists preferred staying here or at the Old
Manali than the Manali. Rich traditions and
nice cafes are integral for backpackers.
Vashisht has all that. Like Old Manali, Vashisht is crowded with tourists during peak
seasons. Indian tourists mostly come here to bathe in the hot springs inside the
temple.
• Kothi
About 16 km from Manali, Kothi is a quiet
but picturesque spot. If you are looking for
some peace and serenity in this busy hill
station, the small village of Kothi is a
splendid option. In earlier days, it was
considered to be the base camp for difficult
treks to Rohtang and other peaks.
Reminiscent of an old world charm, the
village has been a backdrop foranumber of films. From anywhere in the village, the
view down below is simply breath taking to say the least. Sudden thermal springs,
picturesque picnic spots and the calm of the village is sure to take you to a different
place

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•Manu Rishi Temple
Manu Rishi Temple in Manali,
dedicated to sage Manu, who according
to Hindu mythology, is the creator of
human race. Manu Rishi Temple, built
in the pagoda architecture is a noted
pilgrim centre in Manali. One can find
various artefacts along with the idols of
gods and goddesses in different
postures, in this five-storeyed structure.
•Jogni Waterfall
This is nearly 3 km trek from Vashisht
templeAfter visiting the Vashisht temple
complex you can start the trek. The trek
route passes through narrow lane by the
side of temple and it goes through apple
orchids, tall pine trees small water
streams. On the way few restaurants and
guest houses are also available. A gentle
walk will take 30 minutes to reach the base
of the waterfall. Jogini Mata temple is at the base of the waterfall. From here if you
can climb then can reach the top point of the waterfall. The stiff climb will take 20
minutes more to reach at top.

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 Naggar
Nagar, a lovely village set on a hill
sourrounded by forests, was the
capita of kullu in the 16th century
and the monuments in the region are
witness to its glorious past. The
Naggar Castle, a stone and wood
structure built by Raja Sidh Singh
over 500 years ago, has been converted in to a heritage hotel. The gracefully built
castle has a temple in the courtyard and also houses a small museum. The
paintings and Photographs of the late Nicholas Roerich are exhibited in the
Nicholas Roerich Gallery.
 Manu Temple
Manu Temple is located in old Manali, at a distance
of three kilometers from the main market. The
temple is dedicated to the Indian sage Manu, who
is said to be the creator of the world and the writer
of Manusmriti. Travelers are advised to wear
dresses covering the knees and shoulders, while
inside the temple. To reach the temple, one has to
traverse through the slippery stone paths that lie
before its premises. The ancient temple is a
prominent place of worship for the local people of
Manali, who arrive every day to offer their prayer
to the creator of humanity.

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 Bhrigu Lake
Bhrigu Lake is a lake located at
an elevation of around 4,300
metres (14,100 ft) in Kullu
district, Himachal Pradesh,
India. It is located to the east of
Rohtang Pass and is around 6
kilometres (3.7 mi) from Gulaba
village. It can be reached by trekking either from the Vashishth temple, which
is famous for its hot water springs, which is close to the town of Manali or
from Gulaba village. It is named after Maharishi Bhrigu.Legend has it that the
sage used to mediate near the lake and hence it has been rendered sacred;the
locals believe that due to this the lake never freezes completely.
 Van Vihar
Van Vihar National Park is one of the
most frequented attractions in Manali.
Located favorably on the Mall Road,
this park is populated with many
deodar trees that provide shade to the
whole area. For the convenience of
visitors, the ark is provided with
concrete as well as wooden benches. It is an ideal place for enjoying picnics
and spending moments of repose with your loved ones. Its well-laid paths are
perfect for a long and refreshing stroll amid lush greenery. In addition to
these, visitors can indulge in boat rides in the park's small pond.

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OUTDOOR ADVENTURE ACTIVITIES
1. Rock Climbing and Bouldering:
In Himachal region rock climbing has
great option. In adventure sports there is
no substitute for the Himalayas
professional climbers from all over the
world to take up the challenge of someof
the most exciting and toughest, rock
climbing options in the world. The
courses are conducted by certified
instructors.
2. River Rafting:
River rafting in the Himalayas is quite
unlike anywhere else in the world. It
provides the best opportunity to enjoy and
experience the natural beauty of the
spectacular landscape with deep gorges,
towering snowcapped peaks, hilltop
monasteries, hillside villages etc. Today
Manali is one of the most trusted
adventure destination in the region. Rafting is carried at various points between
Manali to Kullu. The most popular ones are Pirdi, Babeli and Bajaura.

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3. River Crossing:
River Crossing was introduced by
Mountaineering Institute, Manali, and a
provides a unique experience for all guests
and tourists – both children and adults. The
Area around Manali offers numerous
streams for this adventure experience. This
adventure sport involves crossing a river
with ropes and equipment’s needed for it
and is one of the most preferred adventure
sports among the tourists.
4. Angling and Fishing: -
Himachal Pradesh is an excellent
destination for fishing and angling. Brown
and Rainbow trout are famous all over the
world as the bestgame fish. The Beas River
and its sidestreams like the Sarvari, Parbati,
Sainj, Hurla and Tirthan are good for the
fishing sport.

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5. Paragliding:
Paragliding is fast becoming one of the
most accepted adventurous sports in
India. Till now there are very locations
which organized this sport. Himachal
Pradeshin north India is one most prime
destination for Paragliding. Since last
many years, people from all over the
world flocks to Himachal Pradesh to
experience this exhilarating event.
6. Skiing and Snowboarding:
North of Manali stretch vast open
spaces and some of the finest ski slopes
in the state. Surrounding this fine ski
area are majestic snow clad mountains
their lower slopes carpeted with stately
Pine, Fir and Deodar trees in this serene
white wonderland. Various Tour and
Travels organizes ski packages for both
the novice and the expert. Packages are
economical and conducted by expert,
professionally trained skiers &
Snowboarder.

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CONCLUSION
Even though the tourism sector is still flourishing in Manali but due to the recent
scenario in tourism sector related to ban imposed by NGT and with each passing
year Manali reaching its maturity phase it has become crucial to not only introduce
new and alternate tourism attraction but there is also improvement in the current
facilities and infrastructure available in Manali. With the emergence of more and
more stiff competition from other districts in Himachal Pradesh as well as from the
other states it has become crucial to come up with the solution of current problems
faced by Manali as soon as possible.
Though the future of tourism is mostly secured but with construction of Rohtang
Tunnel, Manali may face stiff competition from the Lahaul and Spiti because of its
more natural beauty, heritage and culture and also from its more diverse, richer ad
unexplored tourist destinations. As National Green Tribunal (NGT) has tightened
screws on unplanned tourist activities on ecologically fragile Rohtang Pass, Manali
is looking forpossibilities to develop more snowpoints to ease burden overRohtang.
Already facing severe challenge to its existence, the tourism industry of Manali was
hit badly again as three-month relief to taxis and private vehicles being used for
tourism purpose to travel on Manali-Rohtang Highway ended on Nov. 30, 2015.
Manali is continuously losing its tourism to other states as almost all major tourist
activities are already banned here. So it has become necessary for state government
to come up with a solution to ensure welfare of the locals and thus maintaining the
status of Manali as a top tourist attraction among the domestic and international
tourists.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY
1. www.tripadvisor.in
2. www.visitkullumanali.com
3. www.makemytrip.com
4. HPTDC Brochure