Though Manali is a small place, but it is base for onward travel to Rohtang
and further to Leh, as widely acclaimed Leh-Manali highway starts from here
only. First thing while in Manali is to set off to Rohtang Pass. Start as early as possible, so that
you get ample time to enjoy the journey and can get back
to Manali before it gets too dark in the evening.
In the morning as the sun was spreading its rays from behind
the mountains and the city was about to come to life, the moment seemed like
the whole world to us. It was an amazing Way to Go...
Start with adequate winter gear to counter any onslaught of the chilling winds at Rohtang pass. There are lot of shops at the exit of the city which rent out adequate winter gears and drivers insist a lot on taking those clothes from local shops. Time taken to cover 52 km. depends on how frequent you stop to enjoy the ambience. Road is in good condition, however occasional landslides.
Limits of vision were the
mountains only and nothing else. As it is said Human will to triumph is above
all, we stopped at a place full of eateries. We wondered how much efforts
must have been done by these shopkeepers to open such shops at this
height. This place is "Marhi" and like
everywhere else view from this point was staggering brilliant, barren mountains
were incomparable.
We
had to stop for 15-20 minutes due to some blasting work being carried out by
Border Roads organization. Landslides are frequent here, may be due to lose
mountains:
As our feet are always the best option, we decided to chart the course by
walking on for the summit. However now you only must walk and
trek, as gone are the days when one could have enjoyed a horse
ride to scale the Rohtang peak.
Braving the winds and walking on the frozen rivers, one will constantly hear the noise of water gushing underneath the frozen layer of ice. Need not worry keep on moving. There is a small stupa at Rohtang.
Snow at the top was calling us and Step by step we kept on moving and it did not took long to reach the summit, with snow everywhere around. Rightly said "View from the top is what makes the journey of 1000 steps so exhilarating". A sense of Deja Vu ---
Return journey was as usual devoid of any thrill, except the fascinating
memories gathered during the day. Fast changing landscapes from hills covered
with trees to barren mountains, what a diverse panorama on display here.
Or slide/ glide in the romantic slopes...
Just before the Solang Valley is the entrance for the trek to Anjani Mahadev. Around 30 minutes of trek will take you to the place where waterfall is dripping over the Lord Shiva.
Ambience and surroundings are mesmerizing and you may feel like becoming a monk and stay here forever. Trek is also equally enriching, as one has to actually cross over a stream of water. There is a small cable trolley to cross this stream.
The best plans should be kept early during the trip as one snowfall or
landslide, the Leh Manali highway, which is the road to Rohtang gets closed. So,
when in Manali first thing to do is to head straight to Rohtang.
Someone rightly
told that you have to be lucky also to experience Rohtang.
Permit is required to visit Rohtang and beyond, please use the link for applying and getting the permit http://admis.hp.nic.in/ngtkullu. 400 Diesel vehicles and 600 Petrol vehicles are allowed during the day. To return to Delhi, book a Volvo or take any state roadways bus. Prior booking is advised for both options.
Great post to read.
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