If you have been reading my blog, you must know that I avoid visiting crowded and commercial places. And that’s why Manali was never in the list. But that didn’t mean I hated this place. It was just that I never could connect myself with it. The noise from cafes, roads packed with crowds, chaos everywhere, that was something I always avoided. But then it happened. One day, I found myself in Manali.
It was August 2021 when I first visited Manali and then Feb 2022 when I again found myself in the same chaos. Corona was nowhere to be seen and people had returned to their normal self. During my second visit to Manali, I had booked a room in a hotel in Old Manali which was, oh boy, on a steep height that waas testing. Carrying heavy luggage and I was panting. Damn how I hiked!
I stayed in Old Manali for one night and left the next day for Nashala. I had booked an Airbnb in Nashala for almost a week. It was my first ever staycation. The place was owned by a German person who had been living in Nashala for decades. Anyways, let’s come back to Old Manali. Since it was my second trip to Old Manali, I was all excited to visit Jogini Falls which I had missed out on during my first trip.
But sometimes you just have to leave things on time. Sometimes, the best memories are created when you don’t plan then. Before lockdown, I was only traveling on weekends. However, after the lockdown, I had started traveling for a long duration. I mean not that long but yes comparatively longer.
The Old-World Charm of Old Manali
Manali – nay!
Old Manali – yay!
That’s how it is for me. No doubt, the Mall Road area of this bustling town has a lot to offer. But at the same time,it’s chaotic. I have had dinner in this area but breakfast and lunch in Old Manali. I have roamed around in the narrow yet empty streets of Old Manali and have witnessed traffic in the Mall Road area. So, there’s a contrast between both the places and you will notice when you come here.
During my first visit to Old Manali, I visited Sissu waterfall passing through majestic, green and panoramic Solang Valley. And this time, I wanted to just relax and melt like butter in the vibes of this village. After spending a couple of hours at the hotel, I headed to Jogini Waterfalls. I couldn’t get to visit the main waterfall since it was all snowy and slippery. I will have to return to Old Manali to visit the waterfalls at the top. However, there are more places you can visit around Old Manali which I haven’t explored so far.
On my first trip to Old Manali, I visited Hidimba Temple which was a centuries old temple. During both the trips, I visited Kathmandu Cafe which was located at the river bank. So sipping a cup of coffee or having your delicious pasta with a river view is a wonderful experience. I found it exciting. After breakfast, I moved around to take a stroll. I spent an hour or so at the river, sat there and enjoyed the moments. The water was icy-cold and the sun was shining to its glory. It had already snowed in Manali before my arrival and I could see large snow chunks at several places.
From there, I continued walking randomly with nothing in my mind. I embraced nothingness and randomness. After walking for some distance, I left the main village behind and continued to the outskirts. The sun had come to the top and started to get a little hot. I spent some time there just in the wilderness, surrounded by giant cedar trees; no human intervention. Only a few vehicles passed by. I wanted to move further but then I was stopped by a troop (monkeys) which didn’t look friendly. So, I choose to retrace my path back to the village.
