Manali trip recap 17-20 April
Hi this is a recap of a trip we had on 17-20 April to help anyone else make sense of prices and plans.
Delhi to Manali bus- 1745
Hotel 17-20- 5830
Snow suit including boots rental- 500
Taxi to Koksar and back- 2100
Buggy ride to snow point and back- 1500
Manali to Delhi Bus- 1762
Total cost for 2- 13437
Things to keep in mind -
1.) We took a hotel in Prini after reading about all the messages saying, “take a hotel far from the crowds”. But the way to Prini is congested due to roadworks, so most autos or taxis will charge higher amounts to ferry to and from there. They quote at 300, but will come down to 200. My suggestion is get a hotel in Old Manali or Mall Road so you can roam around on foot, and there is so much to view just on foot.
2.) You don’t need to bring all snow or cold gear to visit Manali. Before we started our trip, we were worried about the large bill at Decathlon that would be incurred. But the temperature varied from 3-11 Celsius in Manali, which can be countered with normal winter clothes like a jacket and Jeans. If visiting the snow points is your plan, just rent a snow outfit, it’s 250 per person for the jumpsuit and boots. But they’ll charge you separately for gloves and socks, so I suggest buying them beforehand.
3.) When we visited, the locals explained that Sissu was out of snow, but Koksar had it. The part of Koksar till where cars approach, had polluted snow from everyone playing in it. If you hire a buggy they’ll take you about 3 Kms inside to a place with fresh ish snow. I suppose you could walk it if you wanted.
4.) Know the prices for things by asking around as much as possible, cause everyone is out to overcharge you. If you know the standard price, you can negotiate.
5.) Food is plentiful and tasty, we tried all the local dishes, and some desserts from some bakeries. I suggest checking google reviews for quality before choosing.
6.) Leave everything heavy in your room and roam around on foot, we walked to Old Manali, many times through Mall Road, through the Van Vihars, to the Buddhist Monastery. Also Naggar castle is closed for renovations.