On The Road To Manali

Manali is 350 miles north of Delhi and sits right on the edge of the Himalayan Mountains. The temperate summer climate and the snowy winters make this a very popular destination for seasonal tourism. We visited Manali in the off-season between summer and winter, so we had the place relatively to ourselves.

The greatest attraction near Manali is Rohtang Pass, with an altitude of 3979m (13,050 ft). We drove up a fairly treacherous road to the pass. Once there, we rode horseback to get closer to the peak. This route is easily one of the more scenic places I have been in all of India, and it was a bucket-list check to see the Himalayas.

But don’t fret! Just because we were at The Top of the World didn’t escape us from hawkers. A man came to me here trying to sell saffron. Before I could say no he grabbed my hand and put some in my hand and closed it. The smell of whatever this was (I am not convinced it was just saffron) stayed with me for days and made me nauseous. I washed my hands so many times and even bought a pound of coffee grounds to rub on my hands to get rid of this smell. It took a week to go away.

Our time here was short, but the memories of the majestic views will stay with me forever. If you ever have a chance, don’t miss this place.

Photos From Manali