This last weekend was long because of the Good Friday holiday, so I gave myself a treat and planned to visit Manali. It was supposed to be a small 2-3 day trip, but somehow it became a 4 to 5-day trip. The best thing about the trip was that I travelled to Manali under ₹6000 only. Quite hard to believe, right? But don’t worry, I’ll share my whole story about how I planned this budget trip to Manali and how you can also explore this amazing place on a budget.
Being a woman and solo traveller, it’s quite hard to travel. And after a lot of research and exploring, I realised that I can make my travel wonderful with the available Tour packages offered. While I was searching for them, the prices were out of my range, but then I found one of the perfect Budget Manali Tour Packages, which included meals, transfer, hotel and sightseeing. I haven’t shared the best part yet – The starting price was from ₹5199 only. I immediately contacted, booked myself a tour package and started packing for a trip.
How I Started
While I was feeling like Bunny from YJHD, I also had concerns about whether all this information was true or not. But turns out everything was perfect. Here’s how my Budget Trip to Manali from Delhi started:
Day 1
The tour operators had already given me a gist of the travel itinerary, so I knew that day one was going to be an overnight journey. I had booked 4N/5D Manali Volvo package from Delhi, which meant it was going to be a relaxing sleeping overnight road trip. I must say it was a comfortable start, and I didn’t even realise that the Delhi to Manali distance was 496 km. I slept like a baby for the whole road trip and woke up with the most gorgeous landscapes of Kullu Valley.
Day 2
After arriving at the Manali bus stop, their team was already there to assist with to transfer to the hotel. According to their itinerary, it was a day of local sightseeing in Manali. So after checking in, I freshened up quickly and then went to explore local markets, dined at quaint cafes, and just soaked in the charming atmosphere of Manali. After that, I started exploring the Tourist places in Manali such as Hadimba Temple, Manu Temple and old Manali. After seeking blessings and exploring, I went off to stroll along the Beas River, shopped for souvenirs, and savoured local cuisine.
Eating Momos besides gushing water and a beautiful view does really enhances the flavour.
After exploring and clicking like a million photos, I went back to the hotel, had the tastiest food and then nodded off.
Day 3
Day three was the day of adventure. We headed to Solang Valley for adventure activities and tried things like paragliding, zorbing, cable car ropeway and horse riding. Although I wanted to try paragliding at Bir Billing first, I then thought to give Manali a try. One tip for all freshers – it will be a great experience, but you’ll feel nauseous after that. Well, I am not sure about you, but I did. This was definitely a memorable experience, and I am glad that I didn’t visit Bir Billing first.
After this adventure, a drive through the Atal tunnel from Manali city centre was so relaxing and nice. This Manali Volvo package also included a visit to Rohtang Pass, but I was very much done with the adventure activities, so I didn’t go there. Instead, I went to explore other nearby places to eat.
Day 4
On the fourth day, I first visited the Vashist Kund hot spring, and the bath there took every ache away from me. After this, we went to Jagatsukh, a place located just 8 km away. Trust me, I had never heard of this place before, and I bet you don’t know this place. It is a small, ancient village with exquisite temples. Although, Jagatsukh is the biggest village in Kullu Valley and is known for the Gaurishankar shrine and the temple of Goddess Sandhya Devi. After this, we proceeded to the river rafting point in Kullu. I am not a fan of water, so I planned to skip it and instead tried trout fish farming.
Next we went to visit local temples here and spent a beautiful time at Naggar Castle. This castle is famous for the unique architecture of the Himalayan and European styles. On the way back hotel, I also tried siddu, one of the famous dishes in Himachal. The amount of ghee in Siddu was perfect.
Day 5
The fifth day was quite interesting; we visited the Tibetan Monastery. The exquisite handicrafts and carpets were made by locals, which were just so beautiful. I clicked some pictures of the market, shopped for some souvenirs. After this, it was time to bid goodbye to Manali. I boarded on Volvo bus for the return trip at the instructed time.
As this whole Manali tour package from Delhi included maximum important things like meals, sightseeing, transfer and hotel, the rest things like activity charges, things that I bought as souvenirs or anything extra that I did were my only extra expenses after buying the tour package. As it covered the most important things at such a price, it became the perfect budget trip to Manali.
Suggested budget ways to travel from Delhi to Manali
I chose to travel with the Manali holiday package, and I recommend that you too travel with it, but if you are planning not to go with a tour package, the most affordable and convenient option is to take a Bus from Delhi to Manali. Several travel agencies and government buses depart from ISBT Kashmere Gate and Majnu Ka Tila. If you want to save more, you can take a train from Delhi to Chandigarh or Ambala and then catch a local bus to Manali – though this option takes longer and may not be as comfortable.
If you prefer road trips, travelling by car and splitting fuel costs with friends is another great way to save. The best route to cover Delhi to Manali distance is
Delhi – Panipat – Karnal – Ambala – Mandi – Kullu – Manali
I still suggest travelling with a tour package as it will cover all this and is safe to travel with.
Which month is Manali crowded?
Manali sees heavy tourist crowds from May to June and December to January, as these are usually the break times, and Manali is more charming at this time. These months attract families on summer vacations and snow lovers during the winter holidays. If you’re planning your trip around these times, be ready for traffic, packed hotels, and higher prices.
However, if you prefer peace and cheaper stays, the best time to visit Manali is from March to April or September to mid-November. During these months, the weather in Manali is pleasant, the views are clear, and the tourist rush is low. This makes it ideal for solo travellers or those who want a quieter mountain escape.
Budget trip to Manali – Final words
As the trip ended, I realised I had an answer to my question – Can I travel Manali alone? And of course, I can. Planning a budget trip to Manali under 6000 might sound a little dreamy, but with a tour package, it was like a dream come true. This trip gave me the confidence to explore more and proved that India has safe, beautiful, and budget-friendly adventures waiting for us all. Pack light, trust the journey, and let the mountains give you an amazing experience – trust me, it is worth it.
