VANAMCOVE 
Old Manali
Riverside cafés and backpacker lanes
Why this weekend?
The day-by-day plan
- Cafe hour
- Temple visit
- River walk
- Orchard stop
Geography & terrain
Old Manali lies in the Kullu district of Himachal Pradesh at about 1,950 m, 3 km from Manali and 250 km from Chandigarh — the backpacker village of the region, its cafes, the apple orchards and the river banks set on the Beas's old lanes.
History & culture
The village's story runs with the 1960s backpacker era — the village of the old Manali's settlement and the hippie-era guesthouses of the 1970s, with the village's modern role as the cafe stop of the Manali circuit and the home of the Manu temple and the 16th-century Hadimba temple nearby; the village's history of the orchard life and the trance parties and the river-side walks, gives Old Manali its backpacker character.
Where to stay
Budget
₹1,000–2,500/nightMid-range
₹2,500–5,000/nightComfort
₹5,000+/nightThings to do
Cafe lanes
Old temples
River banks
Orchard paths
Heritage bridges
Eat & drink
- Dham thali
- Madra (chickpea curry)
- Chha gosht
- Siddu buns
- Kaanji
Getting there
- Fly
- Kullu–Bhuntar (KUU) / Gaggal (DHM) / Shimla (SLV)
- Train
- Kalka–Shimla toy train (heritage); narrow-gauge to Joginder Nagar
- Road from Delhi
- 300–550 km depending on valley
- Getting around
- Taxis and HRTC buses on hill roads
Budget snapshot
- Total
- ₹4,500–11,000 (2 days)
- Per day · Stay
- ₹1,000–5,000/night
- Per day · Food
- ₹600–1,000
- Per day · Transport
- ₹600–1,000
- Per day · Activities
- ₹600–1,000
Month by month
Practical info
- Language: Hindi / Pahari dialects (English understood in tourist spots)
- Best window: Mar–Jun, Sep–Nov
- Connectivity: Patchy in deep valleys — offline maps essential
- UPI/cards widely accepted; keep small cash for hill and market stops
Practical tips
- The season (Mar–Jun, Sep–Nov) holds the village's calm
- The cafes run the long hours
- Pairs with Manali for the circuit
Frequently asked questions
The backpacker village of the Beas.
The cafes, the river and the orchards.
Two days.
Riverside cafés and backpacker lanes
Take the break. We'll take the planning.
Tell us your dates, budget and travel style — we'll build your Old Manali plan with day-by-day routing, stays, food and bookings.