Describing my letter to a tourist place
Answers
I ma just back from my shimla manli trip of 6 nights 7 ays trip.
I stayed 2 nights in shimla from 28 and 29 Dec 2013 and then manali 4 nights until 3rd Jan 2014.
Manali is very beautiful place awkwardly managed by the govt. if managed properly it will be one of the top destinations in india to visit.
to experience live snowfall was just amazing. our hotel A str regency was very good. due to extreme cold about -20 degree my wife fell sick. so I could not enjoy much in manali. during my visit, gulaba, kothi, maraha, and Rohtang . these all places I missed becuase of hevay snowfall in these regions. i was able to go to up to solang valley only that was too on my last day of visit. I enjoyed a lot at solang valley. I experienced paragliding. my preference was to see snow and live snowfall. my both wishes came true. a stunning view of mountains covered with snows at solang valley was just heartbreaking scenery.
but I advise traveller to avoid travelling during snowfall period because you will be struked to your hotel only and if snowed heavily your vehicle will struck and believe me your vehicle cannot move untill all snow clears around your and in the roads. so better you book hotels outside manali ( I mean before the start of manali around 5 kmtrs before).
overall city is very dirt place, very traffic crowded during my visit. but in off season it will not be the same.
if you are visiting snow point, bargain for snow cloths. driver may mislead and take you to his known shop. you just bargain. never ever hire a guide there. it will be waste of money but snow cloths are must if you are visitng snow poit because if your cloths are wet it will be a big problem for you in bone chilling cold.
it is better carry thermals . i did.
one big problem in manali is that you need to carry your packet full of money. everywhere you go you have to spent a lot. for snow dress 200 to 350 per perwson, for skiing they will ask 1000 per person, for paragliding 2500 for high and for 2 mnt short 800 to 1000. and if gulaba, marahi is closed due to heavy snow and still u wanna go.. you gave to pay 4 to 5000 foe gypsy to hire.
my conclusion is that it is very beautiful and must visit place if you are a snow lover.
I am a muslim. I do not recommend this place to muslims because I did not find a single masjid in shimla manali, out of my 6 days, i did not see a single women wearing hijab. it was only wife and she said she was feeling irritating because many people starring at her which didnt make comfortable and sometimes even she refuses to go out because of irritating feeling on last day I had to go all alone outdide.
rather I reccomend muslims to go to Kashmir