Manali | |
|---|---|
      Clockwise from top: Manali aerial view, Dhauladhar view, Mountains in Manali, Manali after snowfall, River in Manali,Mall road | |
  Manali  Manali | |
| Coordinates:32°14′35″N77°11′21″E / 32.243177°N 77.189246°E /32.243177; 77.189246 | |
| Country |  India |
| State | Himachal Pradesh |
| District | Kullu |
| Named after | Manu |
| Elevation | 2,050 m (6,730 ft) |
| Population (2011) | |
• Total | 8,096[1] |
| • Rank | 22 (state) |
| Languages | |
| • Official | Hindi |
| • Regional | Kullui[2] |
| Time zone | UTC+5:30 (IST) |
| PIN | 175131 |
| Telephone code | +911902 |
| Vehicle registration | HP-58 |
Manali (Hindi:manālī,pronounced[mənaːliː]) is aresort town, nearKullu town in theKullu district in the Indian state ofHimachal Pradesh.[3] It is situated at the northern end of theKullu Valley, formed by theBeas River. The town is located in theKullu district, approximately 270 kilometres (170 mi) north of the state capital ofShimla and 544 kilometres (338 mi) northeast of the national capital ofNew Delhi. Manali is a populartourist destination in India and serves as the gateway to theLahaul and Spiti district as well as the city ofLeh inLadakh.[4]
Manali is the beginning of an ancient trade route throughLahaul (H.P.) andLadakh, over theKarakoram Pass and ontoYarkand andHotan in theTarim Basin ofChina. As per the2011 Census of India, the Manali Municipal Council had a population of 8,096, comprising 4,717 males and 3,379 females. Updated estimates suggest the town’s population is approximately 11,700 as of 2025.[5] During the summer 2025 monsoon season, heavy rainfall triggered multiple landslides inMandi district, disrupting the Chandigarh–Manali highway near 4 Mile, Pandoh, and the Thalot Tunnel. The route was blocked for up to 24 hours, stranding hundreds of vehicles and causing significant travel delays.[6] Statewide, over 400 roads were blocked; Mandi alone reported 232 blocked roads and 71 in the Kullu district, including Manali-bound routes.[7] The disasters resulted in 137 deaths, with severe damage to roads, water and power infrastructure.[8] Due to the narrow Himalayan terrain and recent landslides, traffic congestion along the Chandigarh–Manali National Highway (NH‑21) has worsened significantly. Even outside disaster periods, gridlock is common during peak tourist season, leading to long delays and often only one-way traffic management on affected stretches.[9]
Manali is named afterManu, theprogenitor of humanity inHinduism. The nameManali is regarded as the derivative ofManu-Alaya (transl. 'the abode of Manu').[10] InHindu cosmology, Manu is believed to have stepped off his ark in Manali to recreate human life after a great flood had deluged the world at theend of an cyclic age. TheKullu Valley in which Manali is situated is often referred to as the "Valley of the Gods". An old village in the town has an ancient temple dedicated to the sage Manu.[11]
Manali’s history blends ancient mythological traditions with trade, medieval temple heritage, and modern tourism development. The town’s name derives fromSanskritManu-Alaya (“abode of Manu”), reflecting a local legend that Sage Manu resettled humanity here after a great flood. In medieval times, the region was part of the broaderKullu principality and saw the construction of enduring temples such as the 16th-centuryHidimba Devi Temple. Under British rule in the 19th and early 20th centuries, Manali began to emerge as a hill retreat, with infrastructure and orchard cultivation introduced by colonial visitors. After Indian independence, Manali’s growth accelerated as a tourist destination, facilitated by improved road links and leisure amenities.[12]
Captain A. Banon and J.S. Mackay were the early apple orchardists in Manali.[13]
Manali’s urban local governance evolved from a Notified Area in the early 1960s to formal municipal administration under state law. After implementation of theHimachal Pradesh Municipal Act, 1994[14], Manali was constituted as aNagar Panchayat in 1994 as the town’s population and built-up area expanded. With further socio-economic growth and expansion of urban infrastructure, it wasupgraded to a Municipal Council in 2009[15], and is officially listed among the Municipal Councils of Himachal Pradesh. TheMunicipal Council, Manali[16] functions under theDirectorate of Urban Development, Govt. of Himachal Pradesh, and is responsible for urban planning, land regulation, roads, sanitation and waste management, water supply, public amenities, and local development. The administrative headquarters of the council is located near Nehru Park in Manali.[17]
Manali is located at 32.2396 N, 77.1887 E, about 547 km (340 mi) north of New Delhi.
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Manali features NOsubtropical highland climate (Cfb) with warm summers, relatively cold winters, and a highdiurnal temperature variation. The temperatures range from −7 °C (19 °F) to 30 °C (86 °F) over the year with the hottest day crossing 30 °C (86 °F) and the coldest day going below −7 °C (19 °F). The average temperature during summer is between 10 °C (50 °F) to , and between −7 °C (19 °F) to 15 °C (59 °F) in the winter.
Monthly precipitation varies between 31 mm (1.2 in) in November and 217 mm (8.5 in) in August. On average, some 45 mm (1.8 in) of precipitation is received during winter and spring months, increasing to some 115 mm (4.5 in) in summer as the monsoon approaches. The average total annual precipitation is 1,363 mm (53.7 in). Manali experiences snowfall predominantly between December and the beginning of March.
| Climate data for Manali, Himachal Pradesh (1991–2020, extremes 1968–2020) | |||||||||||||
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| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 19.5 (67.1) | 23.5 (74.3) | 27.0 (80.6) | 30.0 (86.0) | 35.0 (95.0) | 33.2 (91.8) | 32.6 (90.7) | 30.6 (87.1) | 29.2 (84.6) | 30.0 (86.0) | 25.6 (78.1) | 21.5 (70.7) | 35.0 (95.0) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 10.5 (50.9) | 12.0 (53.6) | 17.1 (62.8) | 21.4 (70.5) | 24.9 (76.8) | 26.4 (79.5) | 25.7 (78.3) | 25.3 (77.5) | 24.2 (75.6) | 21.6 (70.9) | 17.3 (63.1) | 13.5 (56.3) | 20.2 (68.4) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −1.1 (30.0) | 0.3 (32.5) | 3.3 (37.9) | 6.4 (43.5) | 9.3 (48.7) | 13.0 (55.4) | 16.0 (60.8) | 16.1 (61.0) | 12.2 (54.0) | 6.3 (43.3) | 2.6 (36.7) | 0.3 (32.5) | 7.2 (45.0) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −11.6 (11.1) | −11.0 (12.2) | −6.0 (21.2) | −1.0 (30.2) | 1.0 (33.8) | 4.4 (39.9) | 7.4 (45.3) | 7.0 (44.6) | 3.0 (37.4) | −1.5 (29.3) | −5.0 (23.0) | −10.0 (14.0) | −11.6 (11.1) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 90.0 (3.54) | 113.7 (4.48) | 154.9 (6.10) | 87.7 (3.45) | 66.4 (2.61) | 89.9 (3.54) | 201.5 (7.93) | 217.0 (8.54) | 123.4 (4.86) | 24.8 (0.98) | 31.3 (1.23) | 38.7 (1.52) | 1,239.3 (48.79) |
| Average rainy days | 5.6 | 6.7 | 8.4 | 6.0 | 6.2 | 7.9 | 12.9 | 14.9 | 8.1 | 1.9 | 1.8 | 2.2 | 82.6 |
| Averagerelative humidity (%)(at 17:30IST) | 62 | 60 | 52 | 58 | 63 | 66 | 75 | 76 | 76 | 69 | 63 | 62 | 65 |
| Source:India Meteorological Department[18][19][20] | |||||||||||||
Manali has grown from a trading village to a small town. As of the 2011 census of India, its population was 8,096. In 2001, Manali had an official population of 6,265. Males constituted 64% of the population and females 36%. Manali had an average literacy rate of 74%, male literacy was 80%, and female literacy was 63.9%. 9.5% of the population was under six years of age.[21]
Manali can be reached from Delhi bynational highway NH 1 up toAmbala and from thereNH 22 toChandigarh and from there bynational highway NH21 that passes throughBilaspur,Sundernagar,Mandi andKullu towns. The road distance from Chandigarh to Manali is 282 km (175 mi), and the total distance from Delhi to Manali is 550 km (340 mi). Bus services are available from HRTC (Himachal Road Transport Corporation), HPTDC (Himachal Tourism Development Corporation), and private operators.
The nearest airportKullu–Manali Airport (IATA code KUU) is atBhuntar town inKullu. The airport is also known as Kullu-Manali airport and has more than a kilometre-long runway.Air India has regular flights to the airport fromNew Delhi.
Pawan Hans, the Government charter agency, provides helicopter-taxi service connectingShimla toChandigarh,Kullu,Kangra andDharamshala.[22]
Bilaspur will be a station on the under-constructionBhanupli–Leh line (also seePlanned rail lines between Himachal and Ladakh).[23] There is no close railhead available close to Manali. The nearestbroad gauge railheads are atUna 250 km (155 mi) away,Kiratpur Sahib 268 km (167 mi),Kalka (275 km (171 mi)),Chandigarh (310 km (193 mi)), andPathankot (325 km (202 mi)). The nearestnarrow gauge railhead is atJoginder Nagar (147 kilometres (91 mi)). TheKalka–Shimla Railway is a nostalgic narrow-gauge route culminating at the state capital to travel by road to Manali.
Manali has witnessed a flurry of activity related to hydroelectric power and tourism. Unplanned and rampant construction has led to severe depletion of forests and pollution of river bodies, along with garbage being disposed of on the side of the mountains. There has been a loss of habitat to various species of fauna, not limited to theHimalayan monal only.[30]
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