Budget-Friendly ways to travel and stay in Manali

Introduction:

Are you planning a beautiful long trip with your family? Have your family members voted unanimously for Manali? If yes, then let’s proceed further.

Manali is a dream tourist destination for both families, newlyweds, and even solo travelers who love nature. You may have heard of a package trip such as two nights in Manali, two nights in Shimla, two nights in Chandigarh, etc. However, two days is not nearly enough to cover Manali, and hence plan at least six days to enjoy a trip to Manali thoroughly. If you want this trip to be cost-effective and want budget stay in Manali; two things are crucial. First, travel to and around the destination. The second is to look for budget hotels in Manali. If you manage to get these two things spot on, then rest is a cakewalk, and you will end up enjoying the least expensive trip to heaven made on earth. Let us give you a roadmap of how this endeavor can be accomplished.

Why Manali?

You may be wondering, India is a big country with endless tourist destinations from north to south, east to west. But why do most travel enthusiasts choose Manali as their holiday destination? Here is the answer.

There are a lot of things to do in Manali. However, most travelers enjoy the weather, valleys, scenery, and other stuff. But the main attraction that people like to visit Manali is its affordability. To date, Manali is among the best budget-friendly tourist destinations where tourists come from all over the globe and spend months traveling around the places with a light pocket. The emergence of the best budget hotels in Manali like OYO Rooms has made the stay even more affordable for travelers with a tight budget. The five main reasons to visit Manali are:

Weather: It is one of the coolest places to have your trip in the summer. Most newlywed couples like to spend their honeymoon in Manali due to its fantastic weather.
Snow: It is also one of the reasons to visit Manali. Snowy places are very few in India as a majority is a dry and wet terrain with no snowfall. Manali is surrounded by snow-covered places such as Rohtang pass.
Paragliding at Solang Valley: It is a lifetime experience to paraglide at Solang Valley and quite affordable.
Cable car ride and views: You can go for a cable car ride in Solang Valley and enjoy stunning views of breathtaking cliffs.
Rates: It is the USP of Manali, and you can find the most affordable accommodation in Manali if you do thorough research and bookings at the right time.

Ideal 6-day budget Travel and Stay Plan to Manali.

Reaching Manali from your current destination.

We shall create a total estimate of the expenses on arrival to Manali. The travel from your current location to Manali will depend on how far you are and how you wish to reach. Traveling by bus looks like the most budget-friendly option of all the transport modes. Before planning the transportation, confirm reservation of stay at low budget hotels in Manali to avoid paying a high price at the arrival in cases of shortage of rooms.

Flights are the most comfortable way to reach Manali, but as we are budget-friendly, bus travel is the most affordable. If you book your stay early in Manali’s low price hotel, then the savings can be spent on flights to enjoy a stress-free journey in a couple of hours. Do you agree?

Day 1- After reaching Manali

Usually, you reach Manali at 8.00 AM after traveling overnight from Chandigarh or Delhi. To be honest, you are exhausted right after traveling on the bus for many hours. Just get inside the best hotel in Manali you have booked in advance and take a nap for 5-6 hours. Later, take a walk around, see the nearby places, and get acquainted with the weather and hospitality. Then, recharge your batteries for the next day, which will be more adventurous. It is advisable to book accommodation in Manali near Mall Road, which is 1 km from the main bus stand. It will save you at least Rs 200 on the taxi fare. Let’s look at some approximate accommodation charges based on the number of people involved in the trip.

Solo Travel:
Approximate charges in best budget hotels in Manali for five nights: Rs 1800- Rs 2500
Couples:
Approximate charges in Manali’s low price hotel for five nights for couples with two bunk beds: Rs 4000-Rs 5000
Large family or group of Individuals:
Approximate charges in low budget hotels in Manali for five nights for a group of 5 getting accommodated in 2 rooms: Rs 9000-Rs 12000 (Rs 1800- Rs 2400 per person)

On average, your total spend on Day 1 is around Rs 1900. Not bad, right? The check-in time is usually 10 PM, but upon request, you can check in around 2 to 3 PM. If you consider two times, it will cost approx. Rs 150 per person for one time.

To reduce the travel around cost if you are in groups, book a taxi service for three days which will come around Rs 700 per person, which will cover Solang Valley, Kullu, Jana Waterfall, and Naggar Castle.

Total cost on Day 1: 1900+ Rs 300 (lunch-Dinner) = Rs 2200 per person.

Day 2 – The Exploration Begins.

The journey begins around the mall road. Hence minimum travel cost as most places can be covered by walk. The nearest places around here to visit are:

Hadimba Temple- 1.7 km

Get up around 10. AM and get ready to visit the first location from your accommodation in Manali. It is Hadimba Temple, and the entry is free. After the visit, take a 10 min walk into the alley, and you can find a beautiful view of the snow-clad mountains.

Tibetian Buddhist Monastery- 240m

The next place to visit is the Tibetan Buddhist Monastery. Get back to Mall Road from the back gate of the Hadimba Temple. From there, reach the main bus stand and reach the Tibetan Buddhist Monastery in 240m. Have lunch after the visit in the mall road.

Vashistha Temple and Hot Water Springs – 3 km and 1.1 km

The next place to visit is Vashistha Temple and the Hot Water Springs. It is a bit far from the mall road, and hence a taxi may be required which will cost around Rs 200 one way. It is advised to take a walk coming back as you can see the Beas River View Point. It is a photographer’s delight as the mountains, white green trees, river, and hot air balloons make for a beautiful view. Make sure you visit this place during the sunset to enjoy the scenery before you. The total cost for this day will come around Rs 500(300 for lunch/Dinner, Rs200 taxi fare).

Day 3,4 and 5 – Your Taxi Package option will decide the expense.

Day 3,4 and 5 will be the moving day, and the expenses will depend on the package you have chosen to opt for local tourist service. As we discussed earlier, it will cost up to Rs.700 / person. The transportation cost per person is as follows:

Manali to Kullu to Manikaran to Manali: Rs 350 (approx.)
Manali to Solang to Manali- Rs 220. (approx.)
Manali to Rohtang to Manali- Rs 290 (approx.)
Manali to Bajoura to Manali- Rs 160 (approx.)

Hence on an average, it will cost you around Rs 250. On the other hand, if you wish to take paragliding and cable car rides at Solang, it will cost you more money, and hence choose wisely.

Finally, day 3,4 and 5 will cost around Rs 1650(Rs 750 x3 (travel) + 300x 3 (food))

Day 6- Final day

It is a relaxing day at Manali, so only plan for shopping and packing. Just take a walk around, talk to locals and relive the memories of the five days spent in Manali and leave on a happy note.

Conclusion:

Based on our above discussion, you got a better picture of how to plan a 6- day budget-friendly trip to Manali. If you plan your travel and book budget hotels in Manali smartly, you can complete the trip by spending around Rs 7000 per person. It is worth it to have a lifetime memory of visiting one of the best places in India and spending quality time with your loved ones. Don’t you think so? A trip to Manali is a trip to a mini-heaven. Therefore, this trip is highly recommended for people who love traveling and like to do it in a budget-friendly manner.

OYO