24 Best Places To Visit In Kullu (2026): Kasol, Rohtang, Solang & More

A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2014, GHNP protects a core zone of about 754 sq km of the upper Beas, with elevations climbing past 6,000 m. The entry valleys are Sainj, Tirthan and Jiwa Nal, reached from Gushaini, roughly 60 km south of Kullu. You need an entry permit for the deeper trekking zones, arranged at the Sairopa office. Blue sheep, the monal pheasant and, rarely, brown bear live here. Come April to June or September to November.

Kasol sits at 1,640 m on the Parvati river, 3.5 km short of Manikaran and about 40 km from Kullu. It is the valley’s cafe-and-backpacker hub, with Israeli and Italian kitchens, riverside guesthouses, and the trailheads for Kheerganga, Malana and Rasol. Days are for slow breakfasts and a short walk to Chalal across the footbridge. Evenings are quiet by the water. March to June and September to November are the pleasant windows.

Twelve kilometres up-valley from Kasol, Manikaran draws both Sikh and Hindu pilgrims for hot springs so fierce that langar rice is cooked in them at the Gurudwara. The Ram temple and Shiv temple stand beside the sulphur pools, where you can take a dip. It sits at about 1,760 m, roughly 45 km from Kullu. Best from October to June, when the warm water is most welcome. Kasol to Manikaran is about 4 km.

Solang is a side valley at the top of the Kullu valley, 14 km beyond Manali on the Rohtang road, at 2,560 m. In summer it is the paragliding and zorbing ground, and a gondola ropeway lifts you from 2,500 m to 2,898 m for the view. From December to February it becomes a beginner ski slope. Reckon on about 50 km from Kullu via Manali. Go May to June, or in deep winter for the snow.

Rohtang, at 3,978 m, is the snow-and-glacier pass 51 km above Manali on the old road to Lahaul, about 90 km from Kullu. It is the one sight here that needs paperwork. A private vehicle permit from rohtangpermits.nic.in (about Rs 550 plus a small green tax) is capped by a daily quota. It opens once the snow clears, usually late May or early June, and shuts again by October or the first heavy snowfall.

One of Kullu’s signature temples, Bijli Mahadev sits on a 2,435 m ridge reached by a 3 km walk up through deodar from Chansari, about 14 km from town. Local belief holds that the tall staff on the shrine draws lightning that shatters the Shiva lingam, which priests then rejoin with butter. The wide view over the Kullu and Parvati valleys is the real reward. Open roughly 6 am to 8 pm, best March to September.

Kheerganga is the hot-spring meadow at about 3,050 m at the head of Parvati Valley, reached by a 12 to 14 km trek from Barshaini (around 50 km from Kullu by road, then walk). The natural sulphur pool at the top, with a small Shiva shrine, is the payoff after four to five hours climbing past Rudra Nag and the pine forest. Most people camp at the top overnight. Walk it April to June or September to November. The trail closes under winter snow.

Malana is an old village on a side valley above the Parvati, known for keeping its own customs, its own council, and a reserve toward outsiders. Do not touch the temples or house walls unless invited. A road runs to the Malana dam, then a steep climb takes you up to the houses. It sits near 2,650 m, about 45 km from Kullu. Go March to June. The culture, not any single monument, is the reason to come.

Naggar, 22 km from Kullu on the left bank of the Beas, was the old capital of the valley. Its 15th-century castle, part stone and part timber, is now a heritage hotel and small museum you can walk into. Up the hill is the Roerich Art Gallery, the former home of Russian painter Nicholas Roerich, with his Himalayan canvases and mountain views from the garden. The Gauri Shankar and Tripura Sundari temples are close by. Good all year.

Bhrigu is a high alpine lake at about 4,300 m on the ridge east of Solang, named for the sage Bhrigu. The usual trek starts from Gulaba above Manali and takes two to three days through open meadow that stays snow-fringed into summer. For a fit walker it is one of the more achievable high-lake treks in the region. The window is mid-May to October. Earlier than that, the meadows are still under snow.

Chandrakhani, at about 3,660 m, is the meadow pass between Naggar and Malana, crossed on a two to three day trek from Rumsu. The top opens to a broad view of the Pir Panjal, Deo Tibba and Parvati peaks. It is a moderate trek, best mid-June to early October, and can be linked with a descent into Malana. Base yourself at Naggar, about 22 km from Kullu, to start.

Tirthan Valley, around the Aut and Banjar road about 50 km from Kullu, is the trout-fishing and slow-stay corner of the district, on the edge of the Great Himalayan National Park. The draw is riverside guesthouses, angling permits from the fisheries office, short walks to waterfalls, and the GHNP gate at Gushaini. There is no marquee monument here. The point is a few quiet days by the Tirthan river. Best March to June and September to November.

Pandoh is the embankment dam on the Beas about 35 km south of Kullu on the Mandi road, where the river is diverted through tunnels toward the Sutlej. The turquoise reservoir and the view from the highway make it a natural photo halt on the drive in from Mandi. Photography of the dam structure itself is restricted, so keep to the viewpoints. Passable all year, with the water fullest after the monsoon.

Kharal, on the ridges near Kullu, is one of the valley’s paragliding launch points, a quieter alternative to Solang and Dobhi for a tandem flight over the Beas. Local operators run flights in fair weather through much of the year. If you want the view without a long trek, this is the fast way to get it. Winds are best in the clear months, and flights pause in heavy rain.

The Raghunath Temple in Sultanpur, in Kullu town, houses the idol of Lord Raghunath (Rama) that gives the Kullu Dussehra its meaning. Built in the 17th century by Raja Jagat Singh, it is the spiritual centre the October festival revolves around. It is a short, easy visit in town, open through the day.

Above Bhekhli village, a short climb from Kullu town, the Jagannathi Devi temple rewards the walk with a clean view over the valley. A local legend ties the goddess to a shepherd boy. It is quiet, rarely crowded, and best paired with a morning in town.

In Dashal near Naggar, the stone Gauri Shankar temple dates to around the 12th century, built in the north-Indian shikhara style and carved with figures of Shiva and Parvati. It is one of the older surviving temples in the valley, worth a stop on the Naggar loop. Open roughly 8 am to 7 pm.

Hanogi Mata sits on a spur right by the Kullu to Mandi highway, about 30 km from Kullu, a common halt for drivers seeking a safe-journey blessing. The setting above the Beas is as much of a draw as the shrine. It is a five-minute stop on the way in, open through daylight hours.

In Banjar’s Sainj and Tirthan belt, the Shringi Rishi temple honours the sage Shringi, a presiding deity of the valley whose idol is carried in local fairs. It is a working village temple rather than a tourist sight, and pairs well with a Tirthan or Jibhi stay.

Beas Kund is the small glacial pool near Solang, at about 3,700 m, held to be the source of the Beas and the meditation spot of sage Vyas. The trek starts from Dhundi above Solang and is a popular two-day walk through Bakarthach meadow. Go mid-May to October, once the higher snow has gone.

Bara Bhangal is a remote shepherd village ringed by the Kalihani and Thamsar passes, one of the harder multi-day treks across the Kullu and Kangra divide. It is for experienced trekkers with time and a guide, not a day trip. The reward is genuine isolation and high pasture. Attempt it only in the short summer window.

At Kais village near Kullu, the Dhakpo Shedrupling monastery was consecrated by the Dalai Lama in 2005. The prayer hall, the wall murals and the ordered calm make it a gentle counterpoint to the temple circuit. A short climb of steps takes you up to it. Open roughly 6 am to 6 pm.

Kulant Pith, close to Manikaran up the Parvati valley from Kullu, is a small pilgrimage spot where, by tradition, a dip in the Vishnu Kund is believed to wash away sin. It is a quiet, uncrowded add-on to a Manikaran visit, and you can drop in at any time of day.