Trekking in Manali: Best Treks & Hiking Trails Near Manali (2026)

The walk to Jogini starts behind the hot springs at Vashisht and climbs gently through apple orchards and pine to a waterfall that drops in stages down the hillside. It takes most people two to three hours up and back, which makes it the easiest way to feel the mountains without giving up a whole day. Go in the morning before the crowds and you often have the top pool to yourself. A small shrine sits beside the falls, and the view back over the Beas Valley is worth the short pull.

A short but steep climb from Chansari village leads to the Bijli Mahadev temple, set on a ridge that looks down both the Kullu and Parvati valleys. The temple is known for a tall staff that locals say draws lightning, and the 360-degree view from the top is one of the best you will get for so little effort. Reach the road-head from Kullu, then give yourself about two hours up. It suits families and anyone with only a morning to spare.

Prashar pairs a small mountain lake with a three-tiered pagoda temple said to be centuries old, all at a gentle height above Mandi. The trail from Baggi village is short and open enough for first-timers, and the ridge above the lake gives a wide sweep of the Dhauladhar and Pir Panjal. Most trekkers do it over a weekend. In deep winter the lake freezes and the meadow fills with snow, a harder and colder version for those who come prepared.

Lama Dugh is the meadow escape closest to Manali, reached on a forest trail that climbs from the Hadimba temple area at Dhungri through cedar and oak. The grassland at the top opens onto views of the Dhauladhar and the Deo Tibba massif, and it stays quiet even in peak season. Fit walkers turn it around in a long day; camping one night makes for an easy overnight. It is a good acclimatisation walk before a bigger trek.

The short trek to Malana now starts from the Malana Dam / Malana Gate taxi stand (a motorable road runs well past Jari), a hike of roughly 1.5 to 2.5 km each way to one of the oldest and most self-contained villages in the region, known for its own customs and strict rules for visitors. Respect the local etiquette: the no-touch rule extends to the villagers themselves and to their houses, shops, walls and belongings, not just the temples, with spot fines of roughly Rs 1,000 to 3,500 for violations, and outsiders are not allowed to stay overnight inside the core village. The walk itself is a steady forest climb of a few hours, and the reward is a look at a way of life that has stayed apart for generations. Combine it with a night in nearby Kasol.

Beas Kund is the glacial lake where the Beas river is said to rise, ringed by the peaks of Hanuman Tibba, Shitidhar and Friendship Peak. A motorable road now extends past Solang to Dhundi, the usual trailhead, from where the trail climbs through the Dhundi meadows and Bakarthach before the final pull to the lake. It is a popular first high-altitude trek because the gradient is forgiving and the scenery turns alpine fast. Two to three days is enough, and May to October is the safe window once the snow has cleared.

The Chandrakhani Pass trek starts above the old town of Naggar and crosses meadows and rhododendron forest to a pass with views of the Deo Tibba and Pir Panjal ranges. It is usually walked as a point-to-point crossover, dropping down toward Malana on the far side rather than returning the same way, linking two very different valleys. It is a solid three-day moderate trek with a gentle build, well suited to trekkers stepping up from the easy walks. The best months are May to October, with clear autumn skies the reward for a late-season trip.

Patalsu is the steep pyramid that rises straight above Solang, and reaching its shoulder is a short but demanding climb that gains height quickly. The trail leaves the Solang meadows and pushes up grassy then rocky slopes, rewarding you with a close-up line of the Friendship Peak and Hanuman Tibba ridges. Two days is enough, but the fast ascent means you should already be fit and take the altitude seriously. Late May to October is the window; earlier and the upper slopes hold snow.

Bhrigu Lake is a high glacial lake above the Gulaba meadows, named for the sage said to have meditated on its shore. What makes it special is how quickly you reach true alpine country: within a day of leaving the road you are camped on rolling meadows with the Pir Panjal spread out ahead. The lake often holds ice into early summer. Three days covers it comfortably, and mid-May to October is the season, with the meadows greenest just after the snowmelt.

Hampta Pass is the trek most people mean when they talk about crossing the mountains near Manali. It is a point-to-point crossover, not a round trip: in four to five days you walk from Jobra on the green, forested Kullu side over the pass and down into the stark brown of Lahaul, finishing at Chhatru, a change of scenery so sharp it feels like two countries. Many trekkers add a day trip to Chandratal at the end. The trail is well established and guided groups run through the summer. June to September is the window, once the pass is clear of snow.

Chandratal, the moon-shaped lake, sits on the Spiti side of the Kunzum range at about 4,300 m. You can reach a car park within a short walk of the shore once the road opens. Many Hampta Pass trekkers tack it on at the end, but it is reached by a road drive from Chhatru via Batal (roughly 45 to 50 km), not on foot from the pass. Camping is restricted to the designated site a couple of kilometres back to protect the lake. The road and trail are only open from around June to September; outside that the whole area is snowbound.

This trek takes you to the base of Deo Tibba, a 6,001 m peak, without needing any technical climbing. From Jagatsukh the trail climbs through Khanol and Chika to the wide meadows of Seri and Tainta, where the mountain fills the skyline. Five to six days lets you acclimatise properly and soak in the high camps. It is a step up from Beas Kund or Bhrigu in both length and height, so come with some trekking behind you. June to October is the season. [VERIFY: Deo Tibba Base Camp distance – 24 km may be one-way (Khanol/Jagatsukh to base camp); if so the round-trip is longer. Confirm whether the figure is one-way or round trip vs operators.]

The Hamya Herbal trek is the quiet, lesser-known long option near Manali, threading high meadows famous among locals for their medicinal plants. Because few groups run it, the trail stays wild and you are unlikely to meet crowds. It is a longer commitment of six to eight days and rewards trekkers who want solitude over a marquee name. Go in the clear summer and early-autumn months, and take a guide who knows the route, as signage is minimal and the trail braids in places. [VERIFY: Hamya Herbal trailhead – Pandu Ropa may be a high meadow/campsite rather than the motorable roadhead; confirm the actual road-accessible start point.]

Bara Bhangal is one of the toughest and most remote treks starting from Manali, crossing the high Kalihani Pass to reach a shepherd village cut off from the road for most of the year. The route climbs from the Lama Dugh meadows over glaciers and moraine before the long descent to Bara Bhangal, then continues as a one-way crossover over Thamsar Pass toward Bir/Billing on the Kangra side. Expect nine to eleven days of hard walking with real river crossings and no bail-out points. It is strictly for seasoned trekkers with a strong support team, and the season is a narrow July to September.

Pin Parvati Pass is the classic high crossing that links the green Parvati Valley with the desert of Pin in Spiti, a one-way crossover ending at Mudh, topping out at 5,319 m. Over nine to twelve days you pass Kheerganga, cross glaciers and camp at Mantalai before the steep, exposed climb to the pass itself. This is a serious expedition with glacier travel, high-altitude camps and a real commitment once you are past the point of no return. Only experienced trekkers with a strong guided team should attempt it, and only in the short July to September window.