Hadimba (Hidimba Devi) Temple Timings, Manali: Opening Hours & Entry

Hadimba Temple Timings at a Glance

Here is everything a visitor usually checks before heading to the Hidimba Devi Temple, in one place.

Hadimba Temple Timings (Monday to Sunday)

The Hadimba Devi Temple keeps the same hours through the week. It opens at 8:00 AM and the last darshan is around 6:00 PM, so there is no separate weekend timing and no weekly closure to plan around. The gates stay open right through the tourist season; only heavy snow or an occasional local ceremony can shift things slightly, which is rare.

Entry Fee & Photography Rules

There is no entry fee for the Hadimba Devi Temple. You can walk in, offer prayers and spend as long as you like without buying a ticket. Photography is allowed in the temple courtyard and around the cedar grove at no charge, which is why the pagoda-style wooden facade is one of the most photographed spots in Manali. Do keep two things in mind: some priests may ask you not to photograph the inner sanctum during a puja, and the small pony and yak rides and the angora-rabbit photos offered outside the gate are run by local vendors who charge their own fees. Those are optional and separate from the temple, which stays free to enter.

Aarti, Darshan & How Much Time to Spend

Hadimba Devi Temple does not run a fixed, published aarti schedule the way some larger temples do. Priests perform puja through the day within the 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM window, and the calmest darshan is soon after opening, before the tour groups arrive. Mornings are also when the light falls best through the deodar trees for photos. Most visitors spend one to two hours here: a short queue for darshan, a slow walk around the 16th-century wooden shrine and the sacred tree behind it, then a few minutes at the smaller Ghatotkacha shrine a little uphill. If you are travelling with older family members, the path from the parking area is a gentle uphill walk of five to ten minutes through the forest.

How to Reach Hadimba Temple

The temple stands in the Dhungri cedar forest, about 2 km from the Mall Road and roughly the same from the Manali bus stand. That is a five to ten minute drive, a short auto or taxi ride, or a pleasant 25 to 30 minute walk uphill if the weather is good. Local taxis and autos run to the Dhungri parking area, from where it is a brief walk to the gate. If you are coming from further afield, the nearest airport is Bhuntar (Kullu-Manali), about 50 km south, and the nearest narrow-gauge railhead is Joginder Nagar, though most travellers arrive by road from Chandigarh or Delhi. For the full route breakdown, see our how to reach Hadimba Temple guide, or the wider Manali travel guide for getting around town.

Best Time to Visit Hadimba Temple

The best months to visit are April to June, when Manali's weather is clear and mild and the forest around the temple is at its greenest. This is peak season, so early morning on a weekday is the smart slot to beat both the heat and the crowds. From October to February the surroundings often turn snowy, which makes for striking photos, though you will want warm layers and sturdy footwear for the walk up. The monsoon months of July and August bring heavy rain and the odd landslide on the approach roads, so it is the least reliable time to plan a visit. Whichever season you pick, the temple keeps the same 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM hours.

Visitor Tips & Nearby Attractions

A few things make the visit smoother. Wear shoes you can slip off easily, since footwear comes off before the inner sanctum. Carry a light jacket even in summer, because the forest shade stays cool. Reach by mid-morning if you want a quiet darshan. Once you are done, several stops sit within a short drive: the Manu Temple in Old Manali, the Van Vihar park and the Mall Road are all close by, and Vashisht's hot springs are about 4 km away. You can also read our Hadimba Temple entry fee and visitor tips pages for more, or start from the Hadimba Temple overview. Planning the whole trip around Manali? Browse our Himachal tour packages, which can be customised to include Hadimba Temple and the nearby sights.