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A Complete Travel Guide to Hippie Village Old Manali

A view of Old Manali village with Manu temple,

Why Old Manali? Here is answering all your queries in this complete travel guide to Old Manali, also known as the ‘Hippie village of India.’

A Travel Guide to Old Manali

Why is Manali village called ‘Old Manali village’?

Old Manali village is located by Manalsu rivulet — Old Manali village is located by the Manalsu rivulet.

Located along the gushing Manalsu rivulet with sage Manu as the guardian deity, Old Manali village is a quaint, peaceful place, making it any traveller’s paradise. The village is named after sage Manu, who according to Indian mythology, is the first man created by God and was the sole survivor of the great flood.

In the beginning, this village was known as Manali village only. It’s one of the oldest villages of the Kullu valley.

It’s called ‘Old’ in order to distinguish it from the ‘New Manali’ that had started coming up in the 1970s. As a new town started emerging and expanding around Manali village, people started calling this village as ‘Old Manali’ as a way of differentiating it from the new Manali township.

And the name stuck. Today, the whole town is known as Manali and the original Manali village as ‘Old Manali village.’

A Hippy village

Old Manali is also called a hippie village — A hippie village.

Foreign travellers were the first ones to discover and popularise Old Manali. These travellers, mostly backpackers, first started living in Old Manali in the 1970s. They would take village houses on rent and stay here for months, exploring the mountains and also experimenting with locally-grow cannabis. Almost the same Hippie vibe is still present in the Old Manali.

Just like Kasol, you can feel the hippie influence in the aptly named cafes (Hippie Heads, Drifters etc), bohemian jewellery on sale, shops selling musical instruments, tattoo centres and the hippie art strewn across the village walls. Old Manali continues to be the favourite destination of foreign travellers. You can spot them chilling out in and around Old Manali at any given time of the year.

How to reach Old Manali

Old Manali village is located around 1 km from the Mall Road in Manali town. A narrow road from the Mall Road takes you to Old Manali. As you reach the Old Manali bridge, you need to turn left and follow an even narrower road to reach the village. The road from Mall Road to Old Manali remains jam-packed with vehicles resulting in frequent traffic jams during the peak tourist season in May and June.

Places to visit in and around Old Manali

If you are in Old Manali then you should not miss visiting the following places of interest.

1. Manu temple

Manu temple, Manali. — Manu temple, Old Manali.

Dedicated to sage Manu, after whom Manali is named, this historic temple is located right at the top of the Old Manali village. This stone-and-wood temple is built in the traditional Kath-Kuni style of architecture. According to a legend, sage Manu had come ashore here after surviving the great deluge and started living in the mountains. This place later became known as Manualaya (the abode of Manu) and eventually as Manali.

Check here the top temples of Kullu Manali.

2. Hadimba temple

A spooky Hadimba temple — Hadimba temple can appear to be a little spooky.

Situated in the middle of a thick Deodar forest near Old Manali, Hadimba temple is another popular attraction. The wood-and-stone temple is dedicated to goddess Hadimba.

It was built in 1553 AD during the rule of Raja Bahadur Singh of Kullu. You can reach the temple from the Mall Road or Old Manali by doing a short hike of less than an hour. There is also a narrow road that takes you to the temple.

Read all the top amazing facts about Hadimba temple.

3. Siyali Mahadev temple

Siyali Mahadev temple, Manali. — Siyali Mahadev temple.

It’s one beautiful temple made of stone and wood. Located near the Hadimba temple, Siyali Mahadev temple is an architectural masterpiece. The temple is believed to have been built between the 8^th and 11^th centuries.

There are also a number of archaeologically important sculptures including a Shivalinga, and deities Vishnu, Brahma and Mahisasura Mardini in the temple complex. You can do a short and easy walk of less than half-hour from Old Manali or the Mall Road to reach this temple.

Things to do in Old Manali

Old Manali is blessed with nature’s beauty. Here are some of the ways you can spend your time in Old Manali.

Forest trails and river side

Old Manali and Manalsu river. — Manalsu rivulet in Old Manali.

You can go on long walks and day hikes from Old Manali and explore the nearby forests. There is also a forest area near the entry gate of Old Manali. This patch of Deodar forest is on the bank of Manalsu rivulet. It’s a great place to spend some time in the lap of nature. You can sit by Manalsu rivulet and spend some quality time here. Just don’t go too near the water as it’s not advisable.

Club House

Located near the Old Manali bridge, the Club House is a popular destination for all those who want to spend their evenings playing Snooker, Billiards or Table Tennis. There is also a badminton court at the Club House. You can try all these indoor games by paying a nominal fee.

There is also an entry fee for visiting the Club House. Last time we visited Club House on a Sunday in August, 2024, we were charged Rs 25 per person as entry fee. Run by the Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation, the Club House also has a restaurant, a bar and a shopping area.

Shopping in Old Manali

A view of the Old Manali market — Old Manali market.

Talking about shopping, you can buy a host of stuff, mostly ‘hippie items’ in the shops of Old Manali. There are shops that sell jewellery including pendants, crystal beads, bracelets and necklaces, silver necklaces, rings, headbands etc. You can also buy ‘hippie bags’ made of cannabis plants in Old Manali. There are also shops that sell musical instruments in Old Manali.

A backpacker’s heaven

Old Manali is also quite popular among the backpackers, who love to explore the Western Himalayan mountains of Kullu Manali. Away from the noise, crowd and traffic of Manali town, they love the quiet and calm of this place.

There are also a number of shops in Old Manali from where you can get bikes on rent and move around without having to get stuck in traffic jams. You can explore Manali and nearby areas including Palchan village and the Atal Tunnel etc. on rented bikes.

Places to stay in Old Manali

There are some really nice places to stay in Old Manali including hotels, cottages, homestays and backpackers’ hostels. You can choose your accommodation according to your need and budget. If you want a luxury stay then there are a number of good hotels where you can stay. If you are on a budget then homestays can be a good option. If you are a backpacker then there are some good hostels in Old Manali where you can stay.

Check our handpicked list of best hotels in Old Manali.

Check our handpicked list of best home stays in Manali.

Check our handpicked list of best hostels in Old Manali.

Places to eat and drink in Old Manali

There are some really nice places to try delicious meals in Old Manali. You can try the Italian delicacies, taste local dishes, enjoy some real delicious apple pies and cakes and sip awesome coffee while having the best mountain views at the same time.

Check our curated list of top cafes and restaurants of Old Manali.

Have a nice trip to Old Manali! Do try our other travel guides and stories.