A Comprehensive Checklist for Manali Trip

Manali, located in the state of Himachal Pradesh in India is a land of contrasts. This high-altitude resort town is one of the most popular hill stations in the country. Amidst the mountain slopes, meandering streams, spell-binding views and fairytale-like fog surrounding the quaint cottages you will find the lingering essence of nature. Also, this hill station serves as one of the largest summer getaways in the subcontinent for Indians as well as international tourists. 

The key to a good vacation is proper planning. If you have already completed your advance flight booking and Manali itinerary then you should carry on with this article to get a detailed view of the essentials that you need to pack for this trip. Still, confused with the essentials part? Don’t worry. We are here to offer a proper solution. 

Advance hotel booking 

It might not be something that you can carry but it is likely the most important as well as highly neglected part of a particular trip, and most of us choose to delay till the last minute and end up making wrong decisions. Here is the solution! Start looking for comfortable accommodations online as per your budget. There are a variety of online hotel booking websites that will help you find the right kind of establishment. You can even save on Manali hotels. How? Well, with assured discounts and alluring offers. So, this is something you must check before heading to the next part of the plan. 

Documents 

If you want to go for a hassle-free Manali trip, then get the tour confirmation voucher in a printed form. At every step, from checking in to the hotels to renting a cab for exploring the hill station, you need to show the valid documents. Printed forms of documents are considered more effective than soft copies. However, keep the soft copy of the itinerary in your drive or mail so that you can access it from anywhere and make extra copies of them, as per convenience. Go through the itinerary carefully before commencing your Manali tour. Also, do not forget to check the cost included section of the itinerary. 

Money 

Although Manali has modern-day amenities like ATMs, you cannot always rely on these machines. Thus, carrying sufficient cash would be helpful. If you are a foreigner and in need of currency exchange, then do that in advance. Since there are also many remote areas in the hill station you should be prepared to proceed with transactions in cash. And not just in remote areas, many markets in Manali also prefer cash over swiping a credit/debit card on ATM machines. 

Necessary clothing 

When it comes to travelling we can’t resist loading our backpacks with almost all the clothes that we find in the wardrobe. But let’s not do that. Because sometimes the bags get unnecessarily heavy and you have to pay extra charges for that at the airport or elsewhere. Make a list of clothes that are actually necessary to take on the Manali trip. Since it is a hill station it is obvious that you are going to carry your sweater, jacket, gloves and socks. Apart from that you should carry covered shoes and make sure they don’t hurt your feet because you have to climb some steep slopes in Manali. A pair of goggles can also go with your other winter outfits for the Manali expedition. 

Health Precaution 

If you have a sensitive stomach, we would highly recommend you to stay away from roadside food and spicy dishes. Carry packaged drinking water for drinking purposes. And try to avoid food and water served in the open air as it might cause stomach infections. For any travel, in this case, Manali, carry packaged food items with you that include cakes, biscuits, chocolates, chips and dry fruits. Try not to commence the journey with an empty stomach, do get some snacks or cookies for that matter. 

Permissions

Some buildings or monuments in Manali might need special permission for photography or filming. The District Administration & Tourism office will help you with the needful.  Further, if you want to take part in adventure activities you need to seek permission from the local authorities in Manali, Himachal Pradesh as well. For doing so, they might need to verify your id proof. Thus, keep them with you either in a printed or digital format even when you are exploring the city. If you want to sort out any queries related to permission to a certain place in Manali don’t hesitate to contact your travel agent. 

Here is a foolproof checklist that you should take note of while planning a trip to Manali. Also, remember to go through Manali hotels reviews before making an advance hotel booking online.