Balcony of Bawaray Banjaray home Vashisht

Vashisht Village Guide – Know How To Ditch The Manali Crowd

Vashisht Village, famous for the sulphurous hot spring and the views of a magnificent valley formed by the Beas River, is located 3 KM North East from Manali on the Manali-Rohtang road (Manali-Leh Highway). Vashisht is a great mix of old traditions and modern developments. One can witness a jumble of wooden traditional houses and modern concrete structures. A beautiful getaway from the hustle-bustle of Manali and a more serene substitute of Old Manali. Vashisht is an ever-expanding village consisting of old houses and modern amenities with good connectivity thus making it a perfect destination for backpackers from across the world. This Vashisht Village Guide, will not only give you pretty much everything you would need to explore Vashisht.

Vashisht Village
View From Vashisht Village

Vashisht Village can be a designed example of a typical Himachali touristic village. It is home to a sulphurous hot spring which is located in the ancient Vashisht temple. Bhrigu Lake trek starts from the Vashisht temple. Half an hour of a hike from the village will take you to Jogini falls, the fall has a cave and falling water creates a curtain on the cave door. Along with local pilgrims, Vashisht is famous among the hippie crowd too. One can see the traces of it in each alley of it.

When Is The Best Time To Visit Vashisht

The best time to visit Vashisht is during the summer months before Monsoon, when the snow in the higher reaches of Rohtang Pass has not melted yet. During monsoon threading through mountains can be a little tricky. Once the monsoon settles down, the entire Beas valley turns into a never-ending carpet of greenery. Experience of visiting Vashisht Village in the prime of winter, mid-December to mid-March, is a once in a lifetime kind of.

KNOW ABOUT THIS MAGICAL BALCONY ABOVE VASHIST VILLAGE

Bawray Banjaray in Vashisht
Bawray Banjaray in Vashisht

How to reach Vashisht

To reach Vashisht, one needs to reach Manali first. Vashisht is 3 kilometers from Manali. One can easily walk up to Vashisht or can take an auto from Manali to Vashisht. HRTC operates electronic tempo services for tourists and locals between Manali and Vashisht.

To Reach Manali – Manali is well connected to Delhi and Chandigarh. An overnight bus journey can take you to Manali from Delhi.

By Air – The nearest airport to Manali is in Bhuntar, about 35 KM down south towards Kullu. There is a daily flight between Delhi and Bhuntar. Take a taxi from Bhuntar for Manali.

By Rail – Nearest Broad Gauge Railway Station is Kalka. You can find many taxis and buses from Kalka to Manali easily.

By Road – Delhi to Manali road distance is 535 KM. Delhi to Manali is an overnight journey and one can easily find buses from ISBT Kashmere Gate and Majnu Ka Tila. The option is to opt for the HRTC Himsuta Volvo service which can be booked online from the HRTC website. Driving your own car or bike on these roads is a must-do thing in Himachal.

ट्रिपिंग इन टू द हिल्ज़ ऑफ़ इंडियन हिमालय

view of vashisht village from balcony
Birds Eye View of Vashisht Village

Places to see near Vashisht

Along with ancient Vashisht Temple, Hot Spring and Jogini Falls, which are right in the vicinity of the village, there are plenty of places to see around Vashisht Village. Some of them are listed below – 

Vashisht Temple

Believed to be more than 4000 years old, Vashisht Temple is the main attraction of the Vashisht Village. This temple is dedicated to Sage Vashisht, the village is named after him. The idol in the temple is a carving on black stone, of Vashisht Rishi wearing dhoti.

Vashisht Temple in Vashisht Village
The ancient Vashisht Temple

Hot Spring

Inside the Vashisht temple complex, there is a hot spring. This hot spring is famous because of its sulphurous properties which carry some medicinal properties. This place is famous among locals and travelers alike. There are proper settings at the hot spring to take a dip, which includes different bathrooms women and men.

Jogini Falls

Half an hour hike, starting from the center of the village, going to the right side alley of German Bakery will take you to this magnificent waterfall known as Jogini Falls. The falling water creates a curtain on the door of the cave. At the right time of the day when the sun is on the opposite side of the valley, one can see rainbows behind the fall. Besides, the mighty peaks of Rohtang La put forward a magnificent show with the clouds knocking them every now and then.

Jogini Waterfall Manali
Jogini Waterfall

Bhrigu Lake

Trek to Bhrigu Lake starts from Vashisht Village. Right between the hot spring and the ancient Vashisht Temple, there are stairs climbing up these stairs that blend in the forest and make the trail for Bhrigu Lake. Local folklores say that Sage Bhrigu used to meditate here. This trek is one of the best treks for beginners around Manali.

Bhrigu Lake
Almost Frozen Bhrigu Lake
Photo – Kanchan Sirohi

Manali

One of the most tourist destinations in India, Manali is just 3 KM from Vashisht village. The famous Manali Mall Road is a must-visit place to have a different kind of experience. The crowd, the hustle-bustle of Manali is a must experience.

Manali from Vashisht Homestay
View of Manali and Old Manali From Vashisht

Old Manali

The hipster version of the famous Manali town, Old Manali is everything one would expect from typical mountain hipster village. The cafes with the “Hippie Decor”, European and Israeli food make Old Manali a perfect escapade from the crowd and bustle of Manali town. The Manaslu Nallah creates a divide between Manali and Old Manali. The famous Manu temple is located in Ola Manali.

Solang Valley

Solang Valley is popular as the adventure sports capital of India. One can experience all kinds of adventure sports here. Starting from Skiing, Snowboarding and Igloo-stays in winter, Solang valley has several other sports in summers including Zorbing, Mountaineering, Ziplining, and Trekking.

Rohtang Pass

The most famous mountain pass of Himachal Pradesh — Rohtang La, commonly known as Rohtang Pass, that literally translates to a pile of dead bodies, is 50 KM from Manali but it would take more than 3 hours to cover this distance.

Solang valley and Rohtang from Vashisht village
View of Solang Valley and Rohtang Pass ridgeline

Some of the other places to see near Vashisht are Hadimba Temple, Manu Temple, Kothi Village, Jagatsukh, Prini, Naggar Castle, Parvati Valley.

Where to stay in Vashisht

There are plenty of options to choose from when it comes to accommodation in Vashisht. We would recommend the Lost in The Himalayas BnB. The homestay is run by one of our friends Pranav Kukreti, who can be the best host and guide when it comes to knowing about this region.

Lost In The Himalayas Homestay, Vashisht – यहाँ से पूरा वशिष्ट दिखता है!

If you find this Vashisht Village Guide useful or if you have any queries about anything let us know in comments.

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