This post is in continuation with a previous one; and a part of my Spiti Valley Travelogue. We traveled from Delhi to Kaza in a total of 6 days; while covering Narkanda, Chitkul, Kalpa, Nako and Pin Valley on the way. On Day 7, we journeyed from Kaza to Chandratal, and camped there for the night before moving on to Manali on Day 8. We stayed in Manali on Day 9 before returning home to Delhi on Day 10. Details of the journey and a few pictures are in the article below. To read the previous part of this travelogue; please click on the link below.
Journey So Far: Kaza to Chandratal – The Adventurous Drive
Continued: Manali to Delhi
The only reason why we chose to stay in Manali for a day was to just relax. The trip to be honest went a little too quick as we moved from one town to another. We drove on every single day of the journey and did not stay or relaxed at any of the places en route. Were we tired? I guess yes we were but more than that, it was the realization of the fact that our trip had now come to an end. We were at the last day of an exciting journey and from here on, it was just a drive home. So more than to rest, the idea was to prolong the vacation by a day more.
I have been to Manali numerous times; but it was always either going to Ladakh or Spiti; or while returning from there. Manali has never really appealed to me as a tourist attraction in itself because it is a bit too crowded for my taste. It is the only place that I have encountered traffic jams even at middle of the night. Even in cities like Delhi, the traffic is all gone by 12 midnight; but in Manali, in tourist season, there is a high chance that you may encounter traffic in dead of the night. This is how crowded it gets.
A Long Drive
So when my friend suggested that we should stay here for a day, I was not really too excited about it but still agreed. Our entire day here was spent doing nothing. I thought to step out of the hotel and visit some local attractions here but then gave up on the idea. The day came and went and all that I did was to watch TV and order food. And that was our Day 9 of the trip.
On Day 10, we were scheduled to drive home to Delhi which I knew was going to be one hell of a long drive. So we started from Manali by first light of the day. Not really much to write about here because I more or less drove non-stop with a few short breaks in between.
And hence ended another of my trip to Spiti Valley, a place that almost seems magical to me. As I reached home that night, the only thought in my mind was of things that I will do on my next trip to Spiti.
Conclusion
I hope the details in this travelogue were of help to you in planning your trip to Spiti. If you have any questions; or need any further details; please feel free to ask in the comments section below; or at our Community Forum; and I will be glad to answer.
