Kullu and Manali are perhaps the two most frequentily travelled destinations in Himachal Pradesh. Thousands of pilgrims, trekkers and casual tourists pour into these towns every year. Not just that, Kullu and Manali are certainly very popular with sickeningly love-dovey honeymooners too.

Kullu, on the western banks of the torrential Beas, occupies the central part of the Kullu Valley. It has the largest settlement in the valley and doubles as the district headquarter. The charming town was made capital by the British who had settled here in the hope of making it big in tea growing. See History of Kullu Valley for more. Today the place is in the happy position of being a well-developed tourist destination without having being ruined by tourists,top on chart of Himachal tourism. Mid-March to mid-April and mid-September to mid-November are the perfect months to visit Kullu.

Manali literally means the 'Home of Manu'. Manu is the mythological character who is supposed to have survived when the world was drowned in Flood. He then came to Manali and recreated human life. Thus, the area of Manali is sacred and Hindus treat the temples over here as pilgrimage.