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November, 2022November 27, 2022

A Road Trip to Kyelang From Old Manai on Scooty

There was a time when I hated Manali. And then, there came a time when I found myself in Manali quite often. Though it was more Old Manali part, this crowded hamlet was still there. This time, I was in Manali to take a road trip to Kyelang. This road trip was going to be the best so far. This was a road trip on scooty. Yes, a road trip to Kyelang from Old Manali on scooty and even far.

Moreover, it was my birthday trip. So, it was a special one. However, there was no cake on the trip, but the memories were enough for me to cherish and treasure. Kyelang was an impromptu decision. And without knowing what to do there, the road just embraced my decision and welcomed me with all the emotions.

Read More – A Day in Manali

One Activa – Two Destinations – My Most Beautiful Road Trip to Kyelang

So, after staying for a night in Old Manali (considering it was my work day, i.e., Friday), I rented a scooty. It was an Activa, and the guy told me it would be challenging to take the scooty to Kyelang. Activa isn’t that powerful. As a noob in this domain, I had nothing much to say; however, my friend agreed.

So after roaming in Old Manali the following day for a while (we visited Manu Temple), we packed our bags and left the town. Passing through Atal Tunnel and leaving behind the dusty roads, we came to some of the most scenic views I had ever witnessed. This road trip to Kyelang from Old Manali left me spellbound. We stopped at several places on the way and cherished nature’s mystical ambiance that surrounded us on this road trip.

This road trip of Kyelang from Old Manali passed through several phases. As per GPS, Kyelang is 71 KM away from Manali. However, it got pretty confusing when we found sign boards that read 110 KM too. Leaving behind the normal road, we entered a different geography. The greenery started to get even more greener. The roads began to get more dangerous, and the network started to leave us at some places.

The mountains and the deep valley on the other side, with a road nestling in the middle and steep curves coming suddenly, shook every nerve I had in my body. Activa surrendered at places since it didn’t have enough power to scale dangerous roads and elevations. Even at full rev, it barely pushed itself beyond 40. So, we tried to be patient with it and be smooth without testing it. Chances were it might break down on the way, and we would have been stuck without any help.

When Lahaul Spiti Welcomed Us on Our Road Trip to Kyelang

I saw a board of Lahaul Spiti welcoming us. We stopped there to click some photos. I remember my days in Spiti (Oct 2021). And I was again in the valley to witness its beauty. Though at a different place this time! The road started to get a little bit dustier at some places, and the high elevation had almost smoothened down. Most of the dust was because of the heavy trucks on the way. However, the road was wide and open. This was my Ude Khwabon Ke Parindey moment. The speaker was playing the song.

Read Here – Staycation at Tree House – Golden Chalet Nashala

This was the most thrilling moment. We passed through several villages and asked for directions from a couple of people on the road. At some places, the road size shrunk in broken condition and was a little scary considering a scooty that wasn’t built for such roads. But still, it managed fairly and created no problem at all. Crossing Muling Bridge, we enjoyed some of the best moments of our life on the Leh Ladakh Highway.

This road trip to Kyelang started from Old Manali and took several stops on the way. When we were about to reach Kyelang, we stopped at a local cafe in Tandi village. After having Maggi and spending some time at the river confluence, we headed to Keylong and reached in a while.

Rajat Kumar

Hi there I am a food & travel enthusiast, a music aficionado, poet, artist, and someone who loves to explore unexplored/off-beat places. I started this blog to share my food and travel journey.