A Winter Stay in Manali: January and February at Persimmon Farmstead

What the weather actually does in January and February

People imagine Manali buried in snow all winter — the reality is more layered by altitude. On the valley floor where our Badgran home sits, you get bright, cold, sunny days more often than snowy ones, with snow arriving in spells rather than staying weeks. Shanag, higher and to the north, catches more of it. The heavy, reliable snow lives above you: Solang around 2,500m, and Rohtang higher still (though the Rohtang pass itself stays closed in these months). Pack for cold: proper layers, a warm jacket, gloves, a woollen cap and shoes with grip. If you own thermals, bring them.

How we keep you warm

Cold mountain rooms are a real thing, and we've built our winter hosting around not letting you feel it. Here's what that means in practice:

• Heaters in the rooms, switched on ahead of your arrival so you walk into warmth
• Thick quilts, extra blankets on request, and layered bedding for below-freezing nights
• Running hot water for showers, morning and night
• Hot meals brought to you — no trekking out into the cold to be fed
• Hot chai and coffee whenever you want it, which in winter is often

Getting here in winter

The Kullu–Manali highway stays open and cleared through Jan–Feb, so reaching either home is straightforward. If you're flying into Bhuntar (Kullu airport, about 50km south of Manali), our Badgran home at 14 Mile is roughly the halfway mark and easy to reach first. Volvo and overnight buses from Delhi run right through winter, dropping into Manali after a 12–14 hour journey. Self-driving is fine on the main road, but for the snow drives up to Solang, hire a local driver who knows the ice — it's the safer call. See our full route notes on how to reach Manali.

What there is to do

Snow play at Solang is the obvious draw — sledging, a bit of skiing when conditions allow, and just standing in fresh snow if you've never seen it. Beyond that, winter Manali rewards slowness: warm cafés in Old Manali (many stay open), the old wooden temples, a walk through bare orchards, and evenings that end early by the fire. Couples especially find there's less pressure to 'do' things and more room to simply be somewhere quiet and beautiful. Our experiences page has more, and we'll always point you to what's actually running that week.

Choosing between our two homes in winter

For your first snow, or if you want to be closer to Old Manali, Solang and the snow action, Shanag near Bahang is the pick — higher up, more likely to snow in the garden, a shorter run to the white stuff. For a warmer, easier-access base with the valley more open around you, Badgran at 14 Mile works well, and it's the natural first stop coming up from Bhuntar or Kullu. Both are pet-friendly year-round. Tell us your priority and we'll steer you honestly.

Why we love hosting in these months

After four winters of doing this, Jan–Feb is when the farmstead feels most like home. The crowds are gone, the kitchen is busy, the fires are lit, and guests actually slow down and stay in. Our rating sits around 4.9/5, and a good share of that comes from winter guests who came for the snow and remember the warmth — the room, the food, and being looked after on a cold night.