Fresh snowfall at the 13,058-foot-high Rohtang Pass on Friday brought cheer to thousands of tourists visiting the hill destination, while widespread rain across the Kullu Valley provided respite from rising temperatures.
The higher reaches received fresh snowfall, accompanied by rainfall in the lower valleys, transforming the weather in Kullu and Manali. The sudden change turned the scenic mountains into a winter-like landscape, attracting a large number of visitors eager to experience snow even during the peak summer season.
As mercury levels soar past 40 degrees Celsius in the plains, tourists are flocking to the hills in record numbers. The picturesque Rohtang Pass, along with Koksar, Gramphu and Shinkula, has become a hub of activity, with visitors enjoying the pristine white carpet of snow.
Tourists clicked photographs, played in the snow and enjoyed the chilly weather, which stood in sharp contrast to the scorching heat prevailing in many parts of the country.
As per National Green Tribunal norms, online permit slots for Rohtang Pass are being booked within minutes every day, reflecting the huge demand among tourists eager to witness the snow-covered mountains.
The weather shift has significantly boosted tourism activity in the popular hill stations of Manali and Kullu. Tourist inflow to Manali has nearly doubled after the reopening of Rohtang Pass for vehicular traffic.
According to Green Tax Barrier data, over 2,400 out-of-state tourist vehicles are now entering Manali daily, compared to 1,200 to 1,400 vehicles recorded during the first week of May. Around 200 Volvo buses are also bringing tourists to the region.
The rush of visitors has led to a sharp rise in hotel occupancy, with many hotels operating at 80 to 90 per cent capacity. Deputy General Manager of Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation B S Aukta said tourism was currently at its peak and several corporation hotels were fully packed. State president of the Federation of Hotel and Restaurant Association, Gajendra Thakur, also said the tourism season was progressing well.
Apart from sightseeing, adventure tourism has also picked up pace in the district. Tourists are thronging river rafting points along the Beas River, especially at Ramshila, to enjoy rafting in the icy waters.
Jaydeep, a tourist from Gujarat, said, “My first rafting experience in the Beas was thrilling. The weather in Kullu is wonderful and the heat is far less intense than in the plains.”
Visitors from Maharashtra, Gujarat and other states said the cool climate of Kullu-Manali offered welcome relief from temperatures touching 40 to 50 degrees Celsius in the plains. Swati, visiting Kullu-Manali from Maharashtra for the first time, said, “The temperature here is unlike anything I’ve experienced before. Even in summer, it feels refreshingly cool, unlike Maharashtra, which is scorching right now.”