Sethan is a small Buddhist village located 14 KM away from Manali amidst the tall pine trees and snow-capped mountains. Not too far yet so far, Sethan is a secluded place to spend a weekend away from the over touristy vibes of Manali. Despite being an offbeat destination Sethan has a plethora of activities like snowboarding, skiing, trekking, angling, bouldering, camping, hiking and milky way that do not let you bored. Even if this doesn’t excite you, you should still visit Sethan as its never-ending natural beauty and unique igloo stay will leave you astonished.
It is a perfect place to see the famous Dhauldhar & Pir Panjal mountain range. It is magnificent to see the flowing Beas river at the bottom of Sethan dividing the Pir Panjal and Dhauldhar mountain range.
Let’s Quickly Dive Into The Details –
| Why Visit Sethan? |
| Best Time To Visit Sethan |
| Things To Do In Sethan |
| How to reach Sethan |
| Where to stay in Sethan |
| Where to eat in Sethan |
| Travel Tips |
Why visit Sethan?
Sethan is a small Buddhist village that belongs to the Khampa tribe who are migrants from different parts of Himachal Pradesh. The surrounding sun-kissed peaks and amazing natural beauty create an environment where you can sit after leaving behind all your daily life hustle.
Located just 14 KM from Manali at an elevation of 2700 meters, Sethan is a perfect place to take a break from the normal touristy life. The low-paced life of this place gives you nostalgia. And the wide range of stays will mesmerize you including Igloo stay, Glamping, camping and homestay. Yes, Sethan is one of the few places in India where you can stay in Igloo.
Watching the Milky Way Galaxy from your camp is the experience that you will get in Sethan. So, pack your bags and leave with our handpicked guide to visit Sethan that help you to fill your heart and soul with memories that you’ll cherish for a lifetime –
Best time to visit Sethan
Any time of the year would be the best time to visit Sethan. So, it depends on your personal choice before deciding the best time to visit Sethan.
Sethan Summer (March to May) – Summer is the perfect time to visit Sethan for adrenaline-pumping activities like bouldering, night camping, hiking, fishing, and trekking. It looks spectacular after the harsh winter when the thick layer of snow starts fading out and lush greenery starts showing. The temperature hovers from 2 to 15 degrees Celsius. It is the best time to enjoy the lush greenery of Sethan.
Sethan in Monsoon (June to August) – If you want to experience the raw natural beauty of Sethan then monsoon is the ideal time to visit. The refreshing breeze through the Dhauladhar mountains will calm your heart and soul. And the soothing music of river Beas makes your vacation peaceful.
Note – The monsoon season in Himachal is prone to heavy rains and landslides. So before leaving do check the weather forecast.
Sethan in Autumn (September to October) – Autumn is the best season to visit Sethan. After the monsoon season, it looks spectacular when nature is in full bloom with colorful flowers and forests of pine trees.
Sethan in Winter (November to February) – Winter in Sethan will be very harsh as the temperature drops to minus. The heavy snowfall covers the entire landscape with a white layer of snow. Sethan becomes a paradise for snow lovers in winter. The heavy snowfall opens the door for various snow activities like snowboarding, skiing, and sledging. And winter is the time when you can stay in Igloo – The unique and famous part of Sethan.
Things to do in Sethan Valley
Away from the hustle of daily modern life, Sethan is a quiet village. However, there is a lot to do and various activities according to season. So, let’s dive into the details of various things to do in Sethan –
1. Skiing & Snowboarding (Snow Related Activities)
Skiing is the most sought activity in Sethan during winter. When snow covers the entire canvas with a white layer then lots of tourists gather in Sethan for skiing & snowboarding. Less crowd, low pollution, peaceful vibes and perfect slopes allow you to enjoy these snow activities at your own pace.
For beginners, there are local guides who will help to try hands-on skiing or snowboarding at the canvas of Sethan. Before that do dress up and apply sunscreen. You can rent all the gear from the shops in Prini.
2. Bouldering
If snowboarding, skiing and snow tubing are meant for winters then bouldering is for summers. Test your grit and strength by climbing the different sizes of rocks. The best thing about bouldering in Sethan is that there are different levels of climbing from basic level V0 to the highest scale of V12. So, you can choose the best option depending on your stamina, strength and experience. If you’re doing it for the first time then don’t worry there will be experts for your help.
3. Igloo Stay
Ever wondered to stay in a house of snow while laying in a blanket with hot coffee and maggie. Yes, you can enjoy this unique experience in Sethan. Igloo is a small house made of blocks of hard snow. It is one of the rarest and most unique sight,s especially for Indian travelers. But Sethan has excellent Igloo stays that give you the completely unique experience of staying in a house made of Snow. Staying in Igloo is an experience you’ll remember for a lifetime.
All Igloo rooms are equipped with warm sleeping bags and mattresses for a comfortable stay.
- Best time for igloo stay – As the igloo is made of snow then peak winter (January to April) will be the best time to stay in the igloo.
- Cost – 4000 INR per night.
- Interesting Fact – Sethan is the only place in India where you can find igloo.
4. Camping
Camping is another adventurous activity to enjoy in Sethan. Staying under the blanket of nature while enjoying the picturesque beauty of Sethan is the best way to enjoy your vacation. Sethan is the perfect village for camping. The surrounding Dhauldhar mountain range and the flowing Beas river will give you the perfect spot to set your own camp. Camping is always the best option to know about the local lifestyle of a particular place.
5. Enjoy the beautiful sight of the Milky Way
During the day you can explore the green meadows of Sethan but it is the night that leaves you awestruck with its amazing beauty. Away from the pollution and lights of metro cities, Sethan creates a perfect environment to witness this amazing creation of nature. The joy of simply looking up at the night sky with a hot coffee is the experience you won’t even get in the most expensive hotel in the world.
The sparkling stars and the white milky light of the moon will calm your soul and take away your all problems for a moment. The experience is so addictive and peaceful that tourists from all around come here to just witness this beautiful phenomenon of nature.
Camping is the best way to enjoy the milky way in Sethan.
6. Hiking and Trekking
Set amidst the high mountain peaks, Sethan is the ideal getaway in the mountain. So, it is obvious that there you’ll have plenty of hikes and treks. From easy to difficult levels, Sethan is filled with lots of treks that include day treks like Pandu Ropa and serious treks like Hamta trek.
7. Visit Pandu Ropa Cave and Lake
Just 2 KM away from Sethan there is a historic and religious place named Pandu Road. Pandu means Pandavas (5 Brother from the Hindu epic Mahabharat) and Ropa means farming. This place has huge religious significance among locals. According to legends, Pandavas stayed here during the time of exile and they did farming here. And that is the reason this place never dry and with this believe locals do farming here. There is a cave and spectacular lake that leave you mesmerized.
How to reach Panduropa – Trekking is the best way to reach Panduropa. And the trek is very easy traversing through meadows, forests of pines and amazing mountain ranges.
8. Trek to Indrasan Peak
After the Panduropa trek there is another amazing trek named Indrasan peak. Like Panduropa, the Indrasan peak has its own mythology. According to legends, this place is the throne of Indra, the God of rain in Hindu mythology. It is situated at a height of 6223 meters.
9. Hampta Pass Trek
Sethan is the base camp for the Hampta Pass trek. Set at an elevation of 4270 meters, Hampta pass is one of the dramatic crossovers treks in the Himalayas. By standing there you can witness the two beautiful sights of nature – On one side there is lush green valley, blooming flowers, green meadows and pine forests of Kullu while on the other side there is a stark, barren landscape of Lahul with no vegetation. Sound fascinating or not?
- Trek Length – 35 KM
- Difficulty Level – Moderate
10. Hidden Waterfall
It is one of the untouched spots in Sethan. It is so undiscovered that it doesn’t even have any name so we call it hidden waterfall. So, to reach there you need to first reach Kalzang Dhaba from there is a stream that will take you to the spot. You need to hike through the forest to reach the waterfall. For more information about paths, you can ask locals or the owners of Kalzang Dhaba.
How to reach Sethan
Located just 14 KM from Manali reaching Sethan is very easy. Once you reach Manali there is a simple route that takes you to the Sethan Valley. Let’s discuss in detail –
By Road – Road is the best way to reach Sethan. The route is scenic traversing through amazing valleys, snow-capped mountains and forests of Oak. Manali is located 518 KM away from Delhi and 280 KM from Chandigarh. From Delhi ISBT or Majnu Ka Tilla, there are number of regular buses plying to Manali. The overnight bus journey from Delhi to Manali will help you to save lots of time and money. The bus from Delhi to Manali can cost you from 700 to 1200 INR depending on the bus type.
How to reach Sethan from Manali – After reaching Manali, Sethan is located just 45 minute’s drive away. Follow the Kullu-Naggar-Manali road towards Prini to reach this magical landscape.
By Train – Manali doesn’t have any railway station. The Joginder Nagar Railway station is situated 160 Km away from Manali. From there taxis, buses and cabs run to Manali on regular basis.
Chandigarh railway station is a good alternative option for train travelers as it is more popular so you’ll get train easily to Chandigarh from your city. From Chandigarh, you can easily get local or private buses to Manali.
By Air – Kullu Manali Airport at Bhuntar is situated 51 KM from Manali. But the tickets to Kullu airport from your city can be expensive and very limited too. So, tourists coming from other regions of India do take flight to Delhi or Chandigarh followed by a road journey to Manali and then Sethan.
Where to stay in Sethan
Being an off-beat destination, Sethan doesn’t have a lot of options for stay. But whatever it has all are worth it. From Glamping to Igloo stay, Sethan has very unique staying options.
Prini village which is located 10 KM away from Sethan also do have some interesting stay options. And one of them is Glampeco’s stay which offers a luxurious dome-structured camp with an amazing valley view. From there you can even spot a marvelous view of the Milky way at night as well. Overall, Sethan has some interesting staying options that mesmerize you.
Where to eat in Sethan
Don’t expect fancy restaurants in Sethan. Apart from some local Dhabas and vendors who serve maggie, simple Dal Chawal (rice) & snacks, Sethan doesn’t have many options for foodies. There is a local Dhaba named Kalzang Dhaba who serves delicious Siddu, maggie and coffee with free picturesque views.
Travel tips
- To enter in Sethan you will require a permit as it is a protected area. You can take the permit at Hydro Project check post in Prini for 100 INR.
- During winter the temperature can drops to minus too so pack heavy woolens and full sleeve shirts.
- If you’re self-driving then keep in mind it is difficult to reach Sethan in small cars like Alto especially during peak winter when the road is full of snow and slippery.
- Don’t expect you’ll get any kind of internet in Sethan.
- To enjoy in snow rent snow boots and all gear from Prini village. Prini is located on the way to Sethan.
- Foot is the best way to explore Sethan.
Conclusion
Sethan is truly a paradise that you have to explore. Away from the noisy city life, lack of connectivity and less exposure makes it a heaven for adventure junkies and peace seekers. During winter with the white blanket of snow, it becomes a winter wonderland while in summer with carpet of green grasslands dotted with pine trees it becomes an adrenaline destination. So, hurry up & pack begs to enjoy a memorable time in Sethan.