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ArticleVerified 2026-10-23
Hot springs of Himachal — Manikaran, Vashisht, Kheerganga and Tattapani
Himachal's hot springs: Manikaran's gurdwara tanks, the free baths at Vashisht, the pool at the top of the Kheerganga walk, and Tattapani on the Sutlej.
Four springs, two easy and two not
Hot water rises out of the rock in several Himachal valleys, and at each spring people have built a place to bathe and, more often than not, a shrine. Two of them are a short drive from the two busiest bases, Kasol and Manali. One is at the end of a long walk. The fourth sits on the Sutlej below Shimla, away from the usual circuit.
Photos: Sharvipul (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Photos Worldwide (CC0) — via Wikimedia Commons, resized.
Manikaran, in the Parvati valley
Manikaran is about 4 km and 8 min up the road from Kasol. The springs on the bank of the Parvati are hot enough to cook rice in, and the gurdwara built over them feeds anyone who sits down in its langar. Bathing tanks fed by the springs are kept separately for men and women, and a temple across the bridge shares the same water. It is sacred to Sikhs and Hindus alike. Cover your head, take off your shoes, and go early or late: the day-trip buses fill it in the middle of the day.
Vashisht, above Manali
Vashisht is about 3 km and 6 min from Manali, across the Beas and up the hill, or half an hour on foot. Springs of sulphurous water rise beside the old timber temple of the sage Vashishtha and feed two public baths, one for men and one for women, free and open through the day. In winter this is the warm hour everyone remembers from a cold Manali day.
Kheerganga, at the end of the walk
The spring at Kheerganga is reached only on foot. Drive about 37 min from Kasol to the road-head at Barshaini, then walk: walkers report five to six hours up and three to four down, through forest and past Rudranag. The pool on the meadow at the top is a sacred spring, with a separate enclosure for women. Most people sleep in the camps at the top and bathe again at dawn. The Kheerganga trek guide has the detail.
Tattapani, on the Sutlej
Tattapani is a village on the right bank of the Sutlej near Karsog in Mandi district, about 52 km from Shimla and 29 km from Naldehra, at about 2,230 ft. Wikipedia notes it is known for its hot springs. We have no page for it yet and no measured road time, so treat it as a detour to ask about in Shimla.
More to read
For the valleys around the springs, see things to do in Kasol and things to do in Manali; for winter visits, Manali in December.
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Questions people ask
Where are the hot springs in Himachal?
The best known are at Manikaran in the Parvati valley, 8 min from Kasol; at Vashisht, 6 min above Manali; at Kheerganga, at the top of a long walk from Barshaini; and at Tattapani on the Sutlej near Karsog, 52 km from Shimla. Manikaran and Vashisht are the easy ones to reach.
Are the hot springs at Manikaran and Vashisht free?
Yes. At Manikaran the gurdwara's tanks and its langar cost nothing; a head covering is lent at the gate and shoes come off. At Vashisht the two baths beside the temple, one for men and one for women, are free and open through the day. Take a towel and a change of clothes.
How long is the walk to the Kheerganga hot spring?
From the road-head at Barshaini, 37 min above Kasol by road, walkers report five to six hours up and three to four down, so most people sleep at the top. The pool there is treated as a sacred spring, with a separate enclosure for women; bathe respectfully.