A Farmstay Near Hadimba Temple & Old Manali
Persimmon Farmstead Shanag sits about 5km from Hadimba Temple, near Bahang on the road toward Solang. It's a short 12-15 minute drive to the cedar temple and Old Manali's cafes, so you can wander the deodar forest and walkable lanes by day, then return to a quiet orchard for the evening.
Hadimba Temple stands in a grove of old deodar cedars just above Manali town, some of them a few hundred years old. The temple itself dates to 1553, built into a large boulder with a distinctive four-tiered wooden pagoda roof. It's one of the few places in Manali where the crowds and the calm sit right next to each other, and it rewards an early start before the tour buses arrive.
Our Shanag home is roughly 5km from the temple, near Bahang on the highway heading north toward Solang and the Rohtang side. That's close enough to reach the cedar grove and Old Manali in about 12-15 minutes by car, but far enough up-valley that your mornings and nights belong to the orchard, not to Mall Road traffic.
We founded Persimmon in 2021 and run both homes ourselves, so when you ask us how to time a Hadimba visit or where to eat in Old Manali afterward, you're getting a local answer, not a printout.
About 5km to the cedar temple
Shanag to Hadimba is a short drive down the valley, 12-15 minutes depending on traffic near town. Go early morning for the quiet grove; by mid-morning the parking fills and the walk in gets busy.
Old Manali on the same trip
The Hadimba grove and Old Manali's cafe lanes sit close together across the Manalsu bridge. Pair them in one outing: temple first, then breakfast or coffee among the guesthouses and bakeries.
A quiet orchard to come back to
You get the walkable culture of Old Manali by day and a working fruit orchard by evening. No late-night café noise outside your window, just the river and the deodars up the slope.
Food-first, and we mean it
You won't need to drive back into town every meal. Home-cooked Himachali and North Indian food is the reason many guests book us, and it's waiting when you return from the temple.
Getting from Shanag to Hadimba Temple
From our Shanag home you follow the highway south back toward Manali. As you reach the town's northern edge, a signed left climbs through the deodar forest to the Hadimba (Dhungri) temple complex. In light traffic it's around 12-15 minutes by car or taxi. There's a paid car park near the top, and from there it's a five-minute walk through the cedars to the temple. We can arrange a local driver, or point you to the shared-taxi and auto options if you'd rather keep it simple.
What to know before you visit
- Timing: the grove is calmest before about 9am and again in the last hour before it closes. Midday, expect queues and the small market stalls in full swing.
- Season: the deodars are lovely year-round. May-June and October are the most comfortable for walking; December-February can bring snow to the grove, which is beautiful but slippery underfoot.
- Footwear: the paths are stone and root, uneven in places. Proper shoes beat sandals.
- Nearby: the Ghatotkacha shrine sits a short walk from Hadimba, and yak and angora-rabbit photo stalls line the approach. It's touristy, but the trees themselves are the real draw.
Old Manali on the same outing
Hadimba and Old Manali sit close together on the far side of the Manalsu nala. After the temple, it's a short hop to Old Manali's lane of cafes, bakeries and small shops that climbs toward the Manu Temple. It's the most walkable, hang-around part of Manali, good for a slow coffee, a browse, and people-watching. Mornings are gentler; evenings get livelier with a younger, backpacker crowd.
Why base yourself in Shanag rather than in town
Staying right beside Hadimba or in Old Manali puts you in the middle of the noise, and parking near the temple is a daily headache. From Shanag you visit on your own schedule, then drive 15 minutes back up-valley to quiet. You also sit closer to the Solang and Rohtang side, so day trips north are shorter from here than from central Manali. For most guests that trade, a little driving for a lot of calm, is the right one.
Good to pair with your temple day
- Solang Valley: roughly 8-9km further up from us, for paragliding, ropeway and snow points in season.
- Manu Temple: a short uphill walk from Old Manali, quieter and less visited than Hadimba.
- Vashisht: hot springs and old wood temples, a short drive across the valley.
- A slow orchard morning at home before you head out, which many guests end up valuing more than the sightseeing.
Our Shanag home, briefly
The Shanag house is one of our two Persimmon properties, the northern one, near Bahang about 4-5km up from Manali toward Old Manali and Solang. It's pet-friendly, food-first, and family-run since 2021, with guests rating us around 4.9 out of 5. We book by WhatsApp request rather than instant online checkout, so we can talk through dates, your Hadimba plans and any dietary needs before you commit.
How to book
Send us a WhatsApp with your dates and group size and we'll confirm availability at Shanag and walk you through the rest. There's no online payment and no rigid form; it's a conversation, and we like it that way.
The Shanag HousePersimmon Farmstead Shanag
The high boutique hotel — wooden chalets and stone cottages on open orchard lawns.
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The FarmsteadPersimmon Farmstead
The flagship boutique hotel — orchard rows, a family kitchen, and the morning sun.
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How far is Persimmon Farmstead Shanag from Hadimba Temple?
About 5km, or roughly a 12-15 minute drive depending on traffic near Manali town. You follow the highway south from Shanag, then take the signed turn that climbs through the deodar forest to the temple car park.
Can I visit Hadimba Temple and Old Manali in the same trip?
Yes. The Hadimba cedar grove and Old Manali's cafe lanes sit close together on the same side of the valley. Most guests do the temple early, then walk over to Old Manali for breakfast or coffee before heading back.
When is the best time to visit Hadimba Temple?
Early morning, before around 9am, is quietest, with the grove almost empty and soft light through the deodars. Midday brings queues and busy stalls. In winter the grove sometimes carries snow, which is striking but slippery.
Is the Shanag home a good base for the Old Manali side generally?
It is. Shanag sits north of Manali toward Solang, so both Old Manali and the up-valley day trips are short from here, while your mornings and evenings stay in a quiet orchard rather than a busy café lane.
Tell us your dates. We'll confirm, personally.
You send a request, a real host confirms it by WhatsApp — usually within a few hours.