Is thermal wear necessary in Manali will be one of the first questions on your mind, when packing for warm clothes for your trip To Manali. Manali is one of the most popular destinations which is know to have a cool climate throughout the year.
Therefore, based out of my experience of traveling to Manali, I am curating this blog to answer all your regarding the question “Is thermal wear necessary in Manali”. I am sure this will be of great use.
Is Thermal Wear Necessary In Manali – All You Need To Know
To answer the question, it really depends on the season in which you are planning your trip. Although, Manali is cold almost throughout the year, summers are quite pleasant and a few days are warm as well.
So taking the seasons into consideration, I’ll be discussing about when you’ll feel the need of using thermal wear in Manali the most. By the way, if you are visiting Manali for the first time, here is a detailed packing check list.
What Exactly Are Thermals or Thermal wear ?
Well the literal meaning of thermal refers to heat. And as the name suggests thermal wear help in providing warmth by trapping your body heat.
Thermals are usually a combination of polyester and a fabric. The Fabric can either be wool or cotton. So when worn as the innermost or first layer, they tend to help you in retaining body heat.
This body heat in turn keeps you warm. So thermals are not actually providing warmth but its the head that gets trapped when wor would have otherwise escaped.
Is Thermal wear Necessary in Manali During Summers and Monsoon ?
Summers commence in Manali from the end of May and last till the middle of July. Summers usually give way to monsoon which start around Mid July and last until Mid September.
Summers and monsoons are really the time, when people roam around in a single layer in Manali. So you can surely get away without wearing thermal wear in Manali during summers and monsoon.
The maximum temperatures are around 18 to 25 degrees and the minimum hardly go below 10 degrees.
Therefore In my opinion, there is no need for wearing thermals in Manali during the summer and monsoon months. But there is no harm in carrying them. Especially if you are going to visit Hamta valley or Lahaul valley from Manali.
Is Thermal Wear Necessary in Manali During Autumn ?
In my opinion wearing thermals may not be necessary during early Autumn but you would really need them as the winter closes in. Let me explain.
The autumn commences in October in Manali. The temperatures start to nip. But not that much. So you might still not feel the need to wear thermals during the month of October.
But as soon as winter closes in around mid-November, the temperatures are quite close to sub-zero. Post that you’ll really feel the need to wear them.
And wearing multiple layers is the only way to protect yourself from cold. Thermal will act as the first line of defense against the cold. So my humble suggestion would be to please wear thermals in Manali starting November.
Is Thermal Wear Necessary in Manali During Winter ?
Absolutely yes ! Of course, some people do not feel the cold as others do, but it really gets cold in Manali during the winters. And wearing multiple warm layers is the only solution to tackle the brutal cold.
Of course, the day temperatures are around 10-12 degrees, but the temperatures are sub zero during the night and early mornings.
Along with thermals you would also need to wear two more or more warm layers including a good winter jacket depending on how cold it is in Manali at that moment.
During winters in Himachal, I usually wear thermal as the innermost layer, a fleece layer, t shirt, and a winter Quechua jacket. Same kind of layers you will need for Manali as well during winters.
Is Thermal Wear Necessary in Manali During Spring
Early spring is still cold in Manali. Although not winter like cold conditions but still cold.
Lets say you are visiting Manali in early spring that is around late march or early April. The temperatures are still close to sub-zero. So you still might want to wear them.
But as the summer closes in, you don’t really need to wear thermals in Manali. Around early May the temperatures are suitable enough to not wear thermals.
My Personal Take On Wearing Thermals in Manali
To reiterate cold is quite subjective and cold feels different to different people. But wearing thermal as the innermost layer will really help you in retaining the body heat.
Therefore, I would personally recommend and advise to wear thermals as the first layer and then layer up with fleece, light woolens and a good winter jacket during winters, early spring and late autumn in Manali.
I personally wore thermal as the first layer, a fleece layer, tshirt, and quechua winter jacket during my recent late autumn and winter trip to Himachal. And trust me it really helped in keeping me warm.
To conclude, I hope you now have an answer to questions like “should I wear thermals for Manali trip”. I would really advise to wear them as innermost layer during winters, early spring, late autumn.
If you have any queries on thermal wear for Manali, do not hesitate to reach out to me in the comments below.