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Voykit pocket guide · India
Keylong
कीलांग
Use Keylong as a 1-night stop on the Manali–Leh highway: acclimatise, see a monastery, then move on.
Keylong is the administrative centre of Lahaul, a high-altitude stopover at 3,350 m on the Manali–Leh road. The town itself is small — a market street and a few gompas within walking distance — and most travellers pass through in one night to break the journey. The scenery around it is the real draw.
- Country
- India
- Local name
- कीलांग
- Best months
- Jun–Sep
- Avoid
- Nov–May (road closed, heavy snow)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- INR
- Money
- Indian rupees (INR, ₹) in small notes for autos, street food, tips and entry tickets.
- Daily spend
- Budget ₹1,500–2,500 excl. bed · Mid ₹2,500–4,000 excl. bed · High ₹4,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Jio, Airtel and Vi sell tourist SIMs at airport counters and their shops; passport, visa and a photo needed; activation can take a few hours.
- Emergency
- Police / Fire / Ambulance 112
- Plugs
- Types C, D, M · 230 V · 50 Hz · Round two-pin C plugs fit most sockets; D (three round pins) is the common wall socket; hotels often have universal sockets. UK and US plugs need an adapter.
- Tipping
- Street food and dhabas: Nothing.; Restaurant: 5–10% if no service charge is on the bill.; Car and driver: ₹300–500 a day at the end of the trip.; Guide: ₹300–500 for a half day.; Hotel porter / housekeeping: ₹50–100.; Auto or Uber: Round up.
- Water
- Not drinkable from the tap. Buy sealed bottles (check the cap), or use RO-filtered refill stations in hotels and cafés; avoid ice from street stalls.
- Toilets
- Western toilets in hotels, malls and airports; squat toilets with a water jug or hose in stations and villages. Carry tissue and sanitiser; paid public toilets (Sulabh) cost ₹5–10.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Thali meal at a dhaba | ₹150–250 |
| Tibetan momos (10 pieces) | ₹100–150 |
| Bottle of water (1 L) | ₹20–30 |
| Taxi from bus stand to Upper Keylong | ₹100–150 |
| Bus Keylong–Kardang (local) | ₹20–40 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- KUU · Kullu–Manali Airport (Bhuntar)
- About 115 km (71 mi); then a taxi or bus to Keylong, 4–5 h (check road conditions)About 71 mi (115 km); then a taxi or bus to Keylong, 4–5 h (check road conditions)
Typical fares
- Bus Manali → Keylong (HRTC)
- about ₹400, 4–5 h (check)
- Taxi Keylong → Kardang Monastery
- ₹600 return (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Keylong is walkable on foot. For monasteries outside town, hire a taxi or take a local bus from the stand.
See and do
Known for
- Gateway to the Lahaul region
- Tibetan Buddhist gompas (monasteries)
- Stopover on the Manali–Leh highway
- Trekking routes into the surrounding valleys
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Kardang Monastery | Walk 30 min uphill from Keylong market, or taxi 5 min | About 1 h round trip on foot |
| Shashur Monastery | Walk 45 min from Keylong, or taxi 10 min | About 1.5 h round trip on foot |
| Tandi (confluence of Chandra and Bhaga rivers) | Taxi 15 min from Keylong | About 1 h |
| Manali | HRTC bus or shared taxi, about 4–5 h (check road open) | About 5 h |
Sleep
- Upper Keylong (near the bus stand)
- Closest to bus arrivals and basic guesthouses; Hotel Nordaling is here.
- Keylong Market area
- More eating options, a short walk from the bus stand.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | नमस्तेnamaste |
| Thank you | धन्यवादdhanyavaad |
| How much? | कितना है?kitna hai |
| Where is the bus stand? | बस स्टैंड कहाँ है?bus stand kahan hai |
| I need a room | मुझे कमरा चाहिएmujhe kamra chahiye |
| The bill, please | बिल दीजिएbill dijiye |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Namaste (palms together) or a handshake between men; wait for a woman to offer her hand; avoid: Hugging or kissing strangers
- Hands and feet: Give and eat with the right hand; apologise if your foot touches someone; avoid: Pointing feet at people or shrines; touching books or food with your feet
- Temples: Shoes off, walk clockwise around shrines, accept prasad (blessed food) with the right hand; avoid: Leather in Jain temples; entering sanctums that say Hindus only
- Home visit: Bring sweets or fruit; accept tea at least once; avoid: Refusing all food; wearing shoes inside
- Questions: Expect personal questions (married? job? salary?) as friendliness; avoid: Taking offence; answer vaguely if you prefer
- Saying no: A firm, polite 'nahi, dhanyavaad' (no, thank you) and keep walking; avoid: Long explanations to touts
- Dress: Loose clothes covering shoulders and knees; kurta tops are cheap and cool; avoid: Swimwear or shorts away from Goa beaches
Scams and watch-outs
- Altitude: 3,350 m. Spend the first hour resting, drink water, avoid alcohol.
- Road from Manali closes in winter (Nov–May); check HRTC bus schedules before planning.
- ATMs may run out of cash; carry enough rupees from Manali or Leh.
- Last bus from Manali departs early morning; confirm the time the day before.
Keylong is safe for tourists. The main risks are altitude sickness, cold nights (even in summer) and the road from Manali being closed without notice. Carry warm layers and cash.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Keylong yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Gateway to the Lahaul region
- Tibetan Buddhist gompas (monasteries)
- Stopover on the Manali–Leh highway
- Trekking routes into the surrounding valleys
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Keylong, revision 4544877 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=4544877
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Keylongकीलांग
इस पते पर चलिए
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police / Fire / Ambulance112
Hindi is widely understood; English works in hotels and bus offices.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/keylong). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.