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Shimla and Manali by road

The classic Himachal run. Two nights in Shimla, three in Manali, and the driving broken up so nobody spends a whole day in the car.

Package summary

Duration 6 days and 5 nights
Route Sirsa to Shimla to Manali to Sirsa
Group size 2 to 12 travellers
Transport Air conditioned Innova Crysta
Stay 3 star hotels on twin sharing
Best time March to June, and September to November

This is the trip most families from Sirsa ask for first, and it works because the driving is split sensibly. You reach Shimla on the first evening rather than pushing straight through to Manali, which means the children are not in the car for fourteen hours.

Manali is the base for the second half. Solang Valley and the Atal Tunnel are both comfortable day trips from there. If the passes are open and you want to go further towards Rohtang, tell us in advance and we will arrange the permit.

Everything here can be reshaped. Add a night in Kasol, swap Shimla for Chail if you want somewhere quieter, or upgrade the vehicle if there are more than six of you.

Day by day

1 Sirsa to Shimla

An early start from your door. We break at Chandigarh for lunch and climb to Shimla through Solan in the afternoon. Evening free on the Mall Road and the Ridge.

2 Shimla at your own pace

Kufri, Jakhoo temple and the Christ Church, with enough gaps in the day that it does not feel like a checklist. The toy train to Barog is an option if you would rather sit still.

3 Shimla to Manali

The long leg, along the Beas through Mandi and Kullu. We stop at Pandoh and at the Vaishno Devi temple near Kullu. You reach Manali by evening.

4 Solang Valley and the Atal Tunnel

Up to Solang in the morning for the snow point and the ropeway, then through the Atal Tunnel towards Sissu if the road is clear. Back in Manali for the evening.

5 Old Manali and the valley

Hadimba temple, the Vashisht hot springs and Old Manali. The afternoon is deliberately open, because by day five most people want one.

6 Manali back to Sirsa

A morning departure so the mountain section is done in daylight, with a lunch stop on the way. You are home the same night.

What the price covers

Included

  • Air conditioned vehicle for the whole trip
  • All road tolls, state taxes and parking
  • Driver allowance and night charges
  • Five nights of hotel accommodation on twin sharing
  • Breakfast and dinner at the hotels
  • Solang Valley and Atal Tunnel sightseeing
  • A phone number that reaches us while you travel

Not included

  • Lunches and anything ordered outside the hotel meal plan
  • Entry tickets at monuments and adventure activities
  • Rohtang Pass permit, if the pass is open
  • Anything of a personal nature such as shopping or laundry
  • Travel insurance

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The Himachal route without the Manali traffic. Deodar forest, the Dhauladhar range and a meadow people call the Switzerland of India.

Starts at ₹15,900 per person Details