Shimla & ManaliHimachal & Amritsar in 5 nights

Himachal's two best-known hill towns in five nights. We go up to Shimla first because it's close to Chandigarh and an easy first day, then make the one long drive along the Beas to Manali, where three nights give you Solang Valley, the Atal Tunnel and Old Manali without rushing. It suits families, couples and first-timers.

Day 1

Chandigarh – Shimla (2 Nights)

About 115 km · 3.5–4 hours by road

Welcome to Himachal. Your driver meets you at Chandigarh airport and we head north past Pinjore and Kalka, where the road starts to climb through pine forest towards Shimla. We stop for tea on the way at one of the dhabas near Dharampur. After check-in at your hotel, walk up to the Mall Road in the evening, closed to traffic, and on to the Ridge, with Christ Church at one end and the snow peaks visible on a clear evening. Dinner at the hotel. Overnight in Shimla.

• Kalka
• Mall Road, Shimla
• The Ridge
• Christ Church

• Note: Cars can't drive on the Mall Road. You walk up from the hotel or take the public lift from Cart Road for a small fee.

Prafull’s tipTake a morning flight into Chandigarh. The hill road is easier in daylight and you'll have the Ridge at sunset.

Dinner

Day 2

Shimla

After breakfast we drive about 16 km to Kufri, a high ridge with wide views of the mountains on a clear morning. Ponies take you up the short track to Mahasu Peak if you like, and in winter there's snow for sledging. Back in Shimla, climb to Jakhoo Temple, a Hanuman temple on the highest point of the town with a giant statue visible for miles, then spend the afternoon on the Mall Road and the Ridge, at Christ Church, Scandal Point and the Lakkar Bazaar woodcraft market. Dinner at the hotel. Overnight in Shimla.

• Kufri
• Mahasu Peak
• Jakhoo Temple
• Christ Church
• Scandal Point
• Lakkar Bazaar

• Note: Pony rides at Kufri and snow activities in winter are paid locally.
• Note: Jakhoo has many monkeys. Keep glasses, phones and food out of sight; the ropeway up to the temple is optional and paid locally.

Prafull’s tipGo to Kufri first thing. By 11 am the road is jammed with day-trippers and the cloud often comes in.

Breakfast & Dinner

Day 3

Shimla – Manali (3 Nights)

About 250 km · 7–8 hours with a lunch stop in Kullu

Today is the long drive, so we leave right after breakfast and break it often. The road runs through Bilaspur and past the blue Gobind Sagar reservoir, then Sundernagar and Mandi, where it joins the Beas. Past Pandoh Dam and through the Aut tunnel, the valley narrows into the Kullu gorge, with river-rafting stretches below. We stop in Kullu for lunch and a visit to a shawl weavers' showroom, then follow the river north through apple orchards to Manali. Check in and rest. Dinner at the hotel. Overnight in Manali.

• Gobind Sagar
• Mandi
• Pandoh Dam
• Kullu valley
• Kullu shawl weavers
• Beas river

• Note: River rafting on the Beas near Kullu is optional and paid locally; it usually runs from about March to June and September to November.

Prafull’s tipSit on the right side of the car after Mandi. That's the river side all the way up the Kullu valley.

Breakfast & Dinner

Day 4

Manali

About 45 km each way to Sissu · 1.5–2 hours, longer in traffic

A day up the valley. We drive about 14 km to Solang Valley, a wide meadow below the snow peaks, where you can ride the ropeway for the views, try paragliding in season, or play in the snow in winter and spring. Then we go on through the Atal Tunnel, over 9 km long under the Pir Panjal range, and come out into a completely different landscape in Lahaul: bare, high mountains and the Chandra river. Stop at Sissu for its waterfall and lake before driving back. Dinner at the hotel. Overnight in Manali.

• Solang Valley
• Solang ropeway
• Atal Tunnel
• Sissu
• Chandra river

• Note: Ropeway, paragliding, ATV and snow-gear hire at Solang are optional and paid locally.
• Note: If local rules or snow on the day require a Manali union taxi for Solang or the Atal Tunnel, we arrange it and the cost is paid locally.

Prafull’s tipLeave Manali by 8 am. The queue of cars at the tunnel and Solang builds fast by late morning, especially on weekends.

Breakfast & Dinner

Day 5

Manali

An easy day around town. Start at Hadimba Devi Temple, a 16th-century wooden temple in a grove of tall deodars, then walk up to Old Manali, with its stone-and-timber houses, apple orchards and riverside cafés. After lunch, drive to Vashisht village to see the old temples and the natural hot springs, where you can soak your feet in the public baths. Spend the late afternoon at the Tibetan monastery and the Mall Road, picking up shawls, dried fruit and local jams. Dinner at the hotel. Overnight in Manali.

• Hadimba Devi Temple
• Old Manali
• Manu Temple
• Vashisht hot springs
• Tibetan monastery
• Mall Road, Manali

• Note: The Rohtang Pass trip is optional, from about May to November, by permit only (we apply in advance). Rohtang is usually closed to tourist vehicles on Tuesdays.

Prafull’s tipWear comfortable shoes. Old Manali's lanes are steep and uneven, and the best cafés are a short climb above the road.

Breakfast & Dinner

Day 6

Manali – Chandigarh – Departure

About 300 km · 8–9 hours by road

An early breakfast and we drive down the Kullu valley and back through Mandi and Bilaspur to Chandigarh, stopping for lunch on the way. The views fade gently from snow peaks to pine hills to the plains, and there are good dhabas for tea at Mandi and near Swarghat. Your driver drops you at Chandigarh airport in time for an evening flight. If you'd rather avoid the long drive, we can book you a flight from Bhuntar (Kullu–Manali airport), about 50 km from Manali, on request. Your holiday ends here. Thank you for travelling with TripRoutes.

• Kullu valley
• Mandi

• Note: Book a flight from Chandigarh after 6 pm. Flights from Bhuntar are few and weather-dependent.

Prafull’s tipLeave Manali by 6.30 am. You'll be past Kullu before the traffic, and well clear of the plains heat by lunch.

Breakfast

Tour details

Accommodation

Choose the hotel category. The same route and sightseeing in every category.

Hotels are confirmed when you book. If a hotel is full, we give you one of the same category in the same area, and tell you before you pay.

Optional add-ons

Not in the price. Prafull can book them for you or you can pay locally.

Tour information

Read this to prepare for your holiday.

Good to know

• The Shimla–Manali and Manali–Chandigarh drives are long, about 7–9 hours each. We break them with stops, but carry snacks, water and anything for motion sickness.
• Shimla is at about 2,200 m and Manali about 2,050 m. Neither is high enough to cause trouble for most people, but Rohtang and Sissu are much higher and colder.
• In winter (December–February), snow can close the Atal Tunnel road and Solang for a day or two. We adjust the plan on the spot.
• Pure-veg food is easy everywhere in Himachal, and Jain meals are possible at most hotels with advance notice.
• Good for families with kids: Solang's snow and activities, the Kufri ponies and short walks. Our daily drives on sightseeing days are short.
• Pack warm layers in every season; evenings in Manali are cool even in May. Postpaid and prepaid networks both work in towns, but signal fades in the valleys.

When to go

March to June, and September to November. Clear, pleasant weather in spring and autumn. July and August bring heavy rain and landslides; December to February brings snow and some closed roads.

Our favourite months

Cancellation policy & payment terms

• Cancellations must be sent in writing, on email or WhatsApp; the date we receive it is the cancellation date.
• Flights, trains, visa fees and non-refundable hotel or activity bookings are refunded only as their own rules allow.
• Date changes are free when made 30 days or more before travel, subject to hotel availability and any difference in price.
• Refunds are paid within 14 working days of us receiving them from the hotels and suppliers.
• No refund is possible for services not used during the holiday.
• Hotels may ask for a refundable security deposit at check-in, paid directly to the hotel.

Questions about this holiday