Shimla , Kullu and Manali is located in the northern state of India
Himachal Pradesh , at the Indo-Tibetan border in the Himalayan region.
Kufri in Shimla.
Shimla City
Paragliding in Kullu Valley , Manali
snowboarding in Solang Valley , Manali
travel plan :
day 1 : - flight Pune-Delhi
- Delhi to Shimla by car ( 340km / 8 hours )
day 2 : - Shimla - Green Valley , Kufri , Mall Road
day 3 : - Shimla to Manali via Kullu ( 260km / 7 hours )
- paragliding at Kullu Valley
day 4 : - Manali - Solang Valley ( 40 mins )
- snow sports in Solang Valley
- Beas River
- Tibetan Monastery
- street market at Tibet Market
day 5 : - Manali - local
- Mall Road Manali
- Hadimba Devi Temple
- Dhungri Van Vihar Park
day 6 : - Manali to Delhi via Bilaspur and Chandigargh ( 570km / 14 hours )
also we included sightseeing in Delhi on day 7 & day 8
day 7 : Delhi
- Chandni Chowk
- Jama' Masjid
- Karim's Restaurant
- Humayun's Tomb & Isa Khan's Tomb
- India Gate
- Ambience Mall
day 8 : Delhi
- Karim's Restaurant
- Delhi airport via Metro from NDLS
- flight Delhi-Pune
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weather :
2nd to 9th Feb 2015 ( end season of winter )
Shimla : 12'C max 1'C min
Manali : 4'C max -5'C min
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costs :
Shimla - Kullu - Manali ground costs
- return car journey from Delhi
- meals and accommodations in Shimla and Manali
-
Hotel Rajat in Shimla ( TripAdvisor review :
click here )
-good hotel , good service , walking distance from Mall Road , wifi
-
Hotel Out Town in Manali ( TripAdvisor review :
click here )
- i really like this hotel
- good service , spacious room , tasty meals , wifi ,
rooms overviewing snow-capped mountains and valleys
- located across Beas River , 5 minutes distance to Mall Road
costs :
Rs 9700 per person
( initial cost was Rs8000 per person , but we requested two rooms
and hence the extra costs )
agent :
Himachal Tours ( www.himachaltours.org )
- Shimla-Kullu-Manali Car Package 6D5N (
click here )
- overall good agent , the cheapest that I can find ,
gives everything as mentioned , provides experienced driver ,
no hidden / additional charges
flight costs :
Rs5000 per person
return Pune to New Delhi ( approx. 2 hours one-way )
Jet Airways - bought it during offer
Delhi Sightseeing ground cost ( on day 7 ) :
Rs2000 for one day for one car.
hotel in Delhi : Hotel Uppal International ( TripAdvisor review :
click here )
- Rs2700 per person for 2 nights
- in Paharganj , walking distance to
New Delhi Railway Station / NDLS
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other relevant costs :
Shimla : Horse riding and snow boots rental in Kurfi : Rs1200 per person
light meals at Kurfi - Chai and Paneer Pakoda : Rs80 per person
light meals in cafe , KFC etc in Mall Road : personal
Kullu : paragliding in Kullu Valley : Rs3000 per person for 15 minutes
Manali : - 4x4 jeep to Solang Valley : Rs3000 per jeep
- Snow suit , boots , skiing and guide : Rs1300 per person
- snowboarding : Rs1300 per person per day
- Ropeway / cable-car / gondola : Rs500
- Shopping : - Kullu Cap : Rs50-Rs100
- Kullu Shawls : Rs100 - Rs1500
- The North Face Jackets : Rs1500
- Jack Wolfskin Softshell Ski pants : Rs2000
- foods : Thentuk : Rs130 per bowl
Momo : Rs120 per plate
Trout fish : Rs200-Rs400 per piece
Yak Cheese : Rs400 per kg
Delhi : - Jama' Masjid entrace fee : Rs300 to bring camera inside mosque
- Jama' Masjid tower ticket : Rs100
- Humayun's Tomb entrace ticket : Rs10 for Indian , Rs250 for foreigners
- Burger King Mutton Whopper meals at Ambience Mall : Rs250
- Karim's Restaurant : breakfast ( Roti + Mutton Nahari / Paya ) : Rs 140
lunch ( mutton biriyani + mutton korma ) : Rs 400
- Metro train from NDLS to T3 Delhi Airport : Rs100
- Auto Rickshaw from Paharganj / NDLS to Chandni Chowk : Rs150
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quick tips :
- bargain when shopping in Mall Road. price can reduce to half-price
- Peak season to visit Shimla and Manali is July-August.
I usually avoid travelling during peak season due to too many crowds ,
difficulty in getting hotel rooms and traffic congestions.
my driver told me that during peak season , we can get stuck in traffic
in the mountains in Solang Valley for 3- 5 hours.
- Apple season is from August to October
- Rohtang Pass will only opencduring summer in the month of May onwards ,
similar to Sonmarg in Kashmir because these areas will be filled
with 20-30ft fo snow during winter.
- there are two Mall Roads , one in Shimla , one in Manali.
Mall Road in Shimla is better , with European vibe , cafes , KFC etc.
- for Delhi to Shimla journey ( 7 hours ) , 4 hours is straight highway
passing through Haryana and Punjab States , while the remaining
3 hours is mountain road.
- don't sleep during 7 hours ride from Shimla to Kullu Manali.
enjoy the view , it's a beautiful mountain road.
- it's a long ride of 14 hours from Manali return to Delhi.
might as well take a flight for this.
- try Tibetan Dish , as Himachal Pradesh is located at the Indo-Tibetan border.
Thentuk ( flat noodles + soup ) at Mount View Restaurant in Mall Road Manali
is delicious!
- try to get good deals at rental shops before reaching Solang Valley.
a package of activites including ski , tube slide , yak ride etc should not
exceed Rs3000 per person
- it seems to me that paragliding in Kullu Valley is better than in Solang Valley.
in Kullu Valley , we can fly longer for 15 minutes or more , and beautiful views.
( personal opinion )
- i think skiing in Gulmarg , Kashmir is better than in Solang Valley , Manali.
better slopes in Gulmarg , flat in Solang Valley ( unless you're experienced skiier
that can ski down from higher slopes. )
- unlike Kashmir (
click here ) , there is no restrictions on phone lines
and internet connection.
- very difficult to find mosque in Himacal Pradesh ( if there's any ) ,
so i perform prayers in hotel , at Beas River or behind petrol stations .
- speak Hindi. i got Indian entrance ticket of Rs10 instead of
foreigners of Rs250 for a visit to Humayun's Tomb.
( Malaysian's facial structure looks like Northeast Indian face by the way )
other Himalayan Trips itinerary :
- Kashmir ( Srinagar and Ladakh ) :
click here
- Uttarakhand ( Kuari Pass Trek and camping ) :
click here
