Most common itineraries for Shimla and Manali

Shimla and Manali are two of the most visited destinations in Himachal Pradesh. Internet is filled with packages for Himachal Pradesh and either Shimla or Manali are always common part of most of them. Ask any travel agent in Delhi and they’ll present hundreds of travel plans featuring these destinations. So choosing the best itinerary for Shimla and Manali is kind of difficult when there is so much present online.

Shimla and Manali are ideal weekend trip destinations if you live close to Delhi. You can plan a Manali trip and explore it over a weekend, and the same can be done with Shimla. But most travellers prefer exploring both destinations in one trip and often add Dharamshala and Dalhousie if they have more days in hand.

Keeping this in mind, here are some of the best travel plans for Shimla and Manali that will show you the best of both locations.

Why you should visit Shimla and Manali

 

• Being the most popular tourist spots of Himachal, it is a nice idea to start your travel in this state from here and then moving further to off-beat destinations
• They are easily accessible from Delhi and Chandigarh
• Regular buses and trains are available for the facility of travellers
• Many resorts and luxury camps are present here that makes them perfect for honeymooners and families
• The road leading to Shimla and Manali from Delhi/Chandigarh is in a better condition than other locations

Best itineraries for Shimla and Manali

Assuming that you are travelling from Delhi or Chandigarh, your itinerary will follow a simple routing and will change as per the number of days you have in your hand. The more are the number of days, you’ll find it better to explore the best of both locations and add further locations in process.

 

How to reach the starting point of this trip

Shimla is 6 hours away from Delhi while it is easy to reach Manali from Bhuntar Airport in Kullu. I’ll suggest that you travel by a bus or a car to Shimla and then continue your trip.

Option 1  – 4 night 5 days

Day 0 – Start from Delhi in the night, reach Shimla in the morning

Day 1 – Explore Mall road, Hatu Temple, The Ridge, Jakhu Temple, Sandal Point

Day 2 – Visit Kufri and Mashobra

Day 3 – Head for Manali (6 hours) Check in, visit Mall Road, Hidimba Devi Temple, spend your evening in Old Manali

Day 4 – Visit Solang Valley followed by Rohtang if time allows

Day 5 – Leave for Delhi/Chandigarh by bus/car

 

Option 2 – 6 night 7 days

Day 0 – Start from Delhi in the night, reach Shimla in the morning

Day 1 – Explore Mall road, Hatu Temple, The Ridge, Jakhu Temple, Sandal Point

Day 2 – Visit Kufri and Mashobra

Day 3 – Check out, travel to Kasauli, Visit Renuka Lake, Monkey point and spend your evening in the market

Day 4 – Head for Manali (6 hours) Check in, visit Mall Road, Hidimba Devi Temple, spend your evening in Old Manali

Day 4 – Visit Solang Valley, enjoy paragliding and other adventure sports

Day 5 – Check out, go to Rohtang Pass, reach Kasol by evening

Day 6 – Spend a lazy day in Kasol, go shopping or café hopping

Day 7 – Check out, drive for Chandigarh/Delhi

Note: If you are travelling to Delhi or Chandigarh from Kasol then it is a better idea to come to Bhuntar to catch your bus as there is no public transport available from Kasol.

Option 3 –  9 nights – 10 days

This one is rare as not many have so many days in their hand but if you are planning for an elaborate trip then this is how you should plan your trip.

Day 0 – Start from Delhi in the night, reach Shimla in the morning

Day 1 – Explore Mall road, Hatu Temple, The Ridge, Jakhu Temple, Sandal Point

Day 2 – Visit Kufri and Mashobra

Day 3 – Visit Narkanda, go to Hatu Devi Temple, enjoy lovely panoramic views of the Himalayan peaks

Day 4 – Check out, travel to Kasauli, Visit Renuka Lake, Monkey point and spend your evening in the market

Day 5 – Head for Manali (6 hours) Check in, visit Mall Road, Hidimba Devi Temple, spend your evening in Old Manali

Day 6 – Visit Solang Valley, enjoy paragliding and other adventure sports

Day 7 – Visit Rohtang Pass, spend your day playing in snow, return to hotel by evening

Day 8 – Check out, go to Kasol, spend a lazy day in the market

Day 9 – Visit Tosh village and return by lunch

Day 10 – Check out, move to Delhi/Chandigarh

Hope this itinerary helps you plan your next trip to Himachal. Exploring Shimla and Manali is easy and you don’t need assistance from a travel agent to plan your trip. You can book hotels and resorts online and they provide similar discounts. The hotel management also provides taxi service so that you can explore these destinations on your own.

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