Himachal trip planner: Shimla and Manali in 7 days, or the Spiti circuit in 10
By Ganesh ·
Two Himachal Pradesh plans: a 7-day Shimla, Manali and Kasol or Sissu trip that works most of the year, and a 10-day Spiti circuit from Shimla through Kinnaur to Kaza and back via Kunzum La, for June to September. Roads, altitude and rough costs.
Himachal gives you two quite different trips. Shimla and Manali are hill towns with good roads, hotels everywhere and something to do in every season. Spiti is a high, dry valley on the Tibetan side of the mountains, with monasteries, tiny villages and long drives. For a first visit or a week off, do Shimla and Manali. If you have ten days between June and September and don't mind basic stays, do the Spiti circuit.
Plan 1: Shimla and Manali in 7 days
| Day | Where | Night |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kalka to Shimla by the toy train (or drive from Chandigarh) | Shimla |
| 2 | Mall Road, Jakhu temple, Christ Church, a drive to Kufri or Mashobra | Shimla |
| 3 | Drive to Manali (8 to 9 hours), via Mandi | Manali |
| 4 | Old Manali, Hadimba temple, Vashisht hot springs | Manali |
| 5 | Solang valley and the Atal Tunnel to Sissu | Manali |
| 6 | Kasol and Manikaran in the Parvati valley, or Naggar castle | Kasol or Manali |
| 7 | Drive to Chandigarh or fly from Bhuntar (Kullu) | Home |
The Kalka to Shimla railway is a UNESCO-listed narrow-gauge line. It takes about five hours, which is slow, so do it one way only. The Atal Tunnel, open since 2020, puts Lahaul (Sissu, Keylong) within an hour of Manali even in winter, without needing the Rohtang Pass. Rohtang itself needs an online permit for vehicles; check the official permit site before you plan a visit.
Plan 2: the Spiti circuit in 10 days
| Day | Where | Night |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shimla to Sarahan or Sangla | Sangla |
| 2 | Chitkul, the last village on the road near the Tibet border | Sangla |
| 3 | To Kalpa, apple orchards and views of Kinner Kailash | Kalpa |
| 4 | To Nako lake and Tabo monastery | Tabo |
| 5 | Dhankar monastery, then Kaza | Kaza |
| 6 | Key monastery, Kibber, Chicham bridge | Kaza |
| 7 | Langza, Hikkim (with its high-altitude post office), Komic | Kaza |
| 8 | Over Kunzum La to Chandratal lake | Chandratal camp |
| 9 | Through Batal and Gramphu to Manali | Manali |
| 10 | Back to Chandigarh or Delhi | Home |
Going up through Kinnaur and coming down via Kunzum La is the right way round. You gain height slowly, which helps your body adjust. Kaza is at about 3,800 m. Kunzum La and the Chandratal road are usually open from about June to October, depending on snow; outside that window you have to go in and out via Kinnaur.
Altitude
- Spend the first nights below 3,000 m (Sangla, Kalpa) before going higher.
- Drink plenty of water, skip alcohol for the first days in Kaza, and walk slowly.
- A headache that gets worse, vomiting or breathlessness at rest means go down. Don't push on.
- Talk to a doctor before the trip if you have heart or lung problems.
Rough cost per person
| Item | Shimla and Manali, 7 days (₹, approx.) | Spiti circuit, 10 days (₹, approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| Getting to Chandigarh or Kalka and back | 3,000-10,000 | 3,000-10,000 |
| Car and driver (split by two) | 12,000-17,000 | 22,000-30,000 |
| Stays, sharing a room | 8,000-25,000 | 10,000-20,000 |
| Food, tickets, activities | 5,000-10,000 | 6,000-10,000 |
| Total | 28,000-62,000 | 41,000-70,000 |
Choose a driver who has done Spiti before. The road through Kinnaur has narrow, exposed stretches and the river crossings near Chandratal need experience.
When to go
Shimla and Manali work most of the year. March to June is pleasant, and December to February brings snow (and traffic jams at Solang on weekends). Avoid July and August if you can: heavy monsoon rain causes landslides and road closures across Himachal, and in some recent years floods have cut off whole valleys. Spiti is best from June to September; it gets little rain because it sits behind the main ranges.
Questions people ask
Is Spiti open in winter?
The Kinnaur road to Kaza usually stays open, and winter trips run in January and February. It's very cold (well below freezing), many homestays shut, and you should only go with an experienced local operator.
Do I need a permit for Spiti?
Indian citizens don't need an Inner Line Permit for the Spiti circuit. Foreigners need one for the stretch near the border in Kinnaur.
Will my phone work?
BSNL and Jio work in Kaza and some villages. Large parts of the circuit, and Chandratal, have no signal at all. Tell family your plan and carry cash; there are ATMs in Kaza, but they're not reliable.
Photo: Chitkul Kinnaur by Shivendujha, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Read in: हिमाचल ट्रिप प्लान: 7 दिन में शिमला-मनाली या 10 दिन में स्पीति सर्किट