Shimla To Manali

[Mohit]

I will be in Shimla with my family in May for one week, and we have an itinerary planned and after adding in all the sightseeing places and tourist places, we are left with three and half days which are free.
Would it be possible to go from Shimla to Manali in the remaining three and a half days?

1. What is the distance between Shimla and Manali and how long would it take to get there?

2. Is it feasible to go Manali or should the rest of the three and a half days be spent in Shimla itself?

3. How many days would be required to go around sightseeing in Manali?

4. Is Manali somewhat similar to Shimla, is it worth going there at all?

 

[Dhruv]

It is quite possible for you to go the Manali from Shimla, three and half days is a lot!

1. The distance between Shimla and Manali is 250km, which would take you about 6 hours to reach.

2. It is feasible to go Manali as long as you leave early for Manali say around 5 am. You can reach Manali by 11 am. That means you would still have three days to see Manali. If you need rest, then that would still leave you with 2 and half days to explore Manali.

3. You can easily cover Manali in 2 days and also get help from a local tour guide to take you places and plan your trip covering all the major places in Manali and around it. You can cover Rohtang Pass as well if it is open by then and if you leave early.

4. You can not call the two places similar, you will find a difference in them, particularly since you will be taking a tour of the famous places in Manali, which are not in Shimla.

 

[jnorth88]

I assume you mean the hill station? Manali can certainly be covered in 2 days. Aside from nature, there is not a whole lot there. But it is very pleasant. I would go, but only to experience the outdoors. If that is not an interest to you, I would just stay in Shimla, as there are more sights to see.

 

[briannagodess]

Hello, @Mohit! Welcome to the forum!

1. What is the distance between Shimla and Manali and how long would it take to get there?

The distance between Shimla and Manali is about 249.9 kms. It can take you anywhere between 7 to 8 hours to reach the latter.

2. Is it feasible to go Manali or should the rest of the three and a half days be spent in Shimla itself?

It is feasible to travel to Manali since you have three days left anyway. You can use one and a half day for sightseeing and the last day for travelling back home.

3. How many days would be required to go around sightseeing in Manali?

For the main tourist attractions, you can do them even in just one day. But to truly explore Manali and areas around it, two days would be good enough. A possible itinerary for you would be:

Day 1. Visit the local attractions in Manali. These are:

• The Hidimba Devi or Hadimba Temple. A temple dedicated to Hidimbi Devi, sister of Hidimba.

• Museum of Himachal Culture and Art. You can find antique collections of artefacts around Himachal Pradesh in here.

• Manu Temple. The only temple dedicated to Manu in India.

• Vashisht Temple and Hot Springs. The temple is dedicated to Sage Vashisht.

• Jogini Waterfalls. This waterfall cascades at a height of about 150 feet.

• Van Vihar. Surrounded by Deodar Trees, this is one beautiful forest/garden. There's also a manmade lake inside the park which can be a great spot for picnics.

Day 2. Visit further attractions like:

• Solang Valley. You can do snow activities here or just view the amazing snow-capped mountains from the top.

• Kahala Falls. Situated at about 2,501 metres above sea level, this is a beautiful waterfall with incredibly cold water.

• Kothi Village. Visit the narrow gorge where the Beas River flows through in here.

4. Is Manali somewhat similar to Shimla, is it worth going there at all?

I think both destinations have their beauty and they're definitely worth visiting in themselves. You can find something similar in them, like they both have waterfalls. But to be honest, both their waterfalls are incredibly beautiful and worth visiting. The temples in Manali are also unlike any other. Like the Manu Temple which is the only temple of its kind in India. Since you have the time anyway, I'd recommend visiting them both.

I hope this helps!