Best time to visit Shimla & Manali
Mar – Jun for the valley in full colour, Dec – Feb for snow. Avoid July and August landslides.
Visa, money and practicalities
- Permits: Rohtang Pass permit — Daily cap, sells out — must be booked before arrival
- Currency: INR — Cards work in towns, carry cash for villages
- SIM: Works in towns — Patchy in Spiti and upper Parvati
- Power plug: Type C / D / M — Standard Indian sockets
What nobody tells you about Shimla & Manali
The Atal Tunnel changed the maths — Manali to Lahaul is now open year-round. But the old Rohtang Pass still needs a permit that is capped daily and genuinely sells out, and it cannot be bought on the day. If Rohtang is on your list it has to be locked before you leave home, not arranged by a driver on the morning.
Who should skip Shimla & Manali
Skip a 3-day Shimla–Manali trip from Delhi. Two of those days are the road. Give it five nights, or fly into Bhuntar and start in the valley.
Kerala
Goa
Ladakh
North East
Rajasthan
Andaman
Kashmir