A day-by-day Shimla and Manali itinerary from Delhi by car, with the Kalka–Shimla toy train, drive times, which car to choose for mountain roads and the best months to go.
Shimla and Manali are the classic pair of the Indian Himalaya: a colonial summer capital on a ridge, and an orchard valley below the high passes. Both are a long day's drive from Delhi, so the trip works best with your own car and a driver who drives these roads every week.
The short answer
Seven days from Delhi is comfortable: two nights in Shimla, three in Manali and the long drives in between. With five days you can do it, but you spend most of your time in the car. With nine or ten days, add Dharamshala and McLeod Ganj, or finish in Amritsar.
Day by day
- Day 1: Delhi → Shimla. About 7–8 hours by road. Or drive to Kalka and take the UNESCO-listed toy train up through more than a hundred tunnels; your car meets you at Shimla station.
- Day 2: Shimla. The Mall and the Ridge, Christ Church, the walk up to Jakhu temple, and the cedar woods around the old viceregal lodge.
- Day 3: Shimla → Manali. About 7–8 hours along the Beas valley via Mandi and Kullu, with tea and photo stops.
- Day 4: Manali. Old Manali's lanes and cafés, the wooden Hadimba temple in the deodar forest, and the hot springs at Vashisht.
- Day 5: Solang valley. Snow in winter, meadows and paragliding in summer. Rohtang and the Atal Tunnel road depend on weather and permits.
- Day 6: Manali → Chandigarh or Delhi. A long drive day; many guests break it with a night in Chandigarh.
- Day 7: Back in Delhi. Drop at your hotel or the airport.
Which car for the mountains?
The roads are paved but winding, and comfort matters more than on the plains. Most guests choose a Spacious MPV or Premium MPV: more legroom, reclining seats and room for luggage. A Compact sedan is fine for two people on a shorter Shimla-only trip. We plan shorter driving stages in the hills and never drive mountain passes at night.
When to go
- March to June — pleasant days, the best escape from the heat of the plains.
- July to September — monsoon: green, but landslides can delay the roads.
- October and November — clear skies and the sharpest mountain views.
- December to February — cold, with snow in Manali and sometimes in Shimla; the high passes close.
Make it longer
- Dharamshala and McLeod Ganj — about 7 hours from Manali through the Kangra tea gardens; home of the Dalai Lama.
- Amritsar — about 5 hours from Dharamshala; the Golden Temple and the Wagah border, then the Shatabdi train back to Delhi.
See our Himachal tours, the Himalayan Escape or the Shimla and Manali honeymoon. Every itinerary can be changed to suit you.
