5 Nights 6 Days Shimla Manali Itinerary: Day-by-Day Plan (2026) 6 Days & 5 Nights

This is the complete 5 nights 6 days Shimla Manali itinerary: a day-by-day plan that takes you from arrival in Shimla, through Kufri and the colonial Mall Road, across to Manali for Solang Valley, Rohtang Pass and the Atal Tunnel route, and back home on Day 6. It is the planning page the origin trips are built on, so if you are starting from a particular city you can follow the day plan here and then book it from Delhi, Chandigarh or Mumbai (links below). Distances, the best time to travel and everything the package covers are set out in full.

Ready to book this plan from your city? Start it from Delhi, from Chandigarh, or from Mumbai. For the full range of Himachal routes and durations, see all Himachal tour packages.

Day-by-Day Plan (Day 1 to Day 6)

Day 1: Arrive in Shimla

Your itinerary begins the moment you reach Shimla, whether you fly into Shimla airport at Jubbarhatti or arrive by road or rail through Kalka. Our representative meets you and transfers you to your hotel. The Kalka to Shimla stretch is the famous narrow-gauge toy train line, 96 km of UNESCO World Heritage track that most travellers rate as a trip highlight in itself. Spend the rest of the day settling in and walking the lanes around your hotel. Evenings on The Ridge are cool even in summer, so keep a light jacket handy. Overnight in Shimla.

Day 2: Shimla and Kufri Sightseeing

After breakfast you set out on a full Shimla sightseeing day. Start at the Himachal State Museum, then walk The Ridge and the pedestrian Mall Road, the colonial heart of the town, and climb up to Jakhoo Temple for the valley views. In the afternoon drive out to Kufri, about 16 km from Shimla, the little hill resort that most other Shimla itineraries name and this route now includes. In winter Kufri is the snow and tobogganing point, and year-round you can visit the Himalayan Nature Park and ride up towards Mahasu Peak for the panorama of the greater Himalaya. Head back to Shimla by evening for shopping and dinner on Mall Road. Overnight in Shimla.

Day 3: Shimla to Manali via Naldehra

Check out after breakfast for the drive to Manali, roughly 250 to 290 km and 7 to 8 hours through the Kullu valley, with the road tracing the Beas river for much of the way. The route runs past Naldehra, home to one of the oldest golf courses in the country, and through Kullu, where you can stop for river views and, if time allows, a short rafting stretch. You reach Manali by evening and check in. Keep this day easy after the long drive. Overnight in Manali.

Day 4: Manali Local Sightseeing

A relaxed day exploring Manali itself. Visit the Hidimba Devi Temple set in a cedar forest, then the old stone-and-timber Manu Temple, and cross to Vashisht village for its natural hot-spring baths and mountain views. There is time for the Tibetan Monastery and a walk down Manali Mall Road for cafes and Himachali handicrafts. The pace is deliberately unhurried so you acclimatise before the high-altitude excursion the next day. Overnight in Manali.

Day 5: Solang Valley, Rohtang Pass or the Atal Tunnel Route

This is the big mountain day. Drive up to Solang Valley for the adventure activities it is known for, from zorbing and paragliding in summer to skiing and snow play in winter. From here you have a seasonal choice. When it is open, roughly late May to October and subject to a permit and the weather, you continue to Rohtang Pass by road via Kothi and the Rahalla waterfall. When Rohtang is closed or snow-bound, you take the Atal Tunnel instead, a 9.02 km all-weather tunnel that opened in October 2020 and drops you into the Lahaul valley at Sissu, with its waterfall and river-side meadow, in under an hour from Manali. Either way you are back in Manali by evening. Overnight in Manali.

Day 6: Departure

After breakfast and check-out, you are transferred to your onward point, Manali bus stand for the Volvo back to Chandigarh or Delhi, or Bhuntar airport near Kullu for a flight. That closes the 5 nights 6 days Shimla Manali circuit. If you have an extra day, this is the plan to extend by adding a night in Manali for Old Manali and Jogini Falls, or a night in Shimla for Chail and Naldehra at a slower pace.

How to Reach and Distances

Most travellers on this itinerary arrive into Shimla and depart from Manali, or run the loop from a base city like Delhi or Chandigarh. The road distances that shape the plan are set out below, so you can see why Day 3 is a travel day and why the mountain excursion sits on Day 5 after a rest day.

Best Time to Visit Shimla and Manali

This route works all year, but what you see changes a lot by season. Snow lovers come December to February, when Kufri and Solang are white and Rohtang is closed, so the mountain day runs through the Atal Tunnel to Sissu. For clear skies, open passes and the full Solang-plus-Rohtang day, aim for March to June. The monsoon from July to mid-September brings green valleys and low prices but also the risk of landslides on the hill roads, so keep the plan flexible.

The Atal Tunnel and Sissu: the 2026 Route

The single biggest change to how this trip is planned is the Atal Tunnel. Opened in October 2020, the 9.02 km tunnel runs under the Rohtang range and connects Manali to the Lahaul valley in all weather. It matters for your itinerary because Rohtang Pass shuts for roughly half the year, but the tunnel stays open, so a snow-season trip is no longer stuck at Solang. From the Manali side you reach Sissu, the first Lahaul village, in under an hour, where a waterfall drops behind a wide river meadow that is snow-covered in winter and green in summer. Most older Shimla Manali itineraries still end the mountain day at Solang. On this plan, when Rohtang is closed, Day 5 continues through the Atal Tunnel to Sissu, which is why it holds up in December as well as in June.

Inclusions, Exclusions and Cancellation

Cancellation and refund

Every package here is customisable, and cancellation is handled by a clear day-based slab so you know where you stand before you pay. The exact percentages depend on how many days before departure you cancel and on non-refundable hotel or transport bookings already confirmed for your dates. Your final slab is stated on your booking voucher. As a general guide, earlier cancellations recover the most, cancellations close to departure recover the least, and confirmed peak-season hotel nights may be non-refundable. Ask your trip coordinator for the exact figures for your travel dates before you confirm.

Why Book This Itinerary With TravelTriangle

This is a proven route, not a template. The plan here reflects how our Himachal desk actually sequences the trip, with the rest day on Day 4 placed before the high-altitude excursion on Day 5 so you acclimatise first.

The distances and seasonal windows on this page are checked against how the route runs on the ground, and every itinerary is customisable, so you can add a night, swap a hotel category or start it from a different city.

Plan and Book This Itinerary

Follow this day-by-day plan and make it yours. Book the same 5N/6D Shimla Manali itinerary from Delhi, Chandigarh or Mumbai, or browse every Himachal tour package to compare durations and routes.

Edited by TravelTriangle