Himachal Tour From Ahmedabad: Itinerary, Hotels and Cost 9 Days & 8 Nights

What you actually get across the nine days is range. Shimla for the colonial Mall Road and Kufri, Manali for the Beas river and the snow points above Solang, Dharamshala for McLeod Ganj and the Dalai Lama temple, and Dalhousie for its quiet churches and pine walks. If you want the full picture of the state before you book, the Himachal travel guide covers seasons and regions, and the full Himachal tour packages and Ahmedabad to Himachal packages pages list other durations and starting cities. Every day below is customisable.

How to reach Himachal from Ahmedabad

There is no direct flight, train or road link into the hill towns themselves, so every route runs through Chandigarh, the nearest major transport hub to Shimla. Here is how the three options actually compare from Ahmedabad.

By flight (what most travellers pick)

IndiGo flies non-stop from Ahmedabad (AMD) to Chandigarh (IXC) in roughly 1 hour 45 minutes, with a few non-stop departures a day, so you can land in the morning and be in Shimla the same afternoon. From Chandigarh airport it is about 112 km to Shimla, a 3.5 to 4 hour drive up through Kalka, Solan and the pine belt. This package uses the flight-plus-cab combination, and the private cab meets you at Chandigarh.

By train

If you would rather take the rail route, Ahmedabad to Chandigarh is about 1,169 km and runs roughly 19 to 21.5 hours. The 22451 BDTS Chandigarh Superfast is the quickest at around 19 hours, and the 19411 Gandhinagar to Daulatpur Chowk Express takes closer to 21.5 hours. It is an overnight-plus haul, which is why most people flying from Ahmedabad choose the plane and keep the train as a budget fallback. From Chandigarh station the same 112 km drive to Shimla applies.

By road

Driving your own vehicle, Ahmedabad to Shimla is about 1,230 to 1,270 km and takes 21 to 24 hours through Udaipur, Jaipur and Chandigarh. That is a two-day drive with a night halt, so it only makes sense if the road trip itself is the point. For a nine-day holiday, flying in and letting the private cab handle the hill roads leaves you far more time on the ground.

Day-by-day itinerary

Day 1: Arrive Chandigarh, drive to Shimla

Your flight from Ahmedabad lands at Chandigarh, where the private cab is waiting to drive you the 112 km up to Shimla, about 3.5 to 4 hours through Kalka and Solan. After you check in and settle, head out to The Mall and The Ridge for the evening. This is the old British summer capital, so the walk past Christ Church and the Gaiety Theatre in the cool air is the easy way to start. Overnight in Shimla at Imperial Heights Clarks Inn.

Day 2: Shimla sightseeing and Kufri

A full day around Shimla. Drive about 16 km out to Kufri for the views and the short pony or nature-park detours, then come back for Jakhoo Temple on the hill above the town, home to the tall Hanuman statue and a lot of monkeys, so keep your snacks packed away. The rest of the day is yours on Mall Road for cafes and shopping. Overnight in Shimla.

Day 3: Shimla to Manali via Kullu

The long, pretty transfer to Manali, roughly 250 km along the Beas river through the Kullu valley, so it fills most of the day with the scenery doing the work. If the season is right you can stop for white-water rafting on the Beas near Kullu, an easy adventure add-on. Arrive in Manali by evening and check in. Overnight in Manali at Snow Valley Resorts.

Day 4: Manali temples, monasteries and market

A slower Manali day built around the town itself. Visit the cedar-wood Hadimba Devi Temple in the Dhungri forest, the Manu Temple in Old Manali, and the Tibetan monasteries near the Mall with their prayer wheels and craft shops. The afternoon is for the market and Old Manali cafes. Overnight in Manali.

Day 5: Solang Valley and snow points

The adventure day. Drive up to Solang Valley for paragliding, the ropeway and zorbing, and in season continue toward the Atal Tunnel and the Rohtang side for the snow. Note that Rohtang Pass needs a permit and stays closed in winter, so the driver plans the high point around the day conditions. Back in Manali for last-minute shopping. Overnight in Manali.

Day 6: Manali to Dharamshala

Transfer to Dharamshala, about 230 km and 6 to 7 hours, dropping out of the Kullu valley and into the Kangra region. The afternoon is for McLeod Ganj: the Dalai Lama temple complex at Tsuglagkhang, the Bhagsunag waterfall walk, and the Tibetan cafes along the main square. This is a leisure evening to slow the pace. Overnight in Dharamshala at Indraprastha Resort.

Day 7: Dharamshala to Dalhousie

Drive to Dalhousie, about 120 km, a quiet colonial hill town spread over five hills. Spend the day at St John Church and St Francis Church, the Panchpula stream and Subhash Baoli viewpoint, and the small Tibetan market on Gandhi Chowk. It is an easy, walk-and-look kind of day after the two long transfers. Overnight in Dalhousie at Aanantham Resort.

Day 8: Khajjiar day trip

Head out to Khajjiar, about 24 km from Dalhousie and often called mini Switzerland for its wide green saucer of meadow ringed by deodar forest. There is horse riding and zorbing on the grass, and a short detour to Kalatop wildlife sanctuary on the way. Back to Dalhousie for the last night. Overnight in Dalhousie.

Day 9: Drive to Chandigarh and fly home

The last day is the return transfer to Chandigarh airport for your flight back to Ahmedabad. It is a long drive out of the hills, so the timing is built around your flight. On request the trip can add a night near Chandigarh to break it up. Airport drop is included.

What is included and excluded

Cost from Ahmedabad and cancellation

This package is priced from Rs 33,200 per person on twin-sharing (confirm the current figure at the time of booking). That covers the eight nights of hotels, daily breakfast and dinner, the private cab across the whole circuit, airport transfers and all the listed sightseeing. What sits outside it is your Ahmedabad to Chandigarh airfare, lunches, entry fees and anything personal, so budget those on top. As a rough on-ground guide, day-to-day spending in Himachal runs around Rs 2,300 per person a day for meals and extras, a little more than a metro city because it is a tourist state.

Cancellation follows the standard TravelTriangle policy for this package, with the refund tied to how far ahead of departure you cancel. The exact window and refund slab are confirmed in writing on your quote before you pay, and because the trip is agent-assisted you can also amend dates or hotels rather than cancel outright.

Why book this trip with TravelTriangle

TravelTriangle has helped plan more than 40 lakh trips since 2011, matching travellers with a network of verified local agents rather than a single fixed operator. That is what lets every day above be changed to suit you, and it is why the price, hotels and inclusions are laid out in full rather than hidden behind a "get quote" wall. You compare multiple quotes for the same trip, book the one that fits, and have 24x7 support through the holiday.

Updated: August 2026