Shimla- en Manali-reis — 8 dagen vanuit Delhi

From the plains up into the Himalayan foothills to the old summer capital of British India.

• Morning: Pick-up in Delhi at 7 a.m.
• Drive: Delhi to Shimla is about 350 km, 8–9 hours: six hours on the plains to Kalka, then two to three hours climbing the hill road.
• Option: Ride the UNESCO-listed Kalka–Shimla toy train for part of the way (the full ride is about 5 hours through 102 tunnels); your driver meets you at a station further up.
• Evening: A stroll on the Ridge and the Mall, the car-free promenades with Christ Church lit up.
• Tip: Pack a warm layer: Shimla is at 2,200 m and evenings are cool even in summer, cold in winter.
• Overnight: Shimla

Colonial architecture, forest walks and the best views in town.

• 9:00 a.m.: Jakhoo temple on Shimla's highest hill (2,455 m), by a short ropeway or a steep 30-minute walk, with its 33-metre Hanuman statue.
• 11:00 a.m.: The Viceregal Lodge (1888), where the decision to partition India was discussed; guided tours of about 45 minutes.
• Afternoon: The Mall, Christ Church, the Gaiety Theatre and Lakkar Bazaar for wooden crafts.
• Optional: Kufri (16 km) for views and pony rides, or the quieter Mashobra forest.
• Tickets: The Viceregal Lodge has a modest ticket for the guided tour.
• Tip: Jakhoo's monkeys snatch glasses, phones and food. Put everything away before the climb.
• Overnight: Shimla

A full day through the mountains, following the Sutlej and then the Beas up the Kullu valley.

• Ochtend: Uitchecken om 8.00 uur.
• Drive: Shimla to Manali is about 250 km, 7–8 hours via Mandi and Kullu.
• On the way: Pandoh dam on the Beas, the Kullu shawl weaving co-operatives, and river-rafting stretches near Kullu (in season).
• Evening: Arrive in Manali at about 5–6 p.m.
• Eat: Trout from the Beas is the local speciality; try it grilled in Old Manali.
• Overnight: Manali

Meadows and snow peaks in the morning, cedar forests and old villages in the afternoon.

• 9:00 a.m.: Solang valley (14 km, 40 minutes): the ropeway to about 3,200 m, paragliding and, in winter, snow and skiing.
• Afternoon: Hadimba Devi temple (1553), a pagoda of wood and stone in a cedar forest, and the old village of Dhungri.
• Evening: Old Manali's cafés and the Manu temple.
• Tickets: Solang ropeway about ₹700–900; paragliding about ₹1,500–3,000 depending on the flight.
• Overnight: Manali

Up over or under the great Pir Panjal range into the dry, high Lahaul valley.

• Option 1: Atal Tunnel (9 km long, opened 2020) to Sissu in Lahaul: waterfalls, the Chandra river and a completely different, Tibetan-style landscape. About 1½ hours each way.
• Option 2: Rohtang Pass (3,980 m), open roughly May to November, with a daily vehicle permit that we apply for in advance. It is high, cold and often crowded.
• Afternoon: Back to Manali for the Vashisht hot springs and temple.
• Tip: Carry a warm jacket, gloves and sunglasses. Altitude can cause headaches; drink plenty of water and go slowly.
• Overnight: Manali

A slower day in the valley.

• Morning: Naggar castle (21 km), the 15th-century seat of the Kullu kings, and the Roerich art gallery next door (closed Mondays).
• Afternoon: Free: Old Manali, the Mall, or a forest walk above Vashisht. Longer drives towards Lahaul or the Tirthan valley on request.
• Tickets: Naggar castle and Roerich gallery have small tickets.
• Overnight: Manali

Out of the hills to the plains.

• Morning: Check-out at 7:30 a.m.
• Drive: Manali to Chandigarh is about 310 km, 8–9 hours via Mandi and Bilaspur.
• Evening: Sukhna Lake promenade, or the Rock Garden if you arrive before it closes.
• Overnight: Chandigarh

An easy last drive back to the capital.

• Morning: Optional: the Capitol Complex, Le Corbusier's UNESCO-listed government buildings (guided tours only, carry your passport).
• Drive: Chandigarh to Delhi is about 250 km, 4½–5 hours.
• Drop: Your Delhi hotel or the airport (flights after about 7 p.m.).
• Overnachting: Delhi, of je vlucht naar huis