Shimla or Manali First? A Practical Guide to Planning Your Route

[Trekkers Nepal]

If you're putting together a Himachal Pradesh trip, Shimla and Manali are almost always the two names on the list. Both are reachable from Delhi or Chandigarh, both get covered in a single itinerary by most travelers, and both feel completely different from each other. The one question that trips people up while planning is simple: which one should you visit first?

The order you choose doesn't just change your route on a map it changes how tiring the trip feels, how your body adjusts to altitude, and even the overall mood of the holiday. Here's a detailed, practical breakdown to help you decide.

Quick Facts: Distance and Travel Time​

Before getting into the "which first" debate, it helps to know the actual numbers involved:

A few things worth noting:

• Delhi–Manali is a considerably longer haul than Delhi–Shimla, mostly because Shimla sits closer to the plains while Manali is deeper into the Kullu Valley.
• The Shimla–Manali stretch, though shorter in kilometers, still takes several hours because the road winds through hill terrain via Mandi and Kullu.
• Overnight Volvo buses are a popular way to cover the longer Delhi–Manali leg without losing a full day to driving.

Altitude Comparison​

This surprises a lot of first-time travelers: Shimla and Manali are actually similar in elevation.

• Shimla: approximately 2,200 meters (7,200 ft)
• Manali: approximately 2,050 meters (6,700 ft)

So the "start low, go high" logic that people often use to justify visiting Shimla first isn't really about the town elevations the two towns are close enough that altitude sickness isn't a major concern in either one. The real altitude challenge comes later, if your itinerary includes places like Rohtang Pass (about 3,978 m / 13,050 ft) or the Atal Tunnel (around 3,000–3,100 m) near Manali. Those are the points where thinner air can genuinely affect people, especially if you go straight up without a rest day.

Shimla First — The Gradual, Relaxed Start​

Starting in Shimla eases you into the mountains rather than throwing you straight into high-altitude terrain.

What you can do in Shimla:

• Walk along The Ridge and Mall Road
• Visit Christ Church and Jakhoo Temple
• Take a short day trip to Kufri
• Enjoy colonial-era architecture and pine forests at an unhurried pace

From Shimla, the road to Manali passes through Mandi and Kullu, with the Kullu Valley offering some of the most scenic stretches of the whole trip. By the time you reach Manali, you're already acclimatized to hill weather and altitude, so activities like short hikes, sightseeing at Solang Valley, or a day trip toward Rohtang Pass feel more manageable.

Best suited for: families, older travelers, first-timers to the Himalayas, and anyone who prefers to ease into a trip rather than start with a long, exhausting drive.

Manali First — Front-Load the Adventure​

Flipping the order means committing to the longer 12–14 hour drive right at the start, but it puts you at the center of the high mountains immediately.

What Manali offers:

• Adventure activities: paragliding, river rafting, and (seasonally) skiing
• Scenic high-altitude drives to Rohtang Pass, Atal Tunnel, and Sissu
• Sightseeing at Hidimba Temple, Old Manali, Vashisht village, and the Beas River

After spending your adventure-heavy days in Manali, heading toward Shimla afterward works as a natural wind-down. You finish the trip with slower walks, café time on Mall Road, and easier logistics before heading home rather than ending your vacation with a grueling final drive.

Best suited for: couples, younger travel groups, adventure-focused travelers, and people who'd rather get the long drive out of the way early.

Don't Forget: Permits for Rohtang Pass and Lahaul​

If your itinerary includes Rohtang Pass or a trip beyond the Atal Tunnel into Lahaul, there's a permit process to plan around this is often missed in basic itinerary planning:

• Rohtang Pass requires an online permit (with a daily vehicle cap), typically costing a few hundred rupees plus a congestion charge. Only vehicles under a certain age are eligible, and permits are valid for a single day.
• Atal Tunnel itself needs no permit to pass through, but vehicles continuing into the Lahaul Valley are generally required to register on the region's e-Aagman portal.
• Rohtang Pass is usually open from around mid-April to late November, closing once heavy snowfall makes the road unsafe. It's also typically closed one day a week for maintenance.

If you're planning to include this leg, build in extra time and check current permit rules a few days before travel, since quotas and rules are revised from season to season.

Best Time to Visit​

• Summer (March–June): The most popular season for both towns pleasant daytime temperatures, blooming valleys, and generally clear mountain roads. This is also peak season, so expect crowds and higher hotel prices.
• Winter (December–February): Ideal if you want snowfall, especially in Manali and higher points like Rohtang. Shimla also gets snow, usually in January. Roads to higher altitude points may close temporarily during heavy snow.
• Monsoon (July–September): Generally best avoided for this route landslide risk increases on the hill roads, and visibility can drop sharply.

Altitude and Comfort Tips​

Even though neither Shimla nor Manali sits at an extreme altitude, a few basic precautions go a long way, especially if your trip includes Rohtang Pass or similar high points:

• Stay hydrated throughout the journey, not just at altitude.
• Avoid overexerting yourself (long hikes, heavy alcohol) on your first day at a new altitude.
• If traveling with children, elderly family members, or anyone with a heart or respiratory condition, pace the itinerary and watch for symptoms like headache, nausea, or breathlessness.
• Keep warm layers on hand even in summer temperatures at high points like Rohtang can be 15–20°C colder than in Manali town.

So, Which Should You Pick First?​

For a standard Delhi–Shimla–Manali circuit, starting with Shimla tends to work better for most travelers. It offers a gentler start, follows a natural west-to-north progression through the hills, and lets the scenery and altitude build gradually as you move toward Manali.

That said, there's no universally "correct" order. If adventure sports are your main priority, if you're traveling with an energetic group, or if you'd simply rather get the longer drive done on day one while you're fresh, starting with Manali makes just as much sense.

The better approach is to plan around your own group's travel style: how much driving fatigue you can handle, whether anyone in your group is altitude-sensitive, which season you're traveling in, and what you actually want more of relaxation or adrenaline. Get that right, and either route will make for a memorable Himachal trip.

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This article expands on route and travel details originally discussed in Trekkers Nepal's guide to visiting Shimla or Manali first, with additional distance, altitude, and permit information for more complete trip planning.