Himachal – Shimla · Manali · Dharamshala · Dalhousie · Amritsar
Duration: 8 Days · 7 Nights | Price: ₹20,000 per person
The great arc of Himachal — from the colonial ridge of Shimla to the snow of Rohtang, the prayer flags of McLeod Ganj, the meadow at Khajjiar, and finally the glow of the Golden Temple at night. Eight days through the most dramatic stretch of North India, connecting the hill stations of the British Raj with the living sacred sites of Tibetan Buddhism and Sikh devotion.
Itinerary
- Day 1: Howrah → Kalka → Shimla by Toy Train — Train from Howrah to Kalka. Board the UNESCO World Heritage Kalka–Shimla Toy Train — a 96 km narrow-gauge railway through 103 tunnels, 864 bridges, and 919 curves. Arrive Shimla. Check in at hotel. Evening walk: Mall Road, The Ridge, and Christ Church (est. 1846). Overnight at Shimla.
- Day 2: Shimla → Kasol → Manali — Early morning checkout. Visit Kalibari temple before leaving Shimla. Drive via Mandi towards Kasol — a village in the Parvati Valley on the banks of the Parvati river, surrounded by pine forests. Continue the drive to Manali. Check in. Overnight at Manali.
- Day 3: Manali → Rohtang Pass → Sissu → Manali — After breakfast: Solang Valley, the Atal Tunnel (world's longest highway tunnel at 9.02 km), Sissu village on the Lahaul side, and Rohtang Pass (3,978 m) — the legendary snow-pass connecting the Kullu valley to Lahaul–Spiti. Return to Manali in the evening. Overnight at Manali.
- Day 4: Manali → Kullu → Kasol → Manikaran → Dharamshala — Early morning departure from Manali. Drive through Kullu Valley along the Beas river. Visit Kasol and then the hot springs and Gurudwara at Manikaran, sacred to Sikhs and Hindus alike. Continue to Dharamshala. Check in. Overnight at Dharamshala.
- Day 5: Dharamshala & McLeod Ganj → Dalhousie — After breakfast: McLeod Ganj (the "Little Lhasa" of India), Dalai Lama temple (Tsuglagkhang complex), Bhagsu waterfall, Dal lake, and the picturesque HPCA cricket stadium. After lunch, drive to Dalhousie — a colonial hill station founded in 1854. Overnight at Dalhousie.
- Day 6: Dalhousie → Khajjiar → Amritsar — Morning excursion to Khajjiar — the "Mini Switzerland of India," a circular meadow ringed by dense deodar cedar forests with a small lake at its centre. Return to Dalhousie, then drive down to Amritsar. Check in. Overnight at Amritsar.
- Day 7: Amritsar → Howrah (night train) — Early morning visit to the Golden Temple (Harmandir Sahib) — the holiest site in Sikhism, open to all. Visit Jalianwala Bagh memorial. Afternoon: Wagah Border closing ceremony (subject to prior permission). Evening: board the night train from Amritsar to Howrah — arriving in Kolkata the following morning.
Best time to visit: April to June for Rohtang snow; September to November for clear skies. December–January for snow in Shimla and Manali.
How to reach: Train from Howrah to Kalka, then the UNESCO Kalka–Shimla Toy Train; return by night train from Amritsar to Howrah — train fare included.
Book this tour: WhatsApp +91 98316 31506 | info@simanachhariye.co.in