The big Himachal loop
The big Himachal loop
Dharamshala across to Shimla, then up to Manali and back. Old hill stations, deodar forest, the Beas running alongside you and the Dhauladhar at both ends of the trip.
- Dharamshala
- Shimla
- Manali
- Kullu
Dharamshala · Himachal Pradesh
See Himachal without rushing it
We plan private trips through Kangra, Spiti, Manali, Shimla and Dalhousie around your dates and how fast you actually like to travel. In English, start to finish.
Drivers we knowLocal, licensed, not off an app
One priceWritten down, nothing added later
English throughoutHindi, Punjabi and Pahari too
We pick upAny hour, any day of the trip
Trips we run
Himachal tour packages, one route at a time
These are the ones people ask for most. All of them start in Dharamshala or wherever you land. Any of them can be made shorter, longer or joined together — send your dates and we will write out the days and a price.
Spiti Valley
Spiti Valley
Cold desert, monasteries older than most countries, villages sitting above 4,000m. We drive it slowly and in the right order so the altitude creeps up on you instead of hitting you.
- Kalpa
- Tabo
- Kaza
- Key
- Chandratal
Dalhousie and Khajjiar
Dalhousie and Khajjiar
Quiet cedar ridges, the green bowl at Khajjiar and the old temples in Chamba. The easiest trip we do, which is why couples and families with small children usually end up here.
- Dalhousie
- Khajjiar
- Chamba
Manali to Leh
Manali to Leh
Five passes, a couple of nights under canvas and one of the best drives anywhere. We build in a day to acclimatise and carry oxygen, because at that height it matters.
- Jispa
- Sarchu
- Leh
Kasol and Parvati valley
Kasol and Parvati valley
Days by the river, the hot springs at Manikaran and the walk up to Kheerganga. This is the one long-stay travellers and backpackers ask for by name.
- Kasol
- Manikaran
- Tosh
- Kheerganga
Amritsar and the Golden Temple
Amritsar and the Golden Temple
Down out of the hills into Punjab. The Golden Temple first thing in the morning, Jallianwala Bagh, and the border ceremony at Wagah. Most people tack this onto either end of a Himachal trip.
- Golden Temple
- Jallianwala Bagh
- Wagah
McLeod Ganj and Bhagsu
The Dalai Lama's temple, the waterfall at Bhagsu, the Tibetan market, and tea at Naddi while the light goes. A full day out without changing hotels.
- McLeod Ganj
- Bhagsunag
- Naddi
- Dal Lake
Airport and station pickups
Someone waiting at arrivals with your name on a board, whatever time you get in. We watch the flight, so a delay does not leave you standing outside at two in the morning.
- Gaggal (Kangra) → Dharamshala
- 45 min
- Chandigarh → Dharamshala
- 6–7 hrs
- Amritsar → Dharamshala
- 4–5 hrs
- Delhi → Dharamshala
- 10–12 hrs
Why us
We are from here, and it shows in the plan
01
This is home
We are in Dharamshala, not a call centre two states away. So we know which pass is shut this week, which viewpoint is empty at seven in the morning, and which road is being dug up.
02
Just your group
Nothing is shared. You decide what time you leave, where you stop and how long you sit somewhere with a cup of tea. No fixed departures and no strangers along for the ride.
03
The price holds
You get the cost broken down before you commit to anything, and that is what you pay at the end. Tolls, parking, permits and the driver’s stay are already inside it.
04
Used to guests from abroad
English all the way through, permits handled for you, sensible hours in the car instead of ten-hour days, and someone who answers the phone when it is the middle of the night at home.
How it works
Three steps, and no paperwork to begin with
- Step one
Send us your dates
A WhatsApp message will do. When you arrive, how many of you there are, and anything you already know you want to see. No forms to start with.
- Step two
We send back a plan
Usually within a day: the route day by day with honest driving times, places to stay, and one price with everything listed. Change it as many times as you like.
- Step three
You land, we are there
You will have your driver’s name and number before you fly, and one number to call for the rest of the trip if anything needs moving around.
Where to go
Which part of Himachal is right for you?
The state is bigger and slower than the map makes it look. Two towns that sit close together can be six hours apart. Here is what each area is actually like.
Dharamshala and Kangra
Dharamshala and Kangra
Tibetan Dharamshala, tea gardens down at Palampur, the little train through Kangra, and the Dhauladhar standing right over you. The best base for a first trip, or if you would rather stay in one place than five.
Suits — first trips, long stays, walkers
Spiti and Kinnaur
Spiti and Kinnaur
The Himalaya stripped back to rock and sky. Monasteries on cliff edges, no trees, thin air. Remarkable, and not something to rush — eight days at least, and only between June and October.
Suits — photographers, second visits, road trips
Kullu and Manali
Kullu and Manali
Snow up at Solang, orchards along the Beas, and the tunnel that has opened up the whole of Lahaul. It gets busy in season, so we plan around the crowds rather than into them.
Suits — families, honeymoons, snow
Shimla and the south
Shimla and the south
The old summer capital. British-era buildings along the Ridge, the narrow-gauge train up from Kalka, and apple country at Narkanda an hour past the noise.
Suits — short trips, history, easy driving
Chamba and Dalhousie
Chamba and Dalhousie
The quiet north-west corner. Stone temples a thousand years old at Chamba, cedar walks above Dalhousie, the meadow at Khajjiar. Nothing in Himachal is gentler than this.
Suits — couples, slow travel, older parents
Parvati and Bir
Parvati and Bir
Where people turn up for a week and stay a month. Cafés over the river at Kasol, hot springs at Manikaran, and Bir Billing — one of the best places in the world to fly, half an hour from Dharamshala.
Suits — backpackers, paragliding, remote workers
Seasons
When to come to Himachal
There is no single best month. It depends whether you want snow, wildflowers, empty roads, or the high passes open. This is roughly how each season goes.
| Season | Weather | Roads | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| March – June | 15–28°C in the valleys, cool at night, rhododendron out | Everything open. High passes clear from late May | First visits, families, honeymoons, snow at Solang |
| July – September | Monsoon. Very green, and heavy rain around Kangra | Landslides possible lower down. Spiti at its best | Spiti, the Leh road, quiet hotels, better rates |
| October – November | Dry and clear, sharp views, cold once the sun drops | Very good. Spiti starts closing from late October | Photography, trekking, the big loop |
| December – February | Cold, 0–12°C, snow in Shimla, Manali and Dalhousie | Main roads open and cleared. High passes shut | Snow, New Year, empty valleys, winter honeymoons |
Good to know
The things nobody tells you before you fly out
Visas and permits
An India e-Visa covers a tourist trip. The stretches near the Tibet border in Spiti and Kinnaur need an Inner Line Permit as well. Send a passport scan and two photos and we have it ready before you arrive.
Altitude is real
Kaza sits at 3,800m and Kunzum La is over 4,500m. We climb gradually, keep a night in hand to let you adjust, and carry oxygen on the high trips.
Cash and cards
Cards are fine in Dharamshala, Shimla and Manali. Past Kaza and up in the high valleys it is cash only and the ATMs cannot be relied on, so draw what you need before you leave town.
Phones and signal
Pick up an Indian SIM at the airport, since foreign roaming is patchy in the hills. Only Indian postpaid numbers work in Spiti and Lahaul, so warn people at home you may be offline for a day.
Distances lie
Mountain roads average 25 to 35 km an hour. Dharamshala to Manali is 240km and takes all day. We keep it to five or six hours behind the wheel so there is still a day left when you arrive.
What to bring
Layers, whatever month it is — evenings drop quickly even in June. Shoes you can walk in, good sunscreen for the glare up high, and something to cover up with for temples and monasteries.
Questions
What people ask us first
Do you speak English?
Yes. We host a lot of guests from outside India, so the whole trip runs in English. We also speak Hindi, Punjabi and Pahari. Before you set off we go through the route, the timings and the stops so nothing is a surprise.
Is Himachal safe if I am travelling alone?
It is one of the easier parts of India to travel alone, and plenty of women do. You get your driver’s name and number before the trip, our drivers are local and known to us, and you can reach us on one number at any hour.
Do I need a permit for Spiti or Leh?
Indian passport holders do not need one for the usual Spiti route. Foreign passport holders need an Inner Line Permit for the stretches close to the border, and for parts of Ladakh. Send us a passport scan and two photos and we sort it before you get here.
How far ahead should I book?
Four to six weeks is comfortable for May, June, October and the week around Christmas. Spiti and the Manali to Leh road only open around June and shut by late October, so give those two or three months.
What does a trip cost?
It changes with the route, the season, the size of your group and the sort of hotels you want, so we price each trip on its own rather than publish a rate card. Whatever we quote is the number you pay.
How do I get to Dharamshala from Delhi or Chandigarh?
Chandigarh is six to seven hours by road, Delhi ten to twelve. Gaggal airport in Kangra is forty five minutes from town and has flights from Delhi. We meet you wherever you land and drive straight up.
Can you plan a honeymoon?
Often do. These usually sit around Dharamshala, Dalhousie, Khajjiar and Manali, with quieter hotels, shorter days in the car and some time left with nothing planned in it.
Can we change the plan once we have started?
Of course. The weather and the roads decide more than any printed itinerary does. If a pass is closed or you would rather stay another night somewhere, we work it out with you on the day.
Get in touch
Tell us when you are coming
Send your dates and we will come back with the days laid out and a price, usually the same day. It costs nothing to get a plan.
WhatsApp +91 88941 60344QuickestCall +91 88941 60344sunnyhimachaltravels@gmail.com
Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh 176215, India · English, Hindi, Punjabi and Pahari · We usually reply within a few hours, whatever the time