Getting there
How to reach Manali
Manali is about 250 km from Chandigarh, eight to nine hours by road, and roughly 50 km from Bhuntar airport at Kullu. Most travellers arrive on an overnight coach from Delhi or Chandigarh, or fly to Bhuntar and drive the last ninety minutes.
- From Chandigarh
- About 250 km, 8 to 9 hours
- From Delhi
- About 530 km, 12 to 14 hours
- Nearest airport
- Bhuntar, about 50 km
- Common arrival
- Overnight Volvo from Delhi
The overnight coach
The standard way in. Volvo services leave Delhi in the evening and arrive in Manali the following morning. It saves a hotel night and a day of driving, and it is what most fixed-departure itineraries use.
Flying to Bhuntar
Bhuntar is about 50 km short of Manali, roughly ninety minutes. Flights are weather-dependent and cancellations are not unusual, so it is worth having the road option as a fallback rather than a tight onward connection.
Questions people ask
How long is the drive from Delhi to Manali?
Twelve to fourteen hours depending on traffic out of Delhi and conditions past Mandi. Overnight coaches cover it while you sleep, which is why most people use them.
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Tours that go there
Every one of these is run by our own team, with the drivers and the permits arranged.
Read next
- Manali travel guideManali lies at about 2,050 metres on the Beas river and is the base for Solang Valley, Rohtang Pass and the Atal Tunnel to Lahaul. Three days is the usual stay. It is the busiest hill station in Himachal, so Old Manali and Vashisht are where people go to escape the main bazaar.
- Best time to visit ManaliMarch to June suits Manali for open roads and Solang activities, with Rohtang generally opening around May. December to February is snow season. The Atal Tunnel keeps Lahaul reachable through much of the winter, which is the main change to Manali’s seasons in recent years.
- How to reach ShimlaShimla is about 115 km from Chandigarh, roughly three to four hours by road on NH5. The nearest major airport is Chandigarh; Shimla’s own airport at Jubbarhatti has limited service. The Kalka–Shimla toy train takes about five hours and is done for the ride rather than for speed.
- Solang Valley travel guideSolang Valley is 13 km from Manali at about 2,560 metres and is where the paragliding, ropeway, zorbing and winter snow activities are concentrated. It is a half-day trip from Manali, and in peak season the road in is the slowest part of it.
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