Trip to North India - for snow. Need help!

deky · 28th April 2010, 11:02

If you were to leave Delhi on the 5th and If you did not have 5 others with you I would have requested you to give me a lift till Manali, Lol!!

I am off for a trek there and have been promised that there will be snow on the higher reaches, example Rohtang. What is advisable is that if you going to Rohtang to go really early in the morning as the day sun starts to melt the snow fast and that creates lot of slush making it difficult to walk or to drive.

Good luck & Regards!!

unoczar · 28th April 2010, 22:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by deky

If you were to leave Delhi on the 5th and If you did not have 5 others with you I would have requested you to give me a lift till Manali, Lol!!

I am off for a trek there and have been promised that there will be snow on the higher reaches, example Rohtang. What is advisable is that if you going to Rohtang to go really early in the morning as the day sun starts to melt the snow fast and that creates lot of slush making it difficult to walk or to drive.

Good luck & Regards!!

hehe.. y'know what.. just got a call from my friend.. trip back to the original schedule.. we leave on 8th.. (tentative!)

now you can gimme some news/tips when you go there....

haripg · 15th August 2010, 20:02

Hi!

Let me try to bring this thread back to the original question it was supposed to answer, but fast fwded to 2010.

Planning for a New Delhi trip this Dec End for a family re-union.
Want to visit a place that snows with family (A place where Kids should have first hand experience of snow)
What are the good options:
1. Dalhousie and around (Can do a Corbett Visit also in between?)
2. Shimla and around?

Manali seems far away from Delhi (4 kids including brothers kids).

Is a 12 seater TT good for travel in these areas?
I have 4-5 days ex-Delhi.

i

tsk1979 · 16th August 2010, 10:59

Actually, Manali is the only place where kids are guaranteed to have snow to play with in December.

anantu2001 · 27th June 2013, 15:43

Hi All,

I am here with a big confusion and need your help.

Our first year marriage anniversary is coming up and my wife wishes to go for a place where there is SNOW!

The anniversary is in the first week of August and I am not sure where in India one can find snow in August. I've not traveled north of Delhi and am completely unaware of the weather pattern and finer details required for the place.

The first place which comes to mind when we talk of snow is Manali and then Rohtang Pass. Is Manali still a good place? Heard that its too commercialized. So guys, here is my requirement in short and I need your help to decide fast!

1. SNOW SNOW SNOW
2. Budget of approximately 25000 per person.
3. Planning for a vacation of 5 to 6 days max.
4. Calm and a less crowded place.

I would like to know where else one can find snow in India other than Manali??? (I know this is a very stupid question, but I feel I can get better answers here than Google)

Regards,
Anant

shankar.balan · 27th June 2013, 20:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by anantu2001

Hi All,

The anniversary is in the first week of August and I am not sure where in India one can find snow in August. I've not traveled north of Delhi and am completely unaware of the weather pattern and finer details required for the place.

I would like to know where else one can find snow in India other than Manali??? (I know this is a very stupid question, but I feel I can get better answers here than Google)

Regards,
Anant

Tough ask mate. August is not exactly the best season for the White Goddess to give you an audience. You would be better advised to consider waiting till a bit further down the calendar track...February would be the best time as it will be moving into Spring...

Mik · 27th June 2013, 20:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by anantu2001

Hi All,

I am here with a big confusion and need your help.

Our first year marriage anniversary is coming up and my wife wishes to go for a place where there is SNOW!

The anniversary is in the first week of August and I am not sure where in India one can find snow in August. I've not traveled north of Delhi and am completely unaware of the weather pattern and finer details required for the place.

The first place which comes to mind when we talk of snow is Manali and then Rohtang Pass. Is Manali still a good place? Heard that its too commercialized. So guys, here is my requirement in short and I need your help to decide fast!

1. SNOW SNOW SNOW
2. Budget of approximately 25000 per person.
3. Planning for a vacation of 5 to 6 days max.
4. Calm and a less crowded place.

I would like to know where else one can find snow in India other than Manali??? (I know this is a very stupid question, but I feel I can get better answers here than Google)

Regards,
Anant

Manali, actually Rohtang - should have some snow in August definitely. If you are lucky to catch a bad weather, you might even get fresh snow (we did in 2011) But, if its not fresh snow, be prepared for a mela at the top with all the tourist trappings you can think of.
Beyond Manali, if tourist vehicles go upto Baralach la or if you stay in Darcha/Jispa instead - you will most probably get tons of snow (in baralach la)

I am not sure if the airfares will fit in your budget, but Ladakh is a beautiful option - snow or no snow (You will definitely get some in Khardung la and in Chang la - apart from the other beautiful aspects of Ladakh)

infinitewheel · 24th September 2013, 17:50

Hi friends,
I am planning a trip to North in the 1st week of December. I will be reaching Delhi by flight on 3rd December at around 4 pm. I will be accompanied by my wife and my friend's family. So totally it should be around 5 people. Could any suggest me plan to a place where I could experience snow fall? Since my friend and his family had already been to Kulu-Manali, we are not having plans to go there. I should be back in Agra by 6th December night or at the most by 7th early morning to attend a conference. Kindly guide me in planning the trip, places not to be missed and places for stay. Thanks in advance.

rajarams · 7th November 2013, 20:58

I live in Pune. I have experienced snow before. Want to introduce my 5 yr old to a "snow" experience. Which would be a good place for it considering the pts below
- Within India, within a 3 day trip from Pune (with flight)
- Easy accessibility i.e. not having to trek/drive long distances to reach there
- No need for ski slopes or fancy resorts.
- Between mid-jan to mid-feb

Thanks a lot in advance.

Car_Freak_911 · 7th November 2013, 22:04

Hey Rajaram, if you don't mind it to be artificial snow then you could go to Snow world in Hyderabad. That was the first time I had experienced snow(in 2007 or '08).
Second time I had experienced was in Mount Titlis, Switzerland. Playing it the snow was almost the same experience in both the places except that the surroundings were different.
Since he's a kid he'll enjoy Snow World because I had been there when I was in 7th grade and enjoyed it a lot.
I think there's also one in Bangalore.
Hope this helped.
Cheers
Carfreak911

khoj · 7th November 2013, 22:40

You could do that in Manali. Fly in to Chandigarh and then drive to Manali via Simla OR if the security conditions permit fly straight to Srinagar and enjoy the fresh powder.

Quote:

Originally Posted by rajarams

I live in Pune. I have experienced snow before. Want to introduce my 5 yr old to a "snow" experience. Which would be a good place for it considering the pts below
- Within India, within a 3 day trip from Pune (with flight)
- Easy accessibility i.e. not having to trek/drive long distances to reach there
- No need for ski slopes or fancy resorts.
- Between mid-jan to mid-feb

Thanks a lot in advance.

pdma · 7th November 2013, 22:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by rajarams

- Within India, within a 3 day trip from Pune (with flight)
- Easy accessibility i.e. not having to trek/drive long distances to reach there
- No need for ski slopes or fancy resorts.
- Between mid-jan to mid-feb

I would recommend Kufri in Shimla.I have been there this March and it is surely fun for first timers.
I have done some search for you and found that we have direct flights from Mumbai to Chandigarh , from there it would take you 3 hrs by road to reach Shimla.We have numerous cab services available between Chandigarh & Shimla. Kufri is just a few Km away from Shimla town and it is snow all the way.There is a mini Zoo as well near this place which is also covered in snow and Iam sure your kid will love the animal spotting.
Unfortunately we do not have direct flights from Pune and the connections are bad.Considering that Mumbai is easily accessible to you my rough estimate is about 9 - 10 hours of travel time (including transition) and should fit your 3 days plan as well , however if you can stretch by another day or 2 it would be more relaxing and you can cover a few more places around.

Pune to Mumbai - 2 Hours (by road)
Mumbai to Chandigarh - 2 Hours (by Air)
Chandigarh to Shimla - 3 Hours (by road)

If you are interested please let me know, I can share some contact numbers in Shimla (I guess I still have them carefully tucked in some corner

)

All the best for your Planning.

tanwaramit · 8th November 2013, 04:41

I had been to Shimla in Jan 09, couldn't find snow anywhere, went to Kufri (as told by driver), from where was supposed to go trekking on horse. In sum, couldn't find snow anywhere during my trip. However, after my return there was snowfall in Shimla itself. That trip was a waste in snow searching.

Went to Manali in Dec 11, snow everywhere in the city and enough of it. No dearth of snow in the city and anywhere you go, found no snowfall however. There was so much snow that could not goto several places due to heavy snow and not enough walking area.

Nainital, dharamsala, not known for snow.

Want guaranteed snow after paying so much and traveling such a long distance. Go for Manali. 100% guaranteed.

Then there are other places too, however Manali is good place with good tourist traffic.

Take Volvo etc from Chandigarh, you can take via Delhi too, however bus distance from Delhi would be tiring hence take Chandigarh.

akshay4587 · 8th November 2013, 09:18

Manali won't be possible in 3 days ex-Pune unless you get a flight directly to bhuntar air port.
Shimla/Kufri should be possible but you will have to keep a track on western disturbances to get lucky.If you are lucky ;expect something like this in mid January around Kufri/chail
First pic was 17th January 2013
And second 14th January 2012.

PS:sent from a phone so excuse typos

Trip to North India - for snow. Need help!-image970704105.jpg

Trip to North India - for snow. Need help!-image2313860910.jpg

rajarams · 8th November 2013, 13:00

thanks all for the comments and also for the searching done on my behalf.
From what i see, it is a toss between Simla and Manali, depending on the days/energy i have. So, back to the drawing board now to get more days for this break.
Few things i checked:
- There are AI flights to Bhuntar/Kullu, but the connectivity from Pune/Mumbai is not so good and the total cost is also pretty high.
- I am checking on volvo/taxi connectivity from Delhi/Chandigarh for both Simla/Manali.

Few further questions:
- Are there any offbeat locations a little distance away from the mainstream places e.g. Simla/Manali i.e. off beat enough to have less crowds/more nature, but close enough for easy accessibility?
- Any recommendations on mid-range family hotels in Simla/Manali?

thx again.

28th April 2010, 11:02	#46
deky Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Jaipur Posts: 1,194 Thanked: 1,251 Times	If you were to leave Delhi on the 5th and If you did not have 5 others with you I would have requested you to give me a lift till Manali, Lol!! I am off for a trek there and have been promised that there will be snow on the higher reaches, example Rohtang. What is advisable is that if you going to Rohtang to go really early in the morning as the day sun starts to melt the snow fast and that creates lot of slush making it difficult to walk or to drive. Good luck & Regards!!
	() Thanks

15th August 2010, 20:02	#48
haripg BHPian Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Bangalore Posts: 29 Thanked: 0 Times	Hi! Let me try to bring this thread back to the original question it was supposed to answer, but fast fwded to 2010. Planning for a New Delhi trip this Dec End for a family re-union. Want to visit a place that snows with family (A place where Kids should have first hand experience of snow) What are the good options: 1. Dalhousie and around (Can do a Corbett Visit also in between?) 2. Shimla and around? Manali seems far away from Delhi (4 kids including brothers kids). Is a 12 seater TT good for travel in these areas? I have 4-5 days ex-Delhi. i
	() Thanks

16th August 2010, 10:59	#49
tsk1979 Team-BHP Support Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 23,688 Thanked: 23,494 Times View My Garage	Actually, Manali is the only place where kids are guaranteed to have snow to play with in December.
	() Thanks

27th June 2013, 15:43	#50
anantu2001 BHPian Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Bangalore Posts: 194 Thanked: 134 Times	Snow Snow Snow!! Hi All, I am here with a big confusion and need your help. Our first year marriage anniversary is coming up and my wife wishes to go for a place where there is SNOW! The anniversary is in the first week of August and I am not sure where in India one can find snow in August. I've not traveled north of Delhi and am completely unaware of the weather pattern and finer details required for the place. The first place which comes to mind when we talk of snow is Manali and then Rohtang Pass. Is Manali still a good place? Heard that its too commercialized. So guys, here is my requirement in short and I need your help to decide fast! 1. SNOW SNOW SNOW 2. Budget of approximately 25000 per person. 3. Planning for a vacation of 5 to 6 days max. 4. Calm and a less crowded place. I would like to know where else one can find snow in India other than Manali??? (I know this is a very stupid question, but I feel I can get better answers here than Google) Regards, Anant
	() Thanks

24th September 2013, 17:50	#53
infinitewheel BHPian Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Malapuram Posts: 109 Thanked: 20 Times	Re: Trip to North India - for snow. Need help! Hi friends, I am planning a trip to North in the 1st week of December. I will be reaching Delhi by flight on 3rd December at around 4 pm. I will be accompanied by my wife and my friend's family. So totally it should be around 5 people. Could any suggest me plan to a place where I could experience snow fall? Since my friend and his family had already been to Kulu-Manali, we are not having plans to go there. I should be back in Agra by 6th December night or at the most by 7th early morning to attend a conference. Kindly guide me in planning the trip, places not to be missed and places for stay. Thanks in advance.
	() Thanks

7th November 2013, 20:58	#54
rajarams BHPian Join Date: May 2010 Location: Pune Posts: 82 Thanked: 64 Times	First-time snow experience: Where to? I live in Pune. I have experienced snow before. Want to introduce my 5 yr old to a "snow" experience. Which would be a good place for it considering the pts below - Within India, within a 3 day trip from Pune (with flight) - Easy accessibility i.e. not having to trek/drive long distances to reach there - No need for ski slopes or fancy resorts. - Between mid-jan to mid-feb Thanks a lot in advance.
	() Thanks

7th November 2013, 22:04	#55
Car_Freak_911 BHPian Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Mangalore Posts: 76 Thanked: 94 Times	Re: First-time snow experience: Where to? Hey Rajaram, if you don't mind it to be artificial snow then you could go to Snow world in Hyderabad. That was the first time I had experienced snow(in 2007 or '08). Second time I had experienced was in Mount Titlis, Switzerland. Playing it the snow was almost the same experience in both the places except that the surroundings were different. Since he's a kid he'll enjoy Snow World because I had been there when I was in 7th grade and enjoyed it a lot. I think there's also one in Bangalore. Hope this helped. Cheers Carfreak911
	() Thanks

8th November 2013, 04:41	#58
tanwaramit Senior - BHPian Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Dilwalon ki Dilli Posts: 1,946 Thanked: 514 Times	I had been to Shimla in Jan 09, couldn't find snow anywhere, went to Kufri (as told by driver), from where was supposed to go trekking on horse. In sum, couldn't find snow anywhere during my trip. However, after my return there was snowfall in Shimla itself. That trip was a waste in snow searching. Went to Manali in Dec 11, snow everywhere in the city and enough of it. No dearth of snow in the city and anywhere you go, found no snowfall however. There was so much snow that could not goto several places due to heavy snow and not enough walking area. Nainital, dharamsala, not known for snow. Want guaranteed snow after paying so much and traveling such a long distance. Go for Manali. 100% guaranteed. Then there are other places too, however Manali is good place with good tourist traffic. Take Volvo etc from Chandigarh, you can take via Delhi too, however bus distance from Delhi would be tiring hence take Chandigarh.
	() Thanks

8th November 2013, 09:18	#59
akshay4587 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Chandigarh/Mohali/Ambala Cantt Posts: 4,157 Thanked: 4,724 Times View My Garage	Manali won't be possible in 3 days ex-Pune unless you get a flight directly to bhuntar air port. Shimla/Kufri should be possible but you will have to keep a track on western disturbances to get lucky.If you are lucky ;expect something like this in mid January around Kufri/chail First pic was 17th January 2013 And second 14th January 2012. PS:sent from a phone so excuse typos
	() Thanks

8th November 2013, 13:00	#60
rajarams BHPian Join Date: May 2010 Location: Pune Posts: 82 Thanked: 64 Times	Re: Trip to North India - for snow. Need help! thanks all for the comments and also for the searching done on my behalf. From what i see, it is a toss between Simla and Manali, depending on the days/energy i have. So, back to the drawing board now to get more days for this break. Few things i checked: - There are AI flights to Bhuntar/Kullu, but the connectivity from Pune/Mumbai is not so good and the total cost is also pretty high. - I am checking on volvo/taxi connectivity from Delhi/Chandigarh for both Simla/Manali. Few further questions: - Are there any offbeat locations a little distance away from the mainstream places e.g. Simla/Manali i.e. off beat enough to have less crowds/more nature, but close enough for easy accessibility? - Any recommendations on mid-range family hotels in Simla/Manali? thx again.
	() Thanks