[Ushuaia]

Originally Posted by luvtandon

Kiratpur Sahib to Swarghat is just 31 kms and the road upto Kiratpur Sahib is 4 lane thus taking around 5.30 - 6 hrs to reach there from Delhi including a half hour break. The hill portion which is around 244 kms also starts after crossing Kiratpur Sahib. Kindly advise keeping this in consideration.

Thanks & regards !!

Hilly portiom starts after 5 to 6 km after kiratpur sahib. I would suggest stick to this route only. If you keep the momentum and overtake cautiously and not take any or very small breaks till barmana. You should be scot free after that. Another demanding stretch is post mandi till aut tunnel there are lot of switchbacks and you may face traffic from opposite side. And do take the kullu bypass to ensure you arnt slowed down by the narrow lanes and town traffic. I would suggest start early from delhi. Which part of delhi would you be starting? You should be crossing kiratpur sahib by 10 am max. That'll set you up with some traffic between kiratpur and barmana. Go for it, every route is new till you drive it.

[mnautss]

Originally Posted by luvtandon

Kiratpur Sahib to Swarghat is just 31 kms and the road upto Kiratpur Sahib is 4 lane thus taking around 5.30 - 6 hrs to reach there from Delhi including a half hour break. The hill portion which is around 244 kms also starts after crossing Kiratpur Sahib.

In that case I would also suggest you to take the Kiratpur Sahib road as 'Ushuaia' recommends.

That will save you a lot of time for sure.

Have a happy journey.

[luvtandon]

So now after your replies the route is almost fixed as -

Delhi-Chandigarh-Ropar-Kiratpur Sahib-Mandi-Kullu Bypass-Manali.

Do let me know if there is any improvement required in the route.

Now if anyone can suggest on the things to do and places to visit in and around Manali.

Thanks & regards !!

[Turbanator]

Delhi-Chandigarh-Ropar-Kiratpur Sahib-Mandi-Kullu Bypass-Manali.

Was on this route and will suggest to avoid this altogether , Road conditions are very bad as soon as you leave Ropar - Nangal highway all the way to Bilaspur with very small sections in reasonable shape and instead consider below options

Option 1

Coming from Delhi continue towards Chandigarh after Ambala . Take Exit for Himalayan Expressway from Zirakpur , continue on Shimla highway till Dharampur , leave highway & take Left towards Subathu - Kunihar- PipluGhat- Brahmpukar & Join Manali Highway at Ghaghas . Via this route we bypass complete mess on the regular route . This one has smaller roads but in far better condition . Do remember to take Right from Brahmpukar towards Ghaghas else you will land up at Nauni and join Manali Highway before Bilaspur . Just before this turn , there is a good roadside Dhaba

https://www.google.co.in/maps/dir/Am...31.7081655!3e0

Option 2

Continue on Ropar - Nangal Highway to Nangal and then to UNA - Bhota - Mandi , this road though about 60 Km longer is without any hills and in very good condition and will be a much faster option

From Chandigarh

https://www.google.co.in/maps/dir/Ch...31.7081655!3e0


From Ambala in case someone wants to avoid Chandigarh


https://www.google.co.in/maps/dir/Am...31.7081655!3e0

[ashtech007]

Hi Guys.....Just back from a road trip to Manali from Mumbai. While detailed travelogue will follow, just wanted to update that the highway from Kiratpur to Ghaghas is really very bad - we took about 2 and half hours to cover the 70 odd kms. The road is in a poor condition accentuated by the heavy dusty traffic due to the presence of cement plants in that area. The road conditions improve after Ghaghas till Mandi, but requires navigation for 25-30 kms of town traffic from Sundernagar to Mandi. The road onwards from Mandi to Manali is pretty smooth specially with the new Kulu bypass.

Overall Chandigarh to Manali is easily a 9-10 hr drive. It is really worthwhile to explore alternatives mentioned above to the Kiratpur -Ghaghas- Mandi stretch. However I spoke to many people including taxi drivers prior to departing from Chandigarh, everyone seemed to be reconciled to covering this bad stretch via Kiratpur.

Cheers,
Ashish

[luvtandon]

Sorry to bother everyone once again.

Owing to 3 small kids aged about 2 years who are going to travel with us in this trip we are toying with the idea to break the trip both ways i.e. one day stop each in the to and fro journey thereby making our stay 5 nights at Manali.

I may request all to suggest places to stay at for the two nights, one at the beginning of the journey and the second at the last leg of the journey both on the Delhi-Kiratpur-Manali and Delhi-Shimla-Manali route to enable us to plan our journey accordingly.

Thanks in advance,

Luv Tandon

[Ushuaia]

Originally Posted by luvtandon

Sorry to bother everyone once again.

Owing to 3 small kids aged about 2 years who are going to travel with us in this trip we are toying with the idea to break the trip both ways i.e. one day stop each in the to and fro journey thereby making our stay 5 nights at Manali.

I may request all to suggest places to stay at for the two nights, one at the beginning of the journey and the second at the last leg of the journey both on the Delhi-Kiratpur-Manali and Delhi-Shimla-Manali route to enable us to plan our journey accordingly.

Thanks in advance,

Luv Tandon

Lake View Bilaspur. I always stop there when I travel with kids. Decent accomodation if you reach early you can enjoy the lost temples in beas catchment area.

[Krishnan V G]

Originally Posted by luvtandon

Sorry to bother everyone once again.

Owing to 3 small kids aged about 2 years who are going to travel with us in this trip we are toying with the idea to break the trip both ways i.e. one day stop each in the to and fro journey thereby making our stay 5 nights at Manali.

I may request all to suggest places to stay at for the two nights, one at the beginning of the journey and the second at the last leg of the journey both on the Delhi-Kiratpur-Manali and Delhi-Shimla-Manali route to enable us to plan our journey accordingly.

Thanks in advance,

Luv Tandon

Hi,
We have been travelling within HP for the last three weeks, and started from Gurgaon on 9th April. We drove to Bilaspur via Chandigarh. Kiratpur, Swarghat route but it is in very bad shape now. We stayed in Lakeview Hotel, and the place is on the highway itself. It's a very decent option to stay.
I suggest that you look at the option of taking a circuitous but a much better route to Manali. The route is Delhi to Ambala to Rupnagar to Una to Barot to Ner Chowk, leading to Mandi. We stayed at Visco Resorts about two kms before Mandi. Too good a place to stay and have food. This route may take about eight to nine hours but is much better than the regular route. Pl do evaluate this option. From here it's the regular route to Manali.

[luvtandon]

Thanks everybody for your kind advice.

Finally decided on the following itinerary with all accommodations booked and payments made:

Leave Delhi at around 04:30 in the morning on 24th May

24th-26th May : Stay at Shimla

Leave Shimla on 26th May for Manali

26th May to 31st May : Stay at Manali

Leave Manali 31st May for Delhi via Bilaspur-Kiratpur-Ambala

This makes it total 7 Nights and 8 Days with 2 nights at Shimla and 5 nights at Manali.

Now I will be grateful if somebody can advice on the local sightseeing in and around Shimla and Manali looking at the time we have at hand at both places.

Thanks,

Luv Tandon

[MadTiger]

Hello Guys,

Would deeply appreciate any help with route info - will be travelling with better half.

Plan is Day 1 - Delhi Airport to Shimla

Day 3 Shimla to Manali

Day 6 Manali to Delhi -

I have booked zoomcar, would like to know the best route to Shimla and from Manali to Delhi

Most important is Manali to Delhi Airport of on Day 6, I have to reach Airport by 7 PM at any cost. So any suggestion to start how early would be helpful.

Thanks in Advance.

[Ushuaia]

Originally Posted by MadTiger

Hello Guys,

Would deeply appreciate any help with route info - will be travelling with better half.

Plan is Day 1 - Delhi Airport to Shimla

Day 3 Shimla to Manali

Day 6 Manali to Delhi -

I have booked zoomcar, would like to know the best route to Shimla and from Manali to Delhi

Most important is Manali to Delhi Airport of on Day 6, I have to reach Airport by 7 PM at any cost. So any suggestion to start how early would be helpful.

Thanks in Advance.

Delhi shimla is easy, no sweat drive approx 8 to 9 hrs depending on time of start and pace.

Shimla to manali has multiple route options. I did the reverse from took ghumarwain ghagas to dharampur then to delhi. See +turbanators post. Day 6 for return to delhi it takes about 16 hrs add to the mix truck traffic between barmana till kiratpur and crossing chandigarh. If you are comfortable driving at night start on day 5 at about 4. Thats the time most of the volvo's start. Else start 3 or 4 am and try getting inside delhi border by 4.30 - 5 pm. In my opinion you should reverse the trip, do manali first then on the way back do shimla.

[Eddy]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

.

HVK, Others.

Plan to do a road trip (Zoomcar). It'll be two couples and three kids (ages 4, 5 & 10) with family. I'll be the only driver. This is a tentative itinerary

29th Dec -

- 12 Noon. Start from Delhi Cannot start earlier due to an exam that one of the kids has to write.
- Reach Anandpur Sahib at 5 pm. Visit the Virasat-e-Khalsa museum. Overnight stay at Anandpur

30th Dec
- 6 am start to reach Manali by afternoon

30th Evening, 31st, 1 Jan, 2 Jan
- Local sight seeing

3 Jan Manali to Delhi non stop.

Questions:

- Is it doable, considering fog in Dec, Road conditions and a single driver ?
- 3.5 days in Manali are enough ?

[Turbanator]

29th Dec -

- 12 Noon. Start from Delhi Cannot start earlier due to an exam that one of the kids has to write.
- Reach Anandpur Sahib at 5 pm. Visit the Virasat-e-Khalsa museum. Overnight stay at Anandpur

Depending on where you start from Delhi - 5 hours to Anandpur Sahib looks difficult . If we consider your starting point as Karnal Bypass Delhi where buses usually halt , you can reach Chandigarh in 4 -4 1/2 hours with 1 stop for food / tea perhaps 15 minutes extra given you are with family . You will have to pass through Chandigarh - there is one Bypass coming up just before Zirakpur which should get operational by December hopefully - this will take you on a new Road passing through Mohali to somewhere near Kharar . Else you will have to pass through Chandigarh . Factor around 2 hours from Chandigarh for Anandpur Sahib .

30th Dec
- 6 am start to reach Manali by afternoon

Yes should be able to reach around 1-2 , do ask for present road conditions with locals on Bilaspur route else take the

Continue on Ropar - Nangal Highway to Nangal and then to UNA - Bhota - Mandi , this road though about 60 Km longer is without any hills and in very good condition and will be a much faster option

From Chandigarh ( Derrabassi after Toll )

https://www.google.co.in/maps/dir/De...31.2344015!5i1

If you want to avoid Chandigarh , can take Ambala route as well but recently a toll has coe up before you take right towards Banur

https://www.google.co.in/maps/dir/Am...2!2d31.2344015

[ank.nsit]

Originally Posted by Turbanator

Was on this route and will suggest to avoid this altogether , Road conditions are very bad as soon as you leave Ropar - Nangal highway all the way to Bilaspur with very small sections in reasonable shape and instead consider below options

Option 1

Coming from Delhi continue towards Chandigarh after Ambala . Take Exit for Himalayan Expressway from Zirakpur , continue on Shimla highway till Dharampur , leave highway & take Left towards Subathu - Kunihar- PipluGhat- Brahmpukar & Join Manali Highway at Ghaghas . Via this route we bypass complete mess on the regular route . This one has smaller roads but in far better condition . Do remember to take Right from Brahmpukar towards Ghaghas else you will land up at Nauni and join Manali Highway before Bilaspur . Just before this turn , there is a good roadside Dhaba

https://www.google.co.in/maps/dir/Am...31.7081655!3e0

Option 2

Continue on Ropar - Nangal Highway to Nangal and then to UNA - Bhota - Mandi , this road though about 60 Km longer is without any hills and in very good condition and will be a much faster option

From Chandigarh

https://www.google.co.in/maps/dir/Ch...31.7081655!3e0


From Ambala in case someone wants to avoid Chandigarh


https://www.google.co.in/maps/dir/Am...31.7081655!3e0

Hey Turbanator, I would be traveling from Delhi.

Which among the 2 options you mentioned is better to take?

Thanks in advance.

[Turbanator]

Which among the 2 options you mentioned is better to take?

currently main highway - Ropar - Kiratpur - Swarghat - Bilaspur is in good shape except for small patches. They are doing 4 laning between Kiratpur - Swarghat and have made new road operational on one side, just factor the extra rush due to extended holi weekend.