Shimla Manali Tour Package Via Luxury Bus

Want to explore Shimla and Manali together? First, listen to some straight and honest talk from a local Pahadi!

If you're thinking of coming to Himachal, the combination of Shimla and Manali is evergreen—just like Rajma with Chawal! But if you ask me, "Brother, what is the best way to do this trip?", there are two simple and practical ways:

1. First Way (Full Private Cab): Book your own private cab right from Chandigarh or Delhi for the entire trip, and travel like a total boss (Raja Babu style) in the same car from start to finish.

2. Second Budget-Friendly Way (The Volvo Bus + Local Cab Jugaad): Choose this bus + cab combination only if you are 2 or 3 people (a couple or close buddies)! If you are 4 or more people, quietly go for the full cab plan. The places you visit in both options remain 100% the same—the only difference is the dent it makes in your pocket!

Let's first understand how you'll travel with the Bus + Cab Combination (3 Nights Hotel + 2 Nights Bus):

Suppose you reach Delhi on Friday night. Book an AC Volvo bus to Shimla departing after 10:00 PM. The logic behind this is simple: you'll reach Shimla at a comfortable hour on Saturday morning, which greatly increases your chances of getting an Early Check-in at the hotel. If the room is vacant, great! Otherwise, you might have to chill for a little while in the reception area enjoying the crisp mountain air and a hot cup of tea.

Once you freshen up, head out for local sightseeing in Shimla. First, visit the Indian Institute of Advanced Study (IIAS / Viceregal Lodge)—a grand British-era building so magnificent that 1 to 2 hours will fly by before you even realize it. After that, the car turns toward Kufri, with quick photo stops along the way at Green Valley and Rashtrapati Niwas.

Now, listen to the bitter truth about Kufri: all of Shimla's adventure activities happen right here. There is a spot called Mahasu Peak where plenty of tourists go, but to reach the top, you either have to hire a local Kufri union vehicle or pay pony/mule owners. If you ask me personally, I don't really like Mahasu Peak that much—it's full of dust and horse dung, and the place isn't well-maintained right now. The only thing going for it is that it's the highest peak near Shimla, so whether to go up or not is completely up to your mood and your wallet!

However, if you have kids with you or you genuinely want clean, well-managed fun, the place I liked the most is Adventure Resorts Kufri (New Kufri). Brother, this is not a paid promotion, but the surrounding mountain views from here are awesome, and it has Go-Karting, Zipline, Sky Swinger, Bungee Ejection, 5D Theatre, Haunted House, Mirror Maze, plus a man-made Snow Kingdom / Snow Park where you can play in the snow all year round. Yes, Kufri is definitely a pocket-draining place—so if you have zero interest in adventure rides, it's better to skip Kufri altogether! Apart from this, Kufri also has the Himalayan Nature Park (Kufri Zoo) where you can spot leopards, bears, barasingha (swamp deer), and Himalayan birds—visit if you feel like it, or skip it.

Returning from Kufri around sunset, head to Jakhoo Peak (Hanuman Temple). Take my word and go via the Jakhu Ropeway (Gondola) at sunset—the views while gliding through the air are top-notch! You can also go by car, but the road up is super narrow and parking space at the top is very limited.

Spend your evening at the famous Shimla Mall Road and The Ridge. To be honest, we travel agents love exaggerating things just to make our itinerary look long—"Sir, you'll have The Ridge, Christ Church, Kali Bari Temple, Lakkar Bazaar, Scandal Point, and blah-blah!" But brother, these places aren't in different cities—they are all part of the main Mall Road and Ridge area where you simply walk around on foot!

And yes, if you are a bit of a connoisseur of good times ('shaukeen mizaaj'), there are some great bars and restaurants on Mall Road near The Ridge. The one I personally like is The Brew Estate—they haven't paid me a rupee either, but what can I do, it's genuinely a great spot! The food and drinks vibe here is awesome—it's a small pub, but the energy is fantastic! Just remember one thing: while eating and drinking, you lose track of time. If you're hanging out with our drivers till 10:00 PM, there's zero issue; but if you get delayed past 10:00 PM, the driver brother might ask for ₹500 as an extra night charge. That also depends on your bonding with the driver—and honestly, you've come here on vacation, so that much is fair game!

On the next day, Sunday, leave early in the morning for Manali so that you reach Kullu between 1:00 PM and 2:00 PM in the afternoon. Along the way, you'll pass Sundernagar Lake View Point—there's nothing special there, we agents just write the name in the itinerary to increase the count of sightseeing spots! After that comes Pandoh Dam View Point, from where you can now take the new Mata Baglamukhi Temple Ropeway to seek blessings at Baglamukhi Mata Temple and enjoy steaming hot Pahadi Maggi. Next, in Kullu Valley, jump into the icy waters of the Beas River for River Rafting—as you hit the roaring river rapids, the waves and your heartbeat will race up and down together! You can also enjoy Paragliding or a Hot Air Balloon ride, shop for shawls and local dry fruits at a Kullu Shawl Factory, and reach your Manali hotel by evening for a delicious dinner and a good night's sleep.

On the third day, Monday, it's time for the real Manali Snow Point Tour (the Rohtang and Sissu circuit). After a heavy breakfast, we'll climb up to Rohtang Pass via the traditional scenic route of Gulaba and Marhi (if you visit before June–July, you'll find creamy white snow; after that, the snow shrinks into black, muddy patches inside gullies and pony owners charge hefty rates). The thrill of paragliding from the height of Rohtang is next-level—my own courage has given up with my growing age and belly, but if you still have the guts of a 20–22-year-old, take the leap! Crossing Rohtang, we'll descend into Sissu in Lahaul Valley—eat hot momos and Maggi at a dhaba, ride the over-river Zipline, and if your legs still have strength, hike up to the Sissu Waterfall. On the way back, click 1–2 photos at the Atal Tunnel gates, quietly close your eyes to bypass dusty Solang Valley during non-snow months, and return to the hotel.

On the fourth day, Tuesday, check out from the hotel for Manali local sightseeing. Start with blessings at Hadimba Devi Temple and a peaceful walk through the quiet deodar cedar forest behind it (Van Vihar). If you have kids along, keep them busy with the "real PUBG guns" and rides at the nearby amusement park. And if you're with friends or a couple, leave the car parked right at Club House (otherwise your blood pressure will shoot up hunting for parking in the narrow lanes of Old Manali), walk up to a riverside cafe in Old Manali, and enjoy pure, carefree banter. If your legs still have life in them, definitely do the trek to my absolute favorite spot, Jogini Waterfall (via Vashisht Village or the Bahang DGRE trail)—it'll give you the exact feel of the mighty waterfall mountain from the Baahubali movie! In the evening, enjoy a softy ice cream on Manali Mall Road and board your overnight AC Volvo bus back to Delhi!

And if you are traveling from start to finish by Private Cab (5 Nights / 6 Days):

Then your overnight bus journeys are completely eliminated! All the sightseeing spots remain 100% the same:

• Day 1: Arrival in Shimla by cab from Delhi or Chandigarh (if you reach on time, we'll cover Mall Road and The Ridge on Day 1 itself).

• Day 2: Shimla local sightseeing, Indian Institute of Advanced Study, and Kufri fun.

• Day 3: Shimla to Manali via Kullu Valley.

• Day 4: Manali Snow Point tour (Gulaba, Marhi, Rohtang Pass, Sissu, and Atal Tunnel).

• Day 5: Manali local sightseeing, Old Manali cafes, and Jogini Waterfall trek.

• Day 6: Drop-off from Manali back to Chandigarh or Delhi. The total cost of this complete plan comes to roughly ₹ 40,000 for 4 people with delhi pick and drop along with rohtang.

Now, if you feel like this guy is showing off way too much local wisdom and you just want the straightforward Day-by-Day itinerary like every other website shows—scroll down and read the complete breakdown, distances (with Google Maps), and list of places for both options below!