Snow-covered peaks above a green valley and a mountain road near Manali

India

Himachal

The Himalayan foothills north of Delhi: a colonial hill station, the home in exile of the Dalai Lama, tea gardens in the Kangra valley, and the high desert of Spiti.

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When the plains are too hot, Himachal is cool. The British built their summer capital at Shimla; today the state is known for its apple orchards, walking and, at McLeod Ganj above Dharamshala, the Tibetan community around the Dalai Lama.

In the far north-east, Spiti is a high, dry valley of monasteries, much like Ladakh but even quieter.

Written by the TravelZeg team in New Delhi.

In short

Best for: Escaping the summer heat, Tibetan culture, gentle walks, a toy train
Less suited to: Heavy rain in July and August, when roads are often blocked
Best time: March to June and September to November; June to September for Spiti.
Ideal length: 6 to 10 nights.

Where to go

Where to go in Himachal

Shimla: The Mall, the Viceregal Lodge and the Kalka–Shimla railway, one of the UNESCO-listed mountain railways of India.
McLeod Ganj and Dharamshala: The Tibetan government in exile, the Tsuglagkhang temple and the Norbulingka Institute for Tibetan arts.
The Kangra valley: Tea gardens, old temples and the heritage hotels of Palampur and Pragpur.
Spiti: Key and Tabo monasteries and villages above 4,000 metres, open from June to September.
The Kullu valley: Orchards and old wooden temples around Naggar, quieter than busy Manali.

In pictures

Himachal in pictures

A traditional house of timber and whitewashed stone with a carved wooden balcony — A village house in Himachal

Slate roofs among orchards below a cedar forest — Village roofs below a forest of deodar cedars

A small Tibetan Buddhist temple with prayer flags, below forested mountains — A Tibetan monastery in Manali

Pink primulas and yellow flowers in a high meadow beside a stream, in cloud — Summer flowers near the Rohtang pass

A white clock tower with pagoda roofs in a garden square — Mandi, on the road to the Kullu valley

Rows of figures covered in broken bangles at Nek Chand's Rock Garden — The Rock Garden in Chandigarh, the gateway to the hills

Our view

What we rate, and what we would skip

What we rate

The toy train to Shimla

Five hours of tunnels and bridges; take it one way.

Norbulingka

Tibetan artists at work, and a calm garden.

Spiti for the adventurous

A remarkable valley for those with time and good health.

What we would skip

Manali in the Indian holidays

May, June and October weekends are very crowded.

Monsoon travel

Landslides close roads in July and August.

Spiti in a hurry

The altitude and the roads need time.

Practical

Getting there and around

Getting there: Fly to Dharamshala (Gaggal) or Shimla from Delhi, or take the train to Kalka or Chandigarh and drive.
Combine with: Delhi; Amritsar's Golden Temple; Ladakh, by road from Manali.

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