A family trip to - Manali

Sunny Murala

Hi,

I found this site to be amazing to stay connected and get the firt hand information about any travel plan and clear many questions in mind. Thanks alll for your valuable inputs...

I planned to make a trip to Manali in the last week of November. I am basically from hyderabad, this is my travel plan, and i am planning to travel with my two kids aged 13 and 14 yrs.

- Reach Delhi by AP express
- Take a cab to Chandhigar - Stay over night
- Next day catch the toy train to Shimla - one day stay in Shimla
- From Shimla take a cab to Manali - 3days stay in Manali.
- Manali to Delhi by Volvo bus.

Folks - i have few questions like:

1.How do i book reservation for Toy train?
2.Which hotel is adviced to stay in Chandhigar,Shimla & Manali and what would be the best way for booking.
3.Does it make sense to book a cab right from Delhi for the entire trip
4.Is HPTDC volvo bus safe to travel from Manali - Delhi
5.Pl give me some contact number/Sites where i can get geinune Travel/Car agents.

mridula

You can book the Shivalik Express (Toy Train) on line. Why Chandigarh unless you plan siteseeing? You can go to Kalka straight from Delhi and then take the Toy Train.

__________________
Mridula

Travel Tales from India

vasuki

Just to add to Mridula's reply.. HPTDC hotels are the best. Check this link http://hptdc.gov.in/custsw/viewuser8.asp for list of hotels available, status and online reservations. HPTDC offers hotels at all the places you are visiting. Manali - Delhi can again be done by HPTDC Volvo. Ask to be seated in their brand new Volvo. Send a mail to their Manali office for reservation as Volvos can't be booked online.

__________________
Three goodies for Indian roads-
Good horn, Good brake, Good luck!

Himachal Travel Blog

ashwinnaagar

i wouldn't say that hptdc hotels have the best locations in manali. Try hotels in solang or katrain or naggar, they have much better views and peace.
For taxis http://wikimapia.org/10497375/HIMACH...0-094183-78594
i had booked a taxi through this and i found it to pretty good.

Sunny Murala

Thanks a lot for your inputs.

I will check out with HPTDC hotels

ashwinnaagar

http://upadhyaycottages.com/contactus.html

http://icelandhotel.homestead.com/
have a much better location than the hptdc hotels in manali.
The hotel beas is located very close to the market
(its noisy), so is rohtang manalsu and hamta huts.

Sunny Murala

folks i need your help on taking a decision

booked a Innova from Delhi - Chandhigar - Shimla - Manali - Delhi for 20k from "Four wheel drive"
can i go for it

Hotels

Hotel DIAMOND PLAZA (CHANDIGARH)
Hotel BRIDGE VIEW (SHIMLA)
Hotel Snow Park (MANALI)

pl. give me your feedback asap

vasuki

By any chance were these hotels suggested by the travel company? You can book online HPTDC Himachal Bhawan at Chandigarh, Holiday home or Peterhoff in Shimla, Kunzum / Rohtang Manalsu / Loghuts in Manali. All these are HPTDC hotels. here is a link to HPTDC website, www.hptdc.nic.in

Hotel Snowpark in Manali is within a petrol pump complex. Unless you want to stay with a smell of fuel station, this is not recommended.

HPTDC have good hotels everywhere. Here is a tentative list of private good hotels.

Shimla - Hotel White, Baljees / Landmark and Woodville Palace are slightly upmarket

Manali - Holiday Cottages and there is a hotel Sunpark in Aleo which is quite decent. Lots many hotels in Manali, just google..

This is a tentative list. I would still recommend HPTDC hotels though.