Need help with Shimla - Kullu - Manali trip

Steele

Hi All!




I intend to travel with my family to Shimla/Kullu/Manali on June 17th from Mumbai.

The itirenary is this way:

1. 17.06.2008 Mumbai to Kalka 3AC

2. 18.06.2008 Reach Kalka @ 2:30pm

3. Halt 1 night at Kalka
Accomodation in Kalka at "The Shiwalik" in Parwanoo
http://www.hptdc.nic.in/cir0101.htm#hshiw

4. 19.06.2008 Catch Toy Train to Shimla

5. 19 - 20.06.2008 Stay 2 nights at Shimla

6. 21.06.2007 Hire Tavera...Move on to Kullu/Manali...Stay for 3/4 days

7. Leave Manali on 24.06.2008 by bus/taxi to Chandigarh. Almost 10 hour ride.

8. Halt one night at Chandigarh

9. 25.06.2008 Take Kalka - Mumbai train back home



What do you guys think of this plan? Any better way to tweak it? What are the places of interest that should not be missed? What about the weather? Clothes? Hotel accommodations?

Any help will be greatly appreciated. TIA

sb_amd_us

It's very relaxed journey which is good! I visited Shimla in July 2005. One day site seeing in Shimla is good enough(Jakhu Temple/Vice Regal lodge/Mall Road....and if you're in for some adventure...visit Chadwick Falls). You can visit Kufri(Horseback ride a must there)/Chail/Naldhera.
Hotel in Shimla: Avoid Woodville Palace...My friend stayed at Combermere Hotel on mall road last June and he was very happy with it.
Naldhera: I stayed at Hotel Golf links and it was awesome.

Manali: I've not visited yet. Plan is for July this year.

rajeev1008

The plan looks good. You could look at the Timber Trail resort to stay in Parwanoo. It has a nice rope way to the mountain top on the other side, and not too far from the Kalka railways tation.
http://www.timbresort.com/resort/index.htm

vgoenka2000

nice trip. We want there in march 2001. Shimla is awesome as is manali. Do take your time off to go and sit on the banks of the Beas river in manali. There is nothing worth visiting in kullu.

Dilliwala

3/4. I think there's a train around 3 pm to Shimla. Take it. Waste of time staying in Parwanu one night.
Note: Not all trains between KLK and SML show up on the IR website, but there are extra trains in summer and holiday seasons.

9. No point back-tracking to KLK. You can probably catch the same train at CHD, otherwise another train.

Steele

Hi Guys! Thank you sb_amd_us, rajeev1008, vgoenka2000 and Dilliwala so much for your help! IndiaMike rocks!

I have tweaked my itirenary a bit:

Day 1 - 18.06.08 - 11:35 Depart from Mumbai via Paschim Express 2925

Day 2 - 19.06.08 - 16:35 Arrive in Kalka - Stay at the Shiwalik in Parwanu (sorry rajeev1008...Timber Trail Resort seemed very inviting but it is almost 7 kilometers from the Railway station...as I have small children and my mother with me, staying close to the station is important as the Toy Train leaves at 5:30am the next day. Dilliwala, I am really looking forward to the Toy Train ride, so I will give a pass to your kind suggestion of the 3pm train to Shimla.)

Day 3 - 20.06.08 - 05:30 Leave Kalka aboard the Shiwalik Deluxe Express. Arrive at 10:15 in Shimla. Have booked into the Dalziel Hotel (www.dalzielhotel.com). Check out the Chadwick Falls during the day and Mall Road at night.

Day 4 - 21.06.08 - 08:00 Check out Fagu, Chail and Kufri

Day 5 - 22.06.08 - ??:?? Leave Shimla for Manali. Have booked into "The Castle" at Naggar. What should I do in Manali?

Day 6 - 23.06.08 - What should I do in Manali? Certainly sitting by the Beas is on the agenda. :-) Thanks vgoenka2000!

Day 7 - 24.06.08 - What should I do in Manali?

Day 8 - 25.06.08 - What should I do in Manali?

Day 9 - 26.06.08 - Leave Manali - how? not yet decided...I could fly back through Guntur Airport, or take the Volvo to Kalka and the Paschim Express back to Mumbai.



Some more inputs would really be appreciated.


Thank you all again!

rajeev1008

manali - can take a morning trip to Rohtang pass and Solang.
A day trip to manikaran is also an option. Paschim express stops at Chandigarh also, so can take the Volvo from Manali-Chd.

Dilliwala

Steele, all the trains Kalka-Shimla are toy trains. Including the extra ones in summer. If it were me, I'd prefer an extra night in Shimla any day to hanging around Parwanu and have to get up at an unearthly hour.

I hope you realise that Naggar is approx 25 km from Manali. The hotel and location is good though, I suggest stay for one night.

Things to do in/around Manali? Hmm, let's see -visit Solang, Rohtang, Vashisht, Hadimba temple and folk museum nearby, nice walks in the forests/parks (part of town), Buddhist monastery if you like that sort of thing, Old Manali - Manu Temple, good and cheap restaurants/bakeries, Bhuttico in the bazar if you want to buy local hand-woven stuff, Jagatsukh village with old temple is 6 km away........

Umm, Guntur is in AP. Bit of a way to be going to catch a flight to Mumbai, isn't it? I'm guessing you mean Bhuntar.
It's still not clear to me why you are hung up on going back to Kalka if you decide to take a train. From Manali it's quicker and easier to go to Chandigarh, the Pashchim Express stops there anyway as rajeev has pointed out. And the Volvo from Manali doesn't go thru Kalka, you wud have to change at Shimla. But it goes thru Chandigarh for sure.
You cud even go upto Ambala - in any case you wud have to hang around for 45 mins at the RS while the rest of the train arrives from Amritsar.

timepass18

hey steele...even I am from mumbai and going to agra-delhi-shimla-kullu-manali from 20th june to 1St july..and even we are planning to book dalziel hotel for our stay in shimla..at what rate did you do the booking?? Can we get a discount?? we are a group of 6 guys

sb_amd_us

Steele,
Since you mentioned "Children+Mother" on this trip, I would not recommend Chadwick Falls. It's about 2KM hike down the valley once you find the entrace to trek. Instead you should visit Vice Regal lodge and relax there.
Chadwick is just an average fall but hike down the valley is beautiful....We went there in late July and area near the fall had lots of trash left behind...which may not be the case anymore or on the peak season. Also it's not very easy to find this place as there are no clear signs. It took us two hours to find the entrace to this fall as small sign(only one though) was hanging off the tree which a small shop keeper pointed out when we got tired and stopped for a tea break...otherwise I would still be searching for this place.
I'll also be staying one night in Nagar Castle this July and will be waiting for your trip report.

Steele

I am back! Was busy at work. Sadly, the ex-Emir of Kuwait, Sheikh Sa'ad has passed away and there is a 3-day mourning period in Kuwait. Hence all government establishments got Wednesday and Thursday as off days.

Has allowed me to catch up on my trip planning. The ex-Emir was very much loved. Even in his passing away he has managed to bring some much needed rest to people like me. May God have mercy on his soul!

Steele

rajeev1008, you say that there are Volvo buses between Manali and Chandigarh? I did not seem to find it at the HIMACHAL ROAD TRANSPORT CORPORATION Online Booking System.

Perhaps you could offer more insight?

http://www.sugamhimachal.org/HRTCTickets/Default.aspx



TIA

Steele

Dilliwala, I will be reaching Kalka @ 16:35. There are no Toy Trains leaving for Shimla then. Or are there? I would be glad if you could help me out here.

Thanks for pointing out that Naggar is 25km from Manali. I have decided to chuck “The Castle” and book myself with someone else closer in Manali.

And you are right! I meant Bhuntar not Guntur!!

Steele

Hey! Where did my post to rajeev1008 go???

Dilliwala

Probably not, becos of the late arrival. I emphasise though, that there are extra trains in summer which do not show up on IR website. You can only find out at Kalka, unless a member has the info and posts it.