Tavelling Shimla,Kullu and Manali in September!

mrinalini · Jul 17th, 2006, 12:05

Hello everybody! Did anybody book their hotels and bus through himachalhotels.in? Is it safe to pay by credit card? I have to pay by International Credit card. Do they charge more for that??

sabby80 · Jul 18th, 2006, 16:49

Hi Mrinalini,

I have a few suggestions

1. Do not waste ur time in kullu & Nagar - Both Nagar Castle & Roerich Art Gallery are highly avoidable & Kullu itself is a crowded terrible place

2. In Manali, stay at Kunzam ( its bang in the middle of the mall & HPTDC buses depart from Kunzam hotel so thats a big plus) Apple view is good but cld be a bit of a prob for ur mom, as mk26in has already pointed out. 2 years Back I stayed at a place called 'Whispering Rocks Resort' & it was very good so I'd highly reccomend it - Its away from the maddening tourist crowd of Manali town & the view is breathtaking. The only prob is u'll hav to have a vehicle to travel to manali ( 8kms ) for any shopping u might wanna do.

3. To travel back to Delhi, HPTDC runs a sleeper a/c bus which is pretty good - especially for ur mom. My grandparents, both septegenarians loved the 15 hr bus ride. Trust me, sitting in a bus throughout the night isnt a very pleasant experience! The fare for the sleeper bus is a little higher - Rs.1100 but definitely worth every paisa.

4. As someone has already pointed out - u'll hav to book ur bus tickets & also make ur hotel reservations abt a 2-3 weeks in advance to be on the safe side

5. Start early for Rohtang Pass, i.e at abt 6 am or so - before the mad rush of tourists gets there.

6. In shimla, eat out at Baljees & In Manali head to Johnsons Cafe & Cafe Amigos - both just off the mall. The eggless apple pie is yum at both the places - at least by Indian standards.

Wish u all the best & Hope u Hav a great Journey
Cheers!
Subrat

Heres my post on my trip to Manali in apr this yr -
Manali : A different Perspective!

kullukid · Jul 18th, 2006, 17:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by sabby80

Hi Mrinalini,

I have a few suggestions

1. Do not waste ur time in kullu & Nagar - Both Nagar Castle & Roerich Art Gallery are highly avoidable & Kullu itself is a crowded terrible place.
Sabby,You may be right about Kullu but what do you have against Nagar???? It's a great place to take your mum!

2. In Manali, stay at Kunzam ( its bang in the middle of the mall & HPTDC buses depart from Kunzam hotel so thats a big plus) Apple view is good but cld be a bit of a prob for ur mom, as mk26in has already pointed out. 2 years Back I stayed at a place called 'Whispering Rocks Resort' & it was very good so I'd highly reccomend it - Its away from the maddening tourist crowd of Manali town & the view is breathtaking. The only prob is u'll hav to have a vehicle to travel to manali ( 8kms ) for any shopping u might wanna do.
Sabby, I don't understand why you would suggest staying bang in the middle of the mall in Manali busy noisy newtown!when there are so many laid back peaceful places around old Manali? Confused!!
3. To travel back to Delhi, HPTDC runs a sleeper a/c bus which is pretty good - especially for ur mom. My grandparents, both septegenarians loved the 15 hr bus ride. Trust me, sitting in a bus throughout the night isnt a very pleasant experience! The fare for the sleeper bus is a little higher - Rs.1100 but definitely worth every paisa.
Hi Mrinalini, Personally i never take tourist or night buses where i can avoid it, you miss what you came to India to see, in the dark! If i were you i would break this journey up either at Shimla or better still take a day time bus from Manali to Dharamsla & have a quick stop off at Mcleod gange from here you can take a bus to Delhi or even take the train from Pathankot to Amrirtsar see the Golden Temple the next day back on train to Delhi.
4. As someone has already pointed out - u'll hav to book ur bus tickets & also make ur hotel reservations abt a 2-3 weeks in advance to be on the safe side
Hi Mrinalini, It may be prudent to book the odd hotel in advance but i've never found it necessary to pre-book buses this far in advance, you could do all this when you get to Shimla or even Manali.

Good Luck KK

sabby80 · Jul 18th, 2006, 18:28

Dear KulluKid

I'm glad u dont understand my suggestions - coz they were not meant for u anyway. They were directed at Mrinalini & its upto her whether she picks up any of em.

mrinalini · Jul 20th, 2006, 06:00

Hi Sabby80! Thanks for the informations. I will definitely keep these points in mind.Thanks for the information about restaurants too!( I was just about to post a question about it!

)I have never been to Shimla,Kullu and Manali before. So I am seeking help from those have already been there.
I guess various people had various experiences.
Thanks Kullukid, for pointing out the difficulties too.
But I have a question. Will it make sense to come back to Shimla again? (I hope you saw my tour plan!)

smo · Jul 20th, 2006, 10:49

No, there is no point in returning to Shimla again. One year back ( 2005 summer ) I left ( Old )Delhi by Kalka-mail and reached early morning at Kalka station. Then by Shivalik Exp to Shimla. I was not having a digital camera that time so low resolution photos of my handycam is here .
http://www.go2india.in/himachal/toy-train.php

I stayed one day at Shimla and took a Maruti- Alto ( two adults + two kids ) to Manali next day. Stayed three nights at Manali ( Beas HPTDC) . Returned to Delhi by bus.

sabby80 · Jul 20th, 2006, 13:17

Hi Mrinalini,
Theres no point returning to Shimla. If u r'nt interested in Delhi sightseeing, I'd suggest u hire a taxi from Manali to Kalka & catch Kalka Mail from there - that'll cut dnt abt 5 hrs of journey on road & also any expenses for staying in delhi.

If ur travelling during the dussera holidays then please do book tickets & hotels in advance. This summer I could neither get a tichet on the HPTDC Volvo bus nor a room in hotel Kunzum, despite trying 10 days in advanvce - so I guess 2-3 weeks shld be safer.

In Manali, theres also a modest bengali restaurant on the first floor, opposite the govt. bus station ( on the mall rd ). My grandparents liked it so much - they refused to eat anywhere else! U might wanna try it if ur from Bengal!

kullukid · Jul 20th, 2006, 21:44

Hi, a nice alternative would be to take a tourist or local bus to Dharamsala & spend a day or 3 in Mcleod Gange home of Dalai Lama from there you could take a bus/taxi or even the Kangra valley toy train to Pathankot where you can catch a direct train back to Delhi or alternatively stop halfway at Amritsar for 1 night & visit the Golden Temple. KK

mrinalini · Jul 22nd, 2006, 12:21

Thanks smo, sabby and kullukid. I spoke to my mother today.She is not very comfortable about travelling by bus form Manali to Delhi.
As sabby told, about hiring a taxi from Manali to Kalka,how long does it take to travel from Manali to Kalka?? And how much do they charge??
Kullukid,I liked your idea, but I donot have sufficient time to spend at Dharamsala or Mcleod Gange. So I have to travel to Delhi from Manali.How about breaking the journey from Manali to Chandigarh by bus and from Chandigarh to Delhi by train??
smo, I liked the pics you took!!!

sabby80 · Jul 24th, 2006, 23:44

hi mrinalini
this summer, i hired an airconditioned Scorpio from Manali to Chandigarh & it took me 9hrs despite stopping at pinjore garden for 45 mins & the cost was Rs.5,000. Kalka is pretty much the same distance as Chandigarh & hence wld take the same amount of time. start early morn from manali & u'll be in kalka on time to catch Kalka mail. in september u can cut dn on the airconditioning & if u bargain a bit u'll get an indica for much less.

actually it all depends on whether ur planning to spend time in delhi or just as a transit point. if ur planning to spend time in delhi I'd suggest the sleeper bus - it has proper beds to sleep on & trust me ur mom wont hav any probs travelling on that. on the othet hand if u want to come dn to delhi just to catch kala mail I'd suggest u hire a taxi straight to kalka. hope that answers ur query.

sabby80 · Jul 24th, 2006, 23:45

hi mrinalini
this summer, i hired an airconditioned Scorpio from Manali to Chandigarh & it took me 9hrs despite stopping at pinjore garden for 45 mins & the cost was Rs.5,000. Kalka is pretty much the same distance as Chandigarh & hence wld take the same amount of time. start early morn from manali & u'll be in kalka on time to catch Kalka mail. in september u can cut dn on the airconditioning & if u bargain a bit u'll get an indica for much less.

actually it all depends on whether ur planning to spend time in delhi or just as a transit point. if ur planning to spend time in delhi I'd suggest the sleeper bus - it has proper beds to sleep on & trust me ur mom wont hav any probs travelling on that. on the othet hand if u want to come dn to delhi just to catch kala mail I'd suggest u hire a taxi straight to kalka. hope that answers ur query.

sabby80 · Jul 25th, 2006, 00:13

himachalhotels.in is safe for online booking - tho Im not aware if they charge extra for intnl credit cards. highly unlikely though!

mrinalini · Jul 25th, 2006, 10:32

Thanks sabby! I kind of liked the idea of hiring a car from Manali to Chandigarh! As three of us are travelling, paying even Rs.5000 will not be a bad deal!!

About Delhi, I donot think I will have too much energy left to explore.I am taking a flight on 25th Sept (Chicago to Delhi) and from Delhi I am going to shimla,kullu and Manali. So I will be half dead when I reach Delhi.Just want to take a Delhi-Kolkata flight while coming back.....and sleep sleep and sleep

!!!

himadventures · Jul 27th, 2006, 01:46

You plan is good- and as someone said..avoid APPLE VALLEY RESORT..

Traveling by BUS is fine but you have to choose carefully location of your hotel. If it is far away then you have to hire taxi for local movement.

rishabh6296 · Jul 27th, 2006, 04:09

do not try himachal tourism hotels(except for log huts),they are in bad shape and charges are exorbitant for the services they provide.I once stayed in hotel beas view,right opposite hotel beas(hptdc) on the banks of the river and the charges were about 500 in off-season and it was gud.

Jul 20th, 2006, 10:49	#36
smo Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: India Posts: 69	No, there is no point in returning to Shimla again. One year back ( 2005 summer ) I left ( Old )Delhi by Kalka-mail and reached early morning at Kalka station. Then by Shivalik Exp to Shimla. I was not having a digital camera that time so low resolution photos of my handycam is here . http://www.go2india.in/himachal/toy-train.php I stayed one day at Shimla and took a Maruti- Alto ( two adults + two kids ) to Manali next day. Stayed three nights at Manali ( Beas HPTDC) . Returned to Delhi by bus. __________________ India travel destinations

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
What do you suggest: Manali-Kaza-Shimla or Manali-Leh-Manali??	mount cleverest	Himachal Pradesh	24	Aug 5th, 2006 20:52
dalhousie, dharamsala,kullu, manali in 6 days	majumdar	Himachal Pradesh	16	Jul 30th, 2006 20:42
Please help - volunteers at hospital around Manali - Kullu	alpinox	Himachal Pradesh	3	Aug 2nd, 2005 20:29
Kullu Manali Travellig Alone (20 years old Guy)	Adventurer_Prince	India Travel Partners	1	May 28th, 2005 16:10
Kullu Manali in July !	sanjay_undale	Himachal Pradesh	1	Mar 19th, 2005 05:45

Jul 17th, 2006, 12:05	#31
mrinalini Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: United States of America Posts: 45	Hello everybody! Did anybody book their hotels and bus through himachalhotels.in? Is it safe to pay by credit card? I have to pay by International Credit card. Do they charge more for that??

Jul 18th, 2006, 16:49	#32
sabby80 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: New Delhi Posts: 139	Hi Mrinalini, I have a few suggestions 1. Do not waste ur time in kullu & Nagar - Both Nagar Castle & Roerich Art Gallery are highly avoidable & Kullu itself is a crowded terrible place 2. In Manali, stay at Kunzam ( its bang in the middle of the mall & HPTDC buses depart from Kunzam hotel so thats a big plus) Apple view is good but cld be a bit of a prob for ur mom, as mk26in has already pointed out. 2 years Back I stayed at a place called 'Whispering Rocks Resort' & it was very good so I'd highly reccomend it - Its away from the maddening tourist crowd of Manali town & the view is breathtaking. The only prob is u'll hav to have a vehicle to travel to manali ( 8kms ) for any shopping u might wanna do. 3. To travel back to Delhi, HPTDC runs a sleeper a/c bus which is pretty good - especially for ur mom. My grandparents, both septegenarians loved the 15 hr bus ride. Trust me, sitting in a bus throughout the night isnt a very pleasant experience! The fare for the sleeper bus is a little higher - Rs.1100 but definitely worth every paisa. 4. As someone has already pointed out - u'll hav to book ur bus tickets & also make ur hotel reservations abt a 2-3 weeks in advance to be on the safe side 5. Start early for Rohtang Pass, i.e at abt 6 am or so - before the mad rush of tourists gets there. 6. In shimla, eat out at Baljees & In Manali head to Johnsons Cafe & Cafe Amigos - both just off the mall. The eggless apple pie is yum at both the places - at least by Indian standards. Wish u all the best & Hope u Hav a great Journey Cheers! Subrat Heres my post on my trip to Manali in apr this yr - Manali : A different Perspective!

Jul 18th, 2006, 18:28	#34
sabby80 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: New Delhi Posts: 139	Dear KulluKid I'm glad u dont understand my suggestions - coz they were not meant for u anyway. They were directed at Mrinalini & its upto her whether she picks up any of em.

Jul 20th, 2006, 06:00	#35
mrinalini Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: United States of America Posts: 45	Hi Sabby80! Thanks for the informations. I will definitely keep these points in mind.Thanks for the information about restaurants too!( I was just about to post a question about it! )I have never been to Shimla,Kullu and Manali before. So I am seeking help from those have already been there. I guess various people had various experiences. Thanks Kullukid, for pointing out the difficulties too. But I have a question. Will it make sense to come back to Shimla again? (I hope you saw my tour plan!)

Jul 20th, 2006, 13:17	#37
sabby80 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: New Delhi Posts: 139	Hi Mrinalini, Theres no point returning to Shimla. If u r'nt interested in Delhi sightseeing, I'd suggest u hire a taxi from Manali to Kalka & catch Kalka Mail from there - that'll cut dnt abt 5 hrs of journey on road & also any expenses for staying in delhi. If ur travelling during the dussera holidays then please do book tickets & hotels in advance. This summer I could neither get a tichet on the HPTDC Volvo bus nor a room in hotel Kunzum, despite trying 10 days in advanvce - so I guess 2-3 weeks shld be safer. In Manali, theres also a modest bengali restaurant on the first floor, opposite the govt. bus station ( on the mall rd ). My grandparents liked it so much - they refused to eat anywhere else! U might wanna try it if ur from Bengal!

Jul 20th, 2006, 21:44	#38
kullukid Maha Guru Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: u.k. Posts: 934	Hi, a nice alternative would be to take a tourist or local bus to Dharamsala & spend a day or 3 in Mcleod Gange home of Dalai Lama from there you could take a bus/taxi or even the Kangra valley toy train to Pathankot where you can catch a direct train back to Delhi or alternatively stop halfway at Amritsar for 1 night & visit the Golden Temple. KK

Jul 22nd, 2006, 12:21	#39
mrinalini Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: United States of America Posts: 45	Thanks smo, sabby and kullukid. I spoke to my mother today.She is not very comfortable about travelling by bus form Manali to Delhi. As sabby told, about hiring a taxi from Manali to Kalka,how long does it take to travel from Manali to Kalka?? And how much do they charge?? Kullukid,I liked your idea, but I donot have sufficient time to spend at Dharamsala or Mcleod Gange. So I have to travel to Delhi from Manali.How about breaking the journey from Manali to Chandigarh by bus and from Chandigarh to Delhi by train?? smo, I liked the pics you took!!!

Jul 24th, 2006, 23:44	#40
sabby80 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: New Delhi Posts: 139	hi mrinalini this summer, i hired an airconditioned Scorpio from Manali to Chandigarh & it took me 9hrs despite stopping at pinjore garden for 45 mins & the cost was Rs.5,000. Kalka is pretty much the same distance as Chandigarh & hence wld take the same amount of time. start early morn from manali & u'll be in kalka on time to catch Kalka mail. in september u can cut dn on the airconditioning & if u bargain a bit u'll get an indica for much less. actually it all depends on whether ur planning to spend time in delhi or just as a transit point. if ur planning to spend time in delhi I'd suggest the sleeper bus - it has proper beds to sleep on & trust me ur mom wont hav any probs travelling on that. on the othet hand if u want to come dn to delhi just to catch kala mail I'd suggest u hire a taxi straight to kalka. hope that answers ur query.

Jul 24th, 2006, 23:45	#41
sabby80 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: New Delhi Posts: 139	hi mrinalini this summer, i hired an airconditioned Scorpio from Manali to Chandigarh & it took me 9hrs despite stopping at pinjore garden for 45 mins & the cost was Rs.5,000. Kalka is pretty much the same distance as Chandigarh & hence wld take the same amount of time. start early morn from manali & u'll be in kalka on time to catch Kalka mail. in september u can cut dn on the airconditioning & if u bargain a bit u'll get an indica for much less. actually it all depends on whether ur planning to spend time in delhi or just as a transit point. if ur planning to spend time in delhi I'd suggest the sleeper bus - it has proper beds to sleep on & trust me ur mom wont hav any probs travelling on that. on the othet hand if u want to come dn to delhi just to catch kala mail I'd suggest u hire a taxi straight to kalka. hope that answers ur query.

Jul 25th, 2006, 00:13	#42
sabby80 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: New Delhi Posts: 139	himachalhotels.in is safe for online booking - tho Im not aware if they charge extra for intnl credit cards. highly unlikely though!

User Name		Remember Me?
Password

Jul 25th, 2006, 10:32	#43
mrinalini Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: United States of America Posts: 45	Thanks sabby! I kind of liked the idea of hiring a car from Manali to Chandigarh! As three of us are travelling, paying even Rs.5000 will not be a bad deal!! About Delhi, I donot think I will have too much energy left to explore.I am taking a flight on 25th Sept (Chicago to Delhi) and from Delhi I am going to shimla,kullu and Manali. So I will be half dead when I reach Delhi.Just want to take a Delhi-Kolkata flight while coming back.....and sleep sleep and sleep !!!

Jul 27th, 2006, 01:46	#44
himadventures Maha Guru Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: India Posts: 1,070	You plan is good- and as someone said..avoid APPLE VALLEY RESORT.. Traveling by BUS is fine but you have to choose carefully location of your hotel. If it is far away then you have to hire taxi for local movement.

Jul 27th, 2006, 04:09	#45
rishabh6296 Maha Guru Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: new delhi Posts: 744	do not try himachal tourism hotels(except for log huts),they are in bad shape and charges are exorbitant for the services they provide.I once stayed in hotel beas view,right opposite hotel beas(hptdc) on the banks of the river and the charges were about 500 in off-season and it was gud.