Spiti via Shimla or Manali – Which one is Better?

Spiti via Shimla or Manali is a common doubt among folks planning a trip to this middle land. People often tend to compare both routes in terms of scenic beauty; adventure and which side would be more fun to travel on. Spiti via Shimla or Manali is all about your budget, the time you have available for your trip and what you want to see in India's beautiful state of Himachal Pradesh, we rank them from best to worst.

If you want to go on a trip during the particularly cold season, then spiti valley packages is a better option than Manali as it is quite cold during winters in Spiti. While the weather in Manali remains very pleasant throughout the year, though it slightly cools down during winters.

The weather in Spiti remains cool throughout the year and this gives it an advantage over Manali. But if you’ve always wanted to visit beautiful places like Chandratal and Kumar Kund, this trip would be more enjoyable if you take it as part of a circuit (that covers both); because these kinds of places are located inside the King Karnali National Park which is situated between Manali and Shimla roads. Start from Shimla and head out of the valley via either Rashidpur or Dharchula, until you reach Manali. Both places are equally as beautiful and worthy of a visit.

You can also start from Manali, and head back through Spiti to your starting point in Shimla or Manali. If you know any climbing, hiking or biking skills then this route will make for a beautiful (and tough!) day out! With the above being said, there are however a few factors that can be taken into consideration about the route of your journey. Read on to know what those are.

Time of Travel

The time taken to travel from Manali to Spiti is a big factor to consider before choosing the way of travel. Though Shimla-Kazeti road remains open throughout the year, there are only two months when you can take this route; namely June and early October. If you are planning a trip to Shimla and Manali, there are some good options. You can either head directly from Shimla to Manali or go via Delhi, Dehradun, and Manali. But it cannot be left unanswered that the timings of travel during this time are different than what you might be used to.

Days of Travel

If you are traveling from Shimla or Manali, it is much easier to reach Kaza as compared to Seoni. So as you can see, while there are multiple reasons for this; it is quite obvious that on the basis of convenience and speed, travelling between Manali – Kaza route will be considered a better option. But with this, you should also take into fact that this is only possible in the months of June to September.

Chandratal

On the way to Spiti valley, Chandratal lake is a must visit. This lake is located on Manali trip to Kaza route and is less than 4kms from the Manali airport. The trek to Chandratal lake is traversed through an beautiful forest with views of snow capped mountains in all directions. There are only two small towns next to it, which are Bhuntar and Kaza and can be reached in less than 2 hours drive.

Rohtang Permits

Rohtang Permits has become a troublesome task for both the locals and travelers. Do not get me wrong, I do agree that steps were needed to be taken to preserve the Eco-system and keep the pass pollution free. But from a traveller’s point of view, this now means staying at Manali for an entire day while working to get the permits needed to cross over Rohtang Pass. Rohtang permit required for vehicles traveling from Manali side. If you were coming from Spiti group tour to Manali, there is no permit needed at all. This is a great reason to start your journey from Shimla side and exit at Manali; thus saving a day in the trip.

Acute Mountain Sickness

Acute Mountain Sickness is the condition that strikes a person after spending some time at a high altitude. This can be caused by a sudden change in the weather conditions at the top of Himalayas, severe consequences of altitude sickness or even during your stay in other destinations like Kaza and Manali package, which are also high altitudes. We recommend that you should stay close to your car and avoid riding if you suffer from acute altitude sickness. At times, the increase in altitude is gradual and spread evenly over a few days. If you were traveling with family or your elders, then you must start the journey from Shimla side and hence, avoid them from suffering altitude sickness.

Off-Roading

Your off-roading adventure starts at Manali. Over a stretch of around 110 kilometres, the road will gradually switch from asphalt to dirt and will be patched in parts. The infamous stretch between Batal and Gramphoo is particularly tricky - while on one hand there's a pleasant climb over stone steps and rock faces, the other side has some mud pits, pot holes and even tree roots below. This road is like no other. It will challenge your senses, take you to heights and leave you on the same spot. This 60 kilometres long road has so many water crossings that you will not be able to keep your shoes dry if you were on a bike. So if you want to go off-roading, then go via Manali and return the same way.

Only see Spiti

If you are already quite familiar with Kinnaur and Spiti Valley tour package as well as your ticket that has already been reserved to travel by road, then you should consider travelling via Manali instead. This will save you all the time on the road coming from Shimla side; time that gives you the option of visiting remote areas within Spiti.

Spiti via Shimla or Manali – Which one is Better?

It would be hard and unfair to really call one road better than the other. It will just depend on your own preference based on the factors I mentioned above. I do hope that this information was of help.

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