From Kufri to Rohtang La and Solang to Spiti, Himachal Pradesh has always been a favorite winter destination among tourists. Why not, with snow-capped mountains all around and thick alpine forests offering a chilling experience, Himachal Pardesh is the place to be when winter arrives.
Winters in Himachal Pradesh begins with the month of November and lasts until March. Whether you want to enjoy snow or winter sports, this place is definitely your winter wonderland. Including Shimla and Manali, here is a list of best places to visit in Himachal Pradesh in winters:
- Khajjiar
Popularly known as India’s Switzerland, Khajjiar highlights Himachal Pradesh’s rich treasures of natural beauty. The place is around 22 km from Chamba and surrounded with beautiful landscape. The view of the Khajjiar Lake and the smell of deodar trees in this small meadow will make your stay there for longer. You can welcome your winters by visiting this gorgeous place and enjoy fresh flaky snowfall in early December and January.
- Manali
Manali is about 53 km from Kullu district and is one of the best places to visit in Himachal in December. Gifted with immense natural beauty, Manali has the most appealing mountain trenches which are being considered for activities like hiking, trekking, mountaineering, and Paragliding, and zorbing on the green slopes of Solang valley. Some well-known temples such as Hadimba Devi temple, Raghunath temple, Manu temple, and Tibetan abbeys are the highlights of this place.
- Shimla
Famous for its thick pine forests and lovely apple orchards, Shimla is a place almost everyone is familiar with. The picturesque view, lush green forests and winter snowfall, there are so many factors to cherish your stay at this place. Places like Kufri, Narkanda, and Mashobra experience the maximum snowfall in winters. You can enjoy horse riding in snow or take a joyful train ride through Kalka and Shimla to witness the extreme white beauty of this place.
- Spiti Valley
Surrounded by mountains, monasteries, and lakes, Spiti is a place to be during winters. Quaint old abbeys, mountain crests, crystal clear rivers and lakes, and prayer flags fluttering in the wind never fail to leave travelers spellbound. This valley is for seeing some stunning snow-laden landscapes and snow rains. Though Spiti valley is inaccessible during winters, but if you are good at wheel, you can be part of a snow drive expedition held every year by different operators that take you to Spiti via Shimla-Kaza road, which is open throughout the year.
- Malana
Situated at an altitude of 2,700 m (9,000 ft) above sea level, Malana is a beautiful and small kingdom of over a hundred houses and well-deserved destination in the list of best places to visit in Himachal in winters. Apart from the landscape, the villagers have their own traditional and cultural values which they ideally follow till date. During winter months, the village turns into a white wonderland. You can explore Parvati Valley, witness the lifestyle of local people, enjoy your stays in small-but-cute homestays and explore remote corners of the valley if weather permits.
- Narkanda
Located about 60 km from Shimla, Narkanda is a small hill town that can offer you a perfect opportunity to experience winters in hills. If you’ve ever desired to sit by the window and see soft snowflakes fall from the sky, this is the place to be. Open valley in front, amazing roads curving through deodar forests and apple orchards, and towering height of the place, there is nothing more you can ask for.
Situated at an altitude of 2700 m, the hill town offers amazing views of the snow-clad Himalayan ranges and the valley down below. In winter, the entire place gets buried under a thick sheet of snow and turns into a popular skiing destination.
