Every winter one of the most common questions many of my friends and relatives ask me is “Brother, can you please tell me some places to see snowfall near Delhi or Snow near Delhi?“
Having heard this question so many times, I thought it is better to write down a couple of articles in DoW where I can pen down such places near Delhi to find snowfall or snow. I did write one about places to find snowfall near Delhi in Uttarakhand. I am sure it was helpful to many of you who love snow or snowfall in the Himalayas like anything.
Here is the list of places in Himachal where you can see snow or snowfall near Delhi.
- Manali – Solang Valley
- Jalori Pass – Shoja
- Prashar Lake
- Hatu Peak – Narkanda – Kufri – Shimla
- Pabbar Valley
- Triund near Mcleodganj
- Khajjiar – Dalhousie
Let’s look at them in detail one by one.
Let's quickly dive into the details:
7 places to see snowfall near Delhi in Himachal
By November, winters settle in most parts of the Himalayas like Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Ladakh, Kashmir, etc.. It is also the time that many of the high-altitude places like Leh – Ladakh, Spiti Valley, Lahaul Valley, Pangi Valley, Zanskar Valley, etc.. will go under hibernation for about next 5-6 months.
However, having said that the lower hills of Himachal, Uttarakhand, and Kashmir will still be connected and become the favorite spots for the lovers of the Himalayas. These spots become popular for the ones who are fond of snowfall or snow in particular 🙂 …
In these winter months of late November, December, January, and February, there are many places in Himachal Pradesh where one can see snow or snowfall near Delhi. I will share with you seven places in Himachal to witness snowfall in the coming winters 🙂 🙂 …
By saying “Snowfall Near Delhi,” I mean the places which you can cover in 3 – 5 days from Delhi at max or you can say long weekend trips from Delhi for seeing snowfall or snow. Beyond 3 – 5 days, there are more viable options I believe but let’s know some places in Himachal Pradesh where you can travel over the long weekend from Delhi to see snow or snowfall.
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1. Manali – Solang Valley
The perfect place to play with snow or witness snowfall in winter in Himachal is Manali or Solang Valley due to its easy accessibility from Delhi or Chandigarh and the highest probability for a longer duration of availability of snow.
If you happen to have a long weekend, you can take the overnight Volvo to Manali from Delhi or Chandigarh and reach Manali early morning on Friday. Rest the whole day in Manali or Solang Valley; then, on the next day, you can visit snow points near Manali viz. Solang Valley, Gulaba, or Marhi.
The snow points of Gulaba or Marhi have snow almost from mid-November up to late March, and then snow can be found even up to June at Rohtang Pass. If you happen to stay at Solang Valley itself in winter, you may be able to witness snowfall too. Last day you can board the overnight Volvo again to come back home to Delhi or Chandigarh.
You should check my travel guide for Manali – Solang including sightseeing places, accommodation options, food joints, etc..
Hence, Manali – Solang Valley is one of the best places to see snowfall near Delhi in Himachal as the probability of finding snow or snowfall is very high. Having said that, these are some of the most crowded options as the availability of snow is almost sure shot winters when you visit Manali and Solang Valley in winters.
2. Jalori Pass – Shoja
Jalori Pass or Shoja are other options to find snowfall or snow near Delhi in the winter months of December, January & February. They are pretty close to each other and have pretty good connectivity with Delhi from the Mandi side all around the year.
In fact, by taking some locals along, you can even do a snow trek to Serloskar Lake to see it all frozen in winters. But, please plan it with some local or a guide and after taking the advice from locals in Shoja on its feasibility.
As Jalori Pass and Shoja are on the way to Manali (diversion from Aut-Mandi), you can take the overnight Volvo to Manali from Delhi or Chandigarh and then get down at Bhunter, Kullu from where taxis are easily available for about Rs 1000-1200. You can rest at Shoja for a day or two and follow the same path to reach back home on the last day.
In summer, one can actually go down to the other side of Jalori Pass to come back to Delhi from Narkanda – Shimla route but you will not find snow in the summertime at Jalori Pass.
If interested in more details on Jalori Pass – Shoja including how to reach it, accommodation options, etc.. you can go through the Tirthan Valley Travel Guide.
3. Prashar Lake
Prashar Lake near Mandi is another place with an overnight journey where you can find snow or snowfall near Delhi in Himachal in the winter months from December to March.
You need to follow the Delhi – Chandigarh – Manali highway to reach Mandi from where it is about a 1.5-2 Hrs drive to Prashar Lake via Kuatalya – Baghi villages. Prashar Lake is about 20 km from Baghi village.
Cars can almost reach the top of Parashar Lake normally. But in winter, when there is a lot of snow on the road, you need to consider parking your vehicle at the most practical point you find below near Baghi village or on the way and then start the snow hike to Prashar Lake. The trek to Prashar Lake can last almost about 4 Hrs in case there is too much snow on the road 😉 …
Do not forget to carry a water bottle with water in it when trekking to Prashar Lake in winter. You will need it on the way up to it as there are no drinking sources available on the route.
Prashar Lake itself is really amazing to visit and with snow all around it, a heavenly sight indeed.
As you need to hit Mandi, again you can take the overnight Volvo to Manali from Delhi or Chandigarh and then get down at Mandi from where taxis are easily available for about Rs 1500-1800 to Prashar Lake. You can spend a day there at the forest rest house and walk to the Prashar Lake anytime you want, preferably the next morning.
So, considering you start Thursday night, by Friday late noon, you shall be at the top. You can spend Saturday at the rest house exploring the lake or rest amidst nature. Sunday early morning can come down and start the journey back home. For booking of FRHs, you can refer to the article How to Book HP PWD Rest Houses or FRHs.
4. Hatu Peak – Narkanda – Kufri – Shimla
Next on the list is Hatu Peak – Narkanda where you can enjoy snow or snowfall near Delhi in Himachal in the winter months of January and February or even mid-March at least at Hatu Peak.
Narkanda is a very easy 8-9 Hrs drive from Delhi via Shimla or one can take an overnight Volvo to Shimla from where Narkanda is just about 60 km away and taxis are easily available from Shimla.
If you are lucky, you can even enjoy the snow in these winter months at Kufri – Shimla as well especially around the new year window. These are in fact the closest places to Delhi where you can find snowfall or snow in Himachal Pradesh and can easily be done over a weekend by leaving Friday night and being back by Sunday late night.
You can always check my detailed article on how to plan a trip to Shimla and Manali.
5. Pabbar Valley (Kharapathar – Shelapani – Rohru – Chanshal)
Pabbar Valley which includes places like Kharapathar – Shelapani – Rohru – Chanshal, located about 120 odd km from Shimla is another place where you can find snow or snowfall near Delhi in Himachal Pradesh in the winter months of December to February even March – April at least towards Chanshal Pass.
As said in one of my earlier articles 12 Must-Visit Offbeat Places in Himachal Pradesh, Pabbar Valley is one of the most enchanting places in Himachal Pradesh yet isolated from the tourist rush to an extent as of now. It offers some awesome panoramic views along with multiple nature walks/hikes in the dense orchards and forests all along the valley.
To reach Pabbar Valley, you need to take the diversion road from Theog, a place ahead of Shimla. The diversion road generally is not that good in condition, and it is better to make a trip to Pabbar Valley in case you have at least four days in hand to really enjoy the journey as well, rather being just an “on the road” type journey in search of snow.
You can also club Chakrata in Uttarakhand as you can travel from that side to Rohru and exit from Narkanda in Himachal. I did a similar trip as documented in the itinerary for Rohru – Chansal Pass trip.
6. Triund near Mcleod Ganj
Triund, located at a 4 hrs hike from Dharamkot – Mcleod Ganj, Dharamshala, is another place near Delhi to find snowfall or snow in Himachal over a long weekend trip in the winter months of late December to March.
However, it might not be possible to reach the top of Triund in the winter unless you are in for a hardcore adventure. But, on the way to Triund from Mcleod Ganj, you will find plenty of snow to play with and come back to Mcleod Ganj for a good night’s sleep.
Again, if lucky, you might get to see snowfall even at Mcleod Ganj as well, especially in early January – February. In the extreme ends of winters, the snow is available higher up towards Triund, and as the core winter months approach that is January & February, there is ample snow that can be found on the way to Triund as well.
You can take an overnight Volvo to Dharamshala – Mcleodganj on a Friday night. Reach there on Saturday. Take a rest and enjoy in Mcleodganj or Dharamkot. Sunday morning hike on a trail to Triund for a couple of hours to play in the snow and come back to take the evening Volvo back home from Dharamshala. If you want to travel up to Triund and camp, then better to travel on Thursday night by adding one more day to the plan.
7. Khajjiar – Dalhousie
Khajjiar, commonly called an Indian version of Switzerland, is another place near Delhi that receives a good amount of snowfall in the winter months of January and February.
Khajjiar meadows in snow look so beautiful as if a white carpet has been laid by nature amidst long pine trees kissed with snow over hills in the backdrop, a dream probably. It becomes almost hard to believe your eyes 😉 … However, seeing snow at Khajjiar is a lucky affair too sometimes.
Khajjiar is an overnight drive from Delhi and easily connected via Pathankot – Chakki Dam railway station. So, you can also take the overnight train to Pathankot – Chakki dam, and from there, take a taxi to reach Khajjiar via Dalhousie. The next day you can rest at Khajjiar and then start the journey back on Sunday to reach Delhi in the same order.
In case you have 4 days, you can even enjoy more by exploring more places around Khajjiar as Kalatop, Chamba, Jotte, etc..
Check this comfortable 4-day itinerary for visiting Dalhousie – Khajjiar – Chamba:
- Day 1: Delhi – Ambala – Banur – Kharad – Roopnagar – Hoshiyarpur – Dasuya – Mukerian – Pathankot – Chakki – Dhar – Tunnahati – Banikhet – Dalhousie
- Day 2: Dalhousie – Chamera Lake (21 km) – Chamba (40 km) – Gete (17 km) – Jot (12 km) – Gete (12 km) – Khajjiar (7 km)
- Day 3: Khajjiar – Rest day
- Day 4: Khajjiar – Dalhousie – Delhi
Conclusion
Now, you know about these ten places to visit in Himachal near Delhi to see snowfall or play with snow in the coming winters. I am sure that you are not going to visit them in just a year only 😀 …
So, now I believe that this series of two articles for Himachal and Uttarakhand will help you upgrade your winter travel bucket list to play with snow near Delhi in winter for the next 3-5 years.
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If you happen to know any other such places in Himachal that I missed in this list where we can enjoy snow or snowfall near Delhi over a weekend trip of 3-5 days, please feel free to share them with me in the comments section below.
Feel free to share this article with your friends or families who are planning a trip to Himachal in the coming winter to play with snow or enjoy snowfall near Delhi.
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