A complete guide to enjoy fresh snow in Manali

Snow in Manali in November? Normally, the schedule for snow in Manali is around new year or in late January and the beginning of February. However, it does snow in Manali, at higher attitudes, once in a while out of the main season. But, as you can guess from the post title, it did snow in Manali (vuuuaaah!!) when we visited here. Actually, there was a fresh snowfall in the upper hills the day we reached there on our Shimla And Manali trip. After having spent a few days in Shimla, trekking in Naldehra, roaming around the Mall Road, and visiting some temples like the Sankat Mochan temple in Shimla. Due to this snow, all the mountain peaks around us , till half way down the mountains, were covered in fresh layers of snow.

I must say, this was the best part of our journey, as, we had not expected an endeavor with so much snow in Manali at the time of the year. Although it didn’t snow right in the town (which would have been a real real bonus!) . Nevertheless, this bout of snow came as a sudden delightful surprise for visitors like us! (something is always better than nothing, isn’t it!)

Table of Contents

How did the snow in Manali start?

We were out on our first day in Manali. And, we had already visited a few places like Hidimba Temple, Manali Club House, Monastery. Finally, we settled down for lunch at Mall Road Manali. After having lunch we were deciding where to head next. That is when the weather started taking a sudden turn. It became cloudy. And after sometime, it started drizzling a bit. With that, the temperature also dropped down drastically. And we started feeling the chills. Some of the locals around us excitedly told us that it looked like an outlook of snow. If the drop in temperature and chill would continue, soon it would snow.

Our ears were immediately alert. And we could already feel the excitement thinking about the perspective of snow..this is something we had not at all expected when planning our trip. Meanwhile, looking at the sudden change of weather, we decided to head back to our hotel. We got into our cabs and started back to our resort. Upon reaching the resort, we all gathered in a room and ordered some hot coffee and tea. Meanwhile, our eyes were glued to the windows to get that first glimpse of snow.

Although it did not snow right there. But soon, we saw it was snowing higher up in the mountain ranges. Slowly, as we talked and sipped our coffees, we could see snow blanketing the mountain just in front of us from top down. Almost till halfway through, the mountains got covered with snow. To be honest, this took me down the memory lane to the very first trip of my life when I had visited such places in Uttarakhand where there was snow for miles and nothing else!

Solang Valley after snow in Manali

The day after the snow in Manali, we started our drive towards Solang Valley & Rohtang pass. The view of the mountain peaks on the way towards Solang Valley was stunningly beautiful. It felt like the road was leading right into the snow covered peaks, as we travelled from our hotel near Hidimba temple towards the Solang Valley. The higher ranges were completely covered with fresh snow from the day before.

Soon we arrived at Solang valley. The Solang valley had become a velvet of green, surrounded by snow covered mountain peaks from all sides. We reached here around 11am. The place was not so crowded as it was the start of tourist season. We chose to sit on some of the rocks and enjoy the scenic beauty around. Cabs were lined up at the road side near Solang Valley.

But we couldn’t sit still for a long time. The valley was beckoning us to walk and explore. So, we started to roam around, and trek a little on the slants of the valley to the extent we could. The whole stretch was moist due to fresh rain overnight. The shades of white snow peaks, green trees, and the earthy rocks were all glistening into the fresh sunlight post the snow. There is a cable car in Solang valley that seems to take the tourists up into the mountains. But for some reason, it was not operational at that point of time. The office operating the cable car was closed as well. We strolled around in the valley, wondering how it would be to trek up into the mountains and reach those snow covered peaks.

Towards Rohtang pass

From Solang Valley, our original plan was to proceed towards Rohtang pass. But unfortunately, we came to know that the way to Rohtang Pass was closed half way through for vehicles post the heavy snow in Manali and the mountains around. Initially we had thought that we will go till Solang Valley and then return back. But after reaching the Solang valley, it was impossible to contain ourselves from indulging deeper into the snow game. So, we decided to venture towards Rohtang, till the point we could. We heard that the vehicles were allowed further up till a certain point after which snow had blocked the way. Also, there is special permit to be taken to reach Rohtang Pass. We had missed obtaining the permit also. So, it was not possible to take our vehicles further.

But we were constantly thinking, there must be some way to venture further. Finally, we thought we will go enquire with the locals. There must be local vehicles available with prior permit that we can hire. Luckily, soon we got a jeep hired. And hence started our journey from Solang Valley towards Rohtang Pass. And, we were not disappointed in the least by mother nature as we proceeded.

Snow and more snow in Manali

Soon the way from Solang valley towards Rohtang Pass enters into the steep incline of the mountain. As we ascended, we got the first glimpse of snow from closest range. First, we encountered trails of snow on the foot of the mountain where it met the road. Then we saw snow scattered on the rocks. Then slowly the layer of snow kept increasing until we arrived at the point beyond which the jeep was not allowed.Here, we got down to walk further.

The slope of the mountains at this point looked like a soft velvety blanket of fur owing to the fresh snow. And, the patches of green below the snow made little beautiful patterns over this blanket. While, on the other side, majestic mountain ranges covered in snow added a charm of a different level to the whole scene. The more we comprehended the beauty of nature around us, the more we felt like staying there forever!

We walked for quiet a bit up the road towards Rohtang. On the way, we sometimes stepped into the snow. And at times we stopped for some quick beautiful snaps. Sometimes, we enjoyed making soft balls of snow and throwing on one another. Although our little one worried a lot looking at the snow. She felt, it was milk scattered all over. And she was literally disappointed on so much spillage of milk 😛 . But, still, she also had a wonderful time. She enjoyed feeling the snow and playing with it as much as we did.

Inspired by this, we have put on our chart a journey to Shimla and Manali way into the snow season to experience it live!!! Stay tuned and thanks for reading 🙂

When is the best time to enjoy fresh snowfall in Manali

The best time to enjoy fresh snowfall or live snowfall in Manali is between November to February or early March. Although the snowfalls are very unpredictable. So, I have found it always a challenge to plan my trips around snowfall in Manali or any other location in the Himalayas. There are couple of things you can do to plan your trip to the Himalayas so that you get to enjoy fresh snowfall or live snowfall while here. These include –

Planning for a longer stay duration of at least a week to 10 days so that chances of experiencing snowfall increase for you on your vacation.
Advance planning by looking at the snow forecast. And booking your tickets early on to avoid the peak season rush and last moment preparations.

What are some of the challenges associated in snowfall in India

Although enjoying the snowfall and snow covered landscapes is a truly magical experience. But it does come with some challenges of it’s own. Which can’t be completely ignored when you plan a trip to a location like Manali. Or anywhere it snows in the Himalayas. Some of the major challenges being –

Getting stuck in a snow storm.

We had a really intense day at the Gulmarg Gondola when we got stuck in a snow storm there. And the ropeways and cable car operation halted while we eagerly awaited them to resume. Which they did, after a 4 hours wait. But those 4 hours were tough. You can read the details in our post (link above).

Disruptions to the plan

Road connectivity disruptions, power disruptions and other such disruptions happen with sudden heavy snowfall in big towns like Shimla, Manali etc. as well. In that case, you might be stuck in your hotel or accommodation. Without any means to venture out.

Driving challenges

Driving gets really challenging as it snows and the roads get slippery. Skidding and chances of accidents increase. People need to abandon their vehicles at times and then walk further in order to be able to reach their destination.

Kids health

When traveling with little kids, it becomes all the more challenging to face the above challenges. Sometimes, kids can fall sick due to the cold or for any other reason during the trip. If you are stuck due to the snow and connectivity is limited, it will get all the more challenging to navigate. And tensions might mount. I had a similar experience when visiting Bhutan with my kid and she fell sick. But luckily there was no natural disaster hampering me from shortening my trip and returning back. Which was such a relief.

Temperature often falls drastically when it snows. You need to be fully prepared for sudden temperature drops. Particularly when traveling with kids.

What are the destinations in India to enjoy snowfall

Most of the regions in upper and middle Himalayas experience snowfall during the months of November through March every year. These include some famous tourist destinations in Himachal, Uttarakhand and Kashmir. Here are some of the top and favourite destinations in India to enjoy snowfall. Most of which are high on our bucket list as well.

Gulmarg, Sonmarg and Srinagar in Kashmir. Read our experience visiting Kashmir on our 9 days Kashmir trip. But we visited in April. Wherein we found snow in Gulmarg. And Sonmarg.
Shimla, Manali, Dalhousie, Dharamsala, Kullu, Tirthan Valley, Naggar and Kasol in Himachal are some of the most famous snow destinations for tourists in winter.
Auli, Munsiyari, Nainital, Mussoorie, Gangotri, Kedarnath, Badrinath etc. are famous places in Uttarakhand where tourists flock for enjoying snowfall
Locations in Arunachal Pradesh in far east, particularly Tawang enjoy heavy snow in winter.
Northern parts of Sikkim including Gangtok, Yumthang, Lachung and Lachen
Leh & Laddakh
Lahaul and Spiti that get cut off from rest of the Himachal during snow season

What should I pack for the snow season in the Himalayas

With snowfall comes sudden drop of temperatures. So, while you can enjoy snow in Manali to your liking, it is very important to be fully prepared. I always pack the following when visiting winter destinations with my family –

Good stock of medicines that would last through the duration of the trip if anyone was to fall sick.
Woollen caps for each member of the family.
Layers of cloths to put on as temperature changes happen – thermal inners, full sleeve t-shirts, sweaters and sweatshirts
Heavy duty snow jackets and warm jackets for kids like this one. More than one for each person.
Woollen socks and cotton socks. I always used to layer my kid with two socks – cotton inside and woollen outside – on our trip to Europe, particularly when we spent 4 days in Switzerland. And it was still very cold there.
Gloves
Mufflers
Scarves
Ointments for snow burn in case someone gets it.
Snow boots

Here’s a comprehensive list of our packing tips for any trip you plan to take.

PS: Some of our links are affiliated, this means we will earn a commission when you buy a service or product by clicking those links. However, this will have no extra cost for you.

Other resources from our Himachal Trips

A hands-on pottery session at Andretta Pottery in Palampur

Exploring Palampur – the hidden gem of Himachal

A unique stay amidst a tea estate at the Lodge at Wah

Boutique stay experience at Norwood Greens Palampur

A family friendly trek at Naldehra in Shimla

The Kalka Shimla Toy Train – a ride of a lifetime

44 thoughts on “A complete guide to enjoy fresh snow in Manali”

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Priyanka Royy

February 6, 2024 at 12:15 pm

Manali snowfall is not just weather; it’s a feeling. The cold breeze, the sound of crunching snow under your boots, and the breathtaking views make it a truly magical experience.
- Neha
  
  February 25, 2024 at 6:52 pm
  
  Very true, a live snowfall in Manali is an experience of a lifetime
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