Branch office in Manali · Head office in Dehradun · Since 2014
Manali & Shimla
by Volvo
by Volvo
Three nights in Manali and one in Shimla, with the two long journeys taken overnight while you sleep — and the Parvati valley included, which most packages have no room for. We are Pack The Bag Tours — we have run this route since 2014 and keep an office in Manali. Talk to us and we will build it around your dates.
4 Nights in hotels
2 overnight Volvo journeys
3 offers from ₹32,500 per couple
6 hotels named
The route — Manali first, and the shorter coach home
Delhi
ISBT
Volvo
overnight
Manali
2,050 m
Solang
Atal Tunnel
Manikaran
Parvati valley
250 km
7–8 hrs
Shimla
2,276 m
Volvo
8–9 hrs home
Delhi
ISBT
Shimla Manali Volvo package — key facts
How it worksThree nights in Manali first, then one in Shimla, with two overnight Volvo journeys either side from Delhi. Four hotel nights, and not one working day lost to a highway.
The coach changes by offerVolvo on Deluxe, Volvo 9600 on Premium, and the luxury Volvo Maxx with meals served on board on Luxury — which matters when two of your nights are spent on it.
Why Manali firstBecause the coach home is then from Shimla, which is eight to nine hours to Delhi rather than the twelve to fourteen it would be from Manali. Your last night on a coach is the shorter one.
Kasol and Manikaran includedDay four goes into the Parvati valley — Kasol among the pines, and the hot springs and gurudwara at Manikaran. Most Shimla Manali packages have no day to spare for it.
What it costs₹32,500 per couple on the Deluxe offer, ₹40,500 on Premium and ₹58,500 on Luxury — total, for all four nights and both Volvo journeys. Every hotel is named on this page.
Why it costs less than the same trip by carYou sleep on the coach rather than in a hotel on the travel nights, and there is no car hire for the Delhi legs. What you keep is the hotels, the sightseeing car in the hills, and the days themselves.
Six hotels, all namedHotel Wildrose, Hotel SVH or Ashapuri Village Resort & Spa for your three Manali nights; Nibaana Inn, Royal Regency or Grand Welcome for the Shimla night, depending on the offer you choose.
The heating differenceRoom heater charges are not included on the Deluxe offer and are paid at the hotel. Premium and Luxury include central heating. From November onwards, with three nights at 2,050 metres, this is the difference that matters most.
Where the snow isKufri near Shimla, and Solang Valley and the Lahaul side of the Atal Tunnel near Manali. Reliable from December to March, but never guaranteed.
The one long driveManali to Shimla is 250 km and seven to eight hours down the Kullu valley. It is the only full driving day in the trip, and it is a beautiful one.
Who you are booking withUs — Pack The Bag Tours, operating since 2014, with our head office in Dehradun and a branch in Tibetan Colony, Manali. When you call, you are talking to the people who will actually run your trip.
Last reviewed: August 2026 · hotels, route timings, coach arrangements and seasonal notes checked for the current year.
The trip
Both hill stations, without losing days to the road
Shimla and Manali together is the classic first trip to Himachal, and the reason people hesitate over it is the travelling. Delhi to Manali is twelve to fourteen hours. Shimla back to Delhi is seven to eight. Done by car, that is two full days of your holiday spent looking at a headrest.
The Volvo version solves it by making both those journeys happen while you are asleep. You board at Delhi in the evening and wake up in Manali. You leave Shimla in the evening and reach Delhi in the morning. In between you get three nights in Manali and one in Shimla, with a private car in the hills for all of the sightseeing — including a day in the Parvati valley for Kasol and Manikaran that most packages on this route simply have no room for.
The coach is not the compromise. The coach is what buys you the extra days.
The two places are genuinely different, which is what makes the pairing worth doing. Manali is a mountain town in a valley, with Solang Valley and the Atal Tunnel above it and the high desert of Lahaul on the far side. Shimla is the colonial town on its ridge at 2,276 metres, where The Ridge and Mall Road are closed to traffic and the best of it is walked. You are not seeing two versions of the same thing.
We run it Manali first, and deliberately. It puts the harder, higher place at the start when you are fresh, it finishes in the town where the best of it is a walk rather than a drive, and — the practical part — it means your coach home leaves from Shimla, eight to nine hours from Delhi instead of the twelve to fourteen it would be from Manali. The last night sitting up is the shorter one.
Our branch office is in Tibetan Colony, Manali, where you will spend three of your four nights. Most companies selling Volvo packages are Delhi agents who book a seat and a room and hope. Talk to us on +91 73517 07071 and you are speaking to people in the same state as your holiday.
The decision
Volvo or private car?
We sell both, so here is the honest comparison rather than a pitch for whichever page you happened to land on.
| By Volvo (this page) | By private car | |
|---|---|---|
| Delhi legs | Overnight, while asleep — and the return is from Shimla, the shorter one | 12–14 hrs to Manali, 7–8 hrs back from Shimla |
| Hotel nights needed | 4 | 6 or 7 |
| Leave days used | Fewer — you travel on the nights | More |
| Cost | Lower — no car hire on the Delhi legs, two fewer hotel nights | Higher |
| Comfort en route | Reclining seat — Volvo, Volvo 9600 or Volvo Maxx by offer | Your own car, stop when you like |
| In the hills | Private car throughout — same as the car package | Private car throughout |
| Order | Manali 3 nights first, Shimla 1 night | Either way round |
| Flexibility | Fixed coach departure times | You set the schedule |
| Best for | Anyone short on leave or budget who can sleep sitting up | Couples who cannot sleep on a coach, or want the journey to be part of the trip |
The honest test is whether you sleep sitting up. If you can, the Volvo is straightforwardly the better deal here — more days in the hills, fewer leave days, less money, and the car in the hills is exactly the same either way. If you cannot, you will arrive in Manali tired on your first morning, and the private-car version is worth the difference. Nobody else will tell you that, but it is the whole decision — talk to us and we will be straight about which suits you.
Three offers
Pick your package
Same four nights, same Volvo journeys, same sightseeing and the same private car in the hills. What changes is the hotels — and whether the heating is on the bill.
Offer 1 · Best price
Deluxe
₹32,500
per couple, all 4 nights · 3-star
Manali — 3 nights, firstHotel Wildrose
Balcony rooms with valley views
Balcony rooms with valley views
Shimla — 1 nightHotel Nibaana Inn
Coach, both waysVolvo
Sightseeing carPrivate, in the hills throughout
Room heater charges are not included and are paid at the hotel. Fine from March to November. Think carefully about it for a December to February trip — you have four nights at altitude here, three of them in Manali.
Offer 2 · Most booked
Premium
₹40,500
per couple, all 4 nights · central heating
Manali — 3 nights, firstHotel SVH
Balcony rooms with mountain views
Balcony rooms with mountain views
Shimla — 1 nightRoyal Regency
Coach, both waysVolvo 9600
Sightseeing carPrivate, in the hills throughout
Central heating and cooling included. Across four nights in winter that is a meaningful difference in both comfort and cost, and it is why most couples travelling December to February take this offer.
Offer 3 · 4-star + spa
Luxury
₹58,500
per couple, all 4 nights · spa resort
Manali — 3 nights, firstAshapuri Village Resort & Spa
Balcony rooms, mountain views, spa
Balcony rooms, mountain views, spa
Shimla — 1 nightHotel Grand Welcome
Coach, both waysLuxury Volvo Maxx — meals on board
Sightseeing carPrivate, in the hills throughout
Four-star properties at both stops and a spa at the Manali end, which comes first — so you can use it after the overnight coach and the day at 3,100 metres rather than on your way out.
| Offer | Manali — 3 nights | Shimla — 1 night | Coach | Total per couple |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deluxe | Hotel Wildrose | Hotel Nibaana Inn | Volvo | ₹32,500 |
| Premium | Hotel SVH | Royal Regency | Volvo 9600 | ₹40,500 |
| Luxury | Ashapuri Village Resort & Spa | Hotel Grand Welcome | Volvo Maxx + meals | ₹58,500 |
These are total figures for the couple, not per night and not per person — four hotel nights, both overnight Volvo journeys, the private car throughout the hills, all sightseeing and daily breakfast and dinner. The step from Deluxe to Premium is ₹8,000 a couple, which for a winter trip buys better hotels at both stops, a Volvo 9600 instead of a standard Volvo, and removes four nights of heater charges from your bill; that gap is smaller in practice than it looks on the page. These rates apply 10 January to 31 March and 15 July to 15 December. Outside those windows — the April to mid-July peak, and mid-December to early January over Christmas and New Year — rates are higher and quoted on request. All rates are per couple for four nights and exclude 5% GST. Children below five years are complimentary, sharing your room with existing bedding. Accommodation is subject to availability; if we need to substitute a property we will tell you what we are changing and why before you confirm, not after.
Two nights of your trip are on it
The coach changes with the offer too
On a Volvo package the bus is not an afterthought — it is where you spend two of your six nights. So it changes with the offer, and on the Luxury offer it changes considerably.
| Offer | Coach | Meals on board | What that means overnight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deluxe | Volvo | Not included | A comfortable reclining coach seat. The standard, and perfectly fine. |
| Premium | Volvo 9600 | Not included | A newer, better-appointed coach — a noticeable step up on a twelve-hour night up to Manali. |
| Luxury | Luxury Volvo Maxx | Included | The best coach on this route, with meals served on board so you are not eating at a highway dhaba at midnight. |
Why this matters more than it sounds. Two of your nights are on the coach, and how well you sleep on the first one decides how you feel on your first morning in Manali. The Delhi to Manali leg is the longer of the two at twelve to fourteen hours; the return from Shimla is eight to nine. On Deluxe and Premium, meals during the journey are bought at the highway stops the coach makes; on Luxury they come to your seat.
If you are someone who does not sleep well sitting up, the coach class deserves as much thought as the hotel — and if you still have doubts, the private-car version is the honest alternative. Talk to us and we will say which we would put you on.
If you are someone who does not sleep well sitting up, the coach class deserves as much thought as the hotel — and if you still have doubts, the private-car version is the honest alternative. Talk to us and we will say which we would put you on.
Read this before choosing an offer
The heating question
Most Himachal hotels bill room heaters separately in winter, and it surprises almost everybody. It is a small amount per night — but this trip has four nights in it, across two towns both above 2,000 metres, so the amounts add up more than they do on a short break.
| Travelling in | Deluxe | Premium | Luxury |
|---|---|---|---|
| March – June | Fine — heating rarely needed | Fine | Fine |
| July – September | Fine | Fine | Fine |
| October – November | Cold at night; budget for the heater | Included | Included |
| December – February | Heater essential, billed extra × 4 nights | Included — our recommendation | Included |
Shimla is at 2,276 metres and Manali at 2,050, and both get genuinely cold from November. We would rather tell you this on the page than let you find out on your second night. If you are travelling in winter and the budget is tight, Premium with heating usually works out better than Deluxe plus four nights of heater charges — talk to us and we will compare the two for your actual dates.
At a glance
Package snapshot
Hotel nights
4 — Manali 3 first, then Shimla 1
Travel
2 overnight journeys — Volvo, Volvo 9600 or Volvo Maxx by offer
Price
₹32,500 · ₹40,500 · ₹58,500 per couple by offer
Rates valid
10 Jan–31 Mar & 15 Jul–15 Dec — peak on request
Pickup & drop
Delhi ISBT
In the hills
Private car with driver throughout
Meals
Daily breakfast and dinner
Heating
Extra on Deluxe · included on Premium and Luxury
Children
Under 5 years complimentary
Day by day
The full itinerary
Sightseeing days are marked in saffron. Manali gets three nights and three full days; Shimla gets one night and a walking day before the coach home.
1
Board at Delhi — overnight to Manali
Delhi ISBT · evening departure
Board your coach in the evening — a Volvo on Deluxe, a Volvo 9600 on Premium, or the luxury Volvo Maxx with meals on board on the Luxury offer. It runs north through Chandigarh, Bilaspur and Mandi and up the Beas valley overnight. Reach your bay well before departure — the terminal is large and finding the right one takes longer than people expect. Sleep, and wake in the mountains.
Overnight On the Volvo
2
Arrive Manali — half-day local sightseeing
Morning arrival · afternoon out2,050 m
Our driver meets you at the Volvo stand and takes you to the hotel. The morning is yours to rest — you have just spent a night on a coach and gained nearly 1,850 metres, and a few hours of doing nothing is the right use of it.
In the afternoon, the town: Hadimba Devi Temple, the four-tiered pagoda of 1553 in deodar forest and the most atmospheric thing in Manali. The Manu Temple in Old Manali, the hot springs and stone temple at Vashisht, Van Vihar beside the Beas and the Tibetan Monastery. Evening free for Mall Road and the cafes of Old Manali, which is where the town is at its best.
In the afternoon, the town: Hadimba Devi Temple, the four-tiered pagoda of 1553 in deodar forest and the most atmospheric thing in Manali. The Manu Temple in Old Manali, the hot springs and stone temple at Vashisht, Van Vihar beside the Beas and the Tibetan Monastery. Evening free for Mall Road and the cafes of Old Manali, which is where the town is at its best.
Overnight ManaliMeals Dinner
3
Solang Valley, Atal Tunnel & Sissu
Solang 13 km · Sissu 40 kmup to 3,100 m
The best day of the trip. Solang Valley first, for the snow and for paragliding, zorbing, skiing and the ropeway in season — all paid locally. Then through the Atal Tunnel, at 9.02 km one of the longest highway tunnels above 3,000 metres in the world, into Lahaul and on to Sissu, where the landscape changes from green valley to bare high desert in the space of ten minutes. The Sissu waterfall and the Chandra river are both there.
Rohtang Pass is optional and costs extra. It runs on a daily vehicle quota needing a permit, closes every Tuesday for maintenance, and is only open around May to November — so it depends on both the permit and the weather on the day, and no operator can promise it in advance. The tunnel needs no permit and runs all year, which is why we plan around it.
Rohtang Pass is optional and costs extra. It runs on a daily vehicle quota needing a permit, closes every Tuesday for maintenance, and is only open around May to November — so it depends on both the permit and the weather on the day, and no operator can promise it in advance. The tunnel needs no permit and runs all year, which is why we plan around it.
Overnight ManaliMeals Breakfast, Dinner
4
Kullu, Kasol & Manikaran
Manikaran 80 km · full dayParvati valley
South out of Manali and into a different valley entirely — the day most packages on this route have no room for. Kullu first, for the shawl and handloom workshops, with river rafting on the Beas at Pirdi in season if you want it, paid locally.
Then east into the Parvati valley. Kasol, on the river among pine forest, with its cafes and its long-standing traveller scene. And Manikaran, where hot springs run beside the freezing Parvati — the Manikaran Sahib gurudwara cooks its langar in the spring water, and there is a Shiva temple and bathing kunds alongside it. Carry a head covering for the gurudwara.
It is one of the more remarkable places in Himachal, and a long day. Back to Manali in the evening.
Then east into the Parvati valley. Kasol, on the river among pine forest, with its cafes and its long-standing traveller scene. And Manikaran, where hot springs run beside the freezing Parvati — the Manikaran Sahib gurudwara cooks its langar in the spring water, and there is a Shiva temple and bathing kunds alongside it. Carry a head covering for the gurudwara.
It is one of the more remarkable places in Himachal, and a long day. Back to Manali in the evening.
Overnight ManaliMeals Breakfast, Dinner
5
Manali → Shimla
250 km · 7–8 hrs2,276 m
A long day, and a beautiful one — the only full driving day in the trip. Down through the Kullu valley, past the Pandoh Dam and the Beas gorge, then Sundernagar, Bilaspur and the climb through Solan into Shimla, deodar closing in for the last hour.
We do not pretend this day is short. Start early, carry something to eat, and take motion-sickness tablets if anyone is prone — the stretch before Mandi is winding. Check in at Shimla in the evening, and if you have anything left, The Ridge and Mall Road are at their best at dusk when the lights come on along the spine of the town.
We do not pretend this day is short. Start early, carry something to eat, and take motion-sickness tablets if anyone is prone — the stretch before Mandi is winding. Check in at Shimla in the evening, and if you have anything left, The Ridge and Mall Road are at their best at dusk when the lights come on along the spine of the town.
Overnight ShimlaMeals Breakfast, Dinner
6
Shimla sightseeing → evening Volvo
Full day · evening departure2,276 m
Check out, but the car stays with you all day. Shimla is the rare hill station where the best of it is walked rather than driven, because The Ridge and Mall Road are closed to traffic.
Jakhoo Temple, the highest point in town, with a Hanuman statue standing over the whole ridge — hold on to your food and sunglasses, the monkeys are organised. Christ Church of 1844 on The Ridge, the Gaiety Theatre, Scandal Point, and the Lakkar Bazaar for Himachali shawls, caps and woodwork, which is the right place to buy anything you are carrying home. Kufri or the Viceregal Lodge can be added if you want a fuller day — tell us in advance and we will build the time in.
Dinner, then a drop at the Volvo stand for the overnight coach to Delhi — eight to nine hours, rather than the twelve to fourteen it would be from Manali.
Jakhoo Temple, the highest point in town, with a Hanuman statue standing over the whole ridge — hold on to your food and sunglasses, the monkeys are organised. Christ Church of 1844 on The Ridge, the Gaiety Theatre, Scandal Point, and the Lakkar Bazaar for Himachali shawls, caps and woodwork, which is the right place to buy anything you are carrying home. Kufri or the Viceregal Lodge can be added if you want a fuller day — tell us in advance and we will build the time in.
Dinner, then a drop at the Volvo stand for the overnight coach to Delhi — eight to nine hours, rather than the twelve to fourteen it would be from Manali.
Overnight On the VolvoMeals Breakfast
7
Arrive Delhi
Delhi ISBT · morning
The coach reaches Delhi in the morning and the package ends there. Do not book a flight for the first hours of the morning — Volvo arrival times move with traffic and road conditions, and a mid-morning or later departure gives you the buffer you need. This matters most if you are flying on to Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad or Kochi, where a missed connection can mean the next day.
Why we run it Manali first. Three reasons, and the third is the practical one. You reach the higher, harder place while you are fresh. You finish in the town where the sightseeing is a walk rather than a drive, which makes for a gentler last day and puts the Lakkar Bazaar shopping at the end where you want it. And your coach home leaves from Shimla — eight to nine hours to Delhi instead of twelve to fourteen from Manali. The last night sitting up is the shorter one.
One night in Shimla is one full day there, and we would rather say so plainly. It covers the town properly on foot. If you want Kufri as well, tell us and we will either fit it into day six or add a second Shimla night — talk to us and we will price both.
On the coach nights: semi-sleeper or sleeper coaches with reclining seats — Volvo, Volvo 9600 or Volvo Maxx depending on your offer. Carry a light blanket, a neck pillow and something warm — the air conditioning runs cold and the coach climbs overnight.
One night in Shimla is one full day there, and we would rather say so plainly. It covers the town properly on foot. If you want Kufri as well, tell us and we will either fit it into day six or add a second Shimla night — talk to us and we will price both.
On the coach nights: semi-sleeper or sleeper coaches with reclining seats — Volvo, Volvo 9600 or Volvo Maxx depending on your offer. Carry a light blanket, a neck pillow and something warm — the air conditioning runs cold and the coach climbs overnight.
What you pay for
Inclusions and exclusions
Included
✓4 nights in the hotels named for your chosen offer — 3 in Manali, 1 in Shimla
✓Return coach tickets, Delhi to Manali and Shimla to Delhi — Volvo on Deluxe, Volvo 9600 on Premium, luxury Volvo Maxx on Luxury
✓Volvo stand transfers at both ends in the hills
✓Private car with driver for all sightseeing — Manali local, Solang and the Atal Tunnel, the Kullu, Kasol and Manikaran day, the Manali to Shimla transfer and Shimla town
✓Daily breakfast and dinner at the hotels
✓Central heating on the Premium and Luxury offers
✓Children below 5 years complimentary, sharing your room with existing bedding
✓Driver allowance, fuel, tolls, parking and all state taxes
✓On-ground support from our Manali branch office
Not included
×Room heater charges on the Deluxe offer — paid at the hotel
×Travel to and from the Volvo terminal in Delhi
×Meals on the coach journeys, on the Deluxe and Premium offers — included on Luxury, served on board
×Kufri activities and entry, if Kufri is added to the Shimla day
×Solang Valley activities — paragliding, zorbing, skiing, ropeway
×Rohtang Pass — optional, at additional cost, subject to permit and weather
×River rafting at Pirdi, Parvati valley activities, and snow-vehicle fare if a road is blocked
×All entrance fees, and extra bed or mattress for a child
×Lunch
×5% GST
×Personal expenses — laundry, phone calls, tips, shopping
×Costs arising from Volvo delays, landslides, road blockage, strikes or weather
Volvo timings are set by the operator and can change. The car is provided as per the itinerary and is not at disposal. Rates are subject to change without prior notice. Cancellation refunds follow the hotel and bus operator policies applicable to your booking.
Talk to us
Send us your dates and we will confirm the rate band, hold the Volvo seats, and price a second Shimla night if you want one. If you are travelling in winter we will also compare Deluxe plus four nights of heater charges against Premium, so you can see the real difference. One message, one answer, no chasing.
Mon–Sat · 10:00 am – 7:00 pm
Timing
When to go
| Months | Weather | Snow | Rate band | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 January – February | Coldest; occasional road closures | Most reliable — Kufri, Solang, both towns | Published rate | Best for snow — and heating matters most here |
| March | Cool and clear, orchards in blossom | Kufri and Solang | Published rate | Excellent — snow above, spring below |
| April – mid July | Warm days, cool evenings | Solang and Rohtang | On request — peak | Good conditions, heaviest crowds and prices |
| Mid July – September | Monsoon: landslides and closures | None | Published rate | Cheapest, but Volvo delays are likeliest here |
| October – November | Crisp, clear, thin crowds | First falls at height | Published rate | Our own pick — best value of the year |
| 1 – 15 December | Cold, quiet, early snow | Likely at Kufri and Solang | Published rate | Snow at the lower rate — an underrated window |
| 16 Dec – 9 January | Cold and festive | Reliable | On request | Himachal at its dearest |
Snow is weather, not a booking. Nobody can promise it and anyone who does is guessing. January and February are the most reliable months — and from 10 January they fall inside the published rate band, which makes that the best-value snow window of the year. One Volvo-specific note: in the monsoon, landslides hold up coaches more than cars, because a bus cannot easily turn around. If you are travelling mid-July to September, build a buffer into your onward plans.
Choosing
Other Himachal packages we run
| Package | Covers | Travel | From | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shimla Manali by Volvo (this page) | Shimla, Kufri, Manali, Solang, Atal Tunnel | Overnight Volvo both ways | ₹32,500 per couple | Both hill stations, fewest leave days |
| Kullu Manali by Volvo | Manali, Kasol, Manikaran | Overnight Volvo both ways | ₹20,000 per couple | Manali only, and the cheapest way in |
| Shimla Manali by car | Shimla, Kufri, Kullu, Manali | Private car | ₹14,000 pp | Couples who would rather not sleep on a coach |
| Shimla Kullu Manali Honeymoon | Both, plus Kullu | Private car | ₹37,500 per couple | Honeymooners — adds the celebration evening |
| Shimla only | Shimla, Kufri, Pinjore | Private car | From ₹4,950 pp | A short break with the least travelling |
| All Himachal packages | Twelve trips | Varies | From ₹12,000 | Browsing everything in one place |
The single biggest question on this page is Volvo or private car, and it comes down to whether you sleep well sitting up. The comparison table above sets out both sides honestly — and if you are unsure, talk to us and we will think it through with you rather than selling you whichever page you happened to open.
Why us
Why book this with Pack The Bag Tours
We have an office in Manali
Tibetan Colony, Manali — where you spend three of your four nights. Most Volvo packages are sold by Delhi agents who book a seat and a room and hope. When your coach is late, ours is a local problem with a local answer.
The coach class is named too
Volvo, Volvo 9600 or Volvo Maxx with meals, depending on your offer — stated on the page rather than left as "Volvo bus". You spend two nights on it, so you should know which one.
Six hotels named
Every property on every offer, on this page, before you pay anything — so you can look them up yourself. Not "3-star or similar", which is how people end up a long way down the valley needing a car for dinner.
We will tell you to take the car instead
If you cannot sleep sitting up, a coach is a poor start to a holiday and we will say so — even though this is the cheaper booking and the easier sale.
We flag the long day
Manali to Shimla is seven to eight hours. It is the only full driving day in the trip, it is beautiful, and it is in the itinerary in plain words rather than hidden behind "scenic transfer".
Upfront about heating
Heater charges are excluded on Deluxe and we say so in four places rather than one line of small print. Across four nights in winter it adds up, and it should not be a surprise at checkout.
You can talk to us directly
One number, answered by the people who run the trip. Certified by the Uttarakhand Tourism Development Board, certificate UTTR/DEHRADUN/08-2019/003412. GST registered. Operating since 2014.
Questions
Shimla Manali Volvo questions, answered
How much does the Manali Shimla Volvo package cost?
Three offers, all total per couple for four hotel nights and both overnight Volvo journeys:
Deluxe — ₹32,500. Hotel Wildrose in Manali, Hotel Nibaana Inn in Shimla. Room heater charges paid at the hotel.
Premium — ₹40,500. Hotel SVH and Royal Regency, with central heating included.
Luxury — ₹58,500. Ashapuri Village Resort & Spa and Hotel Grand Welcome, 4-star at both stops.
Every offer includes the return Volvo tickets, the private car throughout the hills, all sightseeing including the Parvati valley day, and daily breakfast and dinner. GST of 5% is extra. Rates apply 10 January to 31 March and 15 July to 15 December — talk to us with your dates and we will quote them exactly.
Deluxe — ₹32,500. Hotel Wildrose in Manali, Hotel Nibaana Inn in Shimla. Room heater charges paid at the hotel.
Premium — ₹40,500. Hotel SVH and Royal Regency, with central heating included.
Luxury — ₹58,500. Ashapuri Village Resort & Spa and Hotel Grand Welcome, 4-star at both stops.
Every offer includes the return Volvo tickets, the private car throughout the hills, all sightseeing including the Parvati valley day, and daily breakfast and dinner. GST of 5% is extra. Rates apply 10 January to 31 March and 15 July to 15 December — talk to us with your dates and we will quote them exactly.
Is the jump from Deluxe to Premium worth it?
In winter, usually yes. The difference is ₹8,000 a couple — and it buys better hotels at both stops, a Volvo 9600 rather than a standard Volvo on two overnight journeys, plus central heating included, which removes four nights of heater charges from your final bill. That narrows the real gap considerably. From March to October, when heating rarely matters, the decision is purely about the rooms and Deluxe is a perfectly good trip.
Talk to us with your actual dates and we will do that comparison properly rather than leaving you to guess at it.
Talk to us with your actual dates and we will do that comparison properly rather than leaving you to guess at it.
How many nights is this, and where?
Four hotel nights — three in Manali first, then one in Shimla — plus two overnight Volvo journeys, one at each end. Manali gets three because there are three distinct days there: the town, Solang and the Atal Tunnel, and the Parvati valley for Kasol and Manikaran. Shimla gets one night and one full walking day. If you want longer in Shimla, say so and we will add a second night — talk to us and we will price it.
Is one night in Shimla enough?
It gives you one full day there, on day six, before the evening coach — and that covers the town properly: Jakhoo Temple, Christ Church, The Ridge, the Gaiety Theatre, Scandal Point and the Lakkar Bazaar, all of it on foot, since the centre of Shimla is closed to traffic. What it does not comfortably fit is Kufri as well, 16 km out.
So: if Shimla town is what you want, one night works. If you want Kufri too, tell us and we will either build it into day six or add a second Shimla night. We would rather have that conversation now than have you feel rushed on your last day — talk to us and we will price both versions.
So: if Shimla town is what you want, one night works. If you want Kufri too, tell us and we will either build it into day six or add a second Shimla night. We would rather have that conversation now than have you feel rushed on your last day — talk to us and we will price both versions.
What is there at Kasol and Manikaran?
They are in the Parvati valley, east of Kullu, and day four is given over to them — which is unusual on a Shimla Manali itinerary. Kasol sits on the river among pine forest and is known for its cafes and its long-standing traveller scene. Manikaran, a few kilometres on, has hot springs running beside a freezing river: the Manikaran Sahib gurudwara cooks its langar in the spring water, and there is a Shiva temple and bathing kunds alongside. Carry a head covering for the gurudwara. It is a long day and the most varied one of the trip.
Why does the trip do Manali first and Shimla second?
Three reasons, and the third is the practical one. You reach the higher, harder place while you are fresh rather than after four days of travelling. You finish in Shimla, where the sightseeing is a walk rather than a drive — a gentler last day, with the Lakkar Bazaar shopping at the end where you want it. And your coach home leaves from Shimla — eight to nine hours to Delhi, against the twelve to fourteen it would be from Manali. On a trip with two coach nights in it, making the last one the shorter is worth more than it sounds.
Which Volvo coach do we travel on?
It depends on the offer. Deluxe uses a Volvo, Premium a Volvo 9600 — newer and better appointed, which is a noticeable difference on the twelve to fourteen hour run up to Manali — and Luxury the luxury Volvo Maxx with meals served on board. On Deluxe and Premium, meals during the journey are bought at the highway stops the coach makes. Since two of your nights are spent on the coach, this deserves as much thought as the hotel.
Is the Volvo comfortable enough?
Honestly, it depends entirely on whether you sleep sitting up. These are semi-sleeper or sleeper coaches with reclining seats and most people manage fine, but if you are someone who does not sleep on planes or buses, you will arrive in Shimla tired on your first morning. In that case the private-car version is worth the extra. Carry a light blanket, a neck pillow and something warm — the air conditioning runs cold and the coach climbs overnight.
Do we get a car in the hills, or only the coach?
A private car with driver for the whole time you are in the hills — the Volvo stand transfers, both Manali sightseeing days including Solang and the Atal Tunnel, the Manali to Shimla transfer, and the Shimla sightseeing including Kufri. It is private to you, never shared or pooled. The Volvo covers only the two long Delhi legs, which is exactly the part you would otherwise spend a day of your holiday on.
How long is the Manali to Shimla drive?
250 km and seven to eight hours, down through the Kullu valley, past the Pandoh Dam and on through Sundernagar, Bilaspur and Solan. It is the only full driving day in the trip and it is genuinely beautiful, but we would rather say plainly that it is long than describe it as a "scenic transfer" and let you discover it on day five. Start early, carry something to eat, and take motion-sickness tablets if anyone is prone — the stretch before Mandi is winding.
Which hotels will we stay in?
All six are named on this page. Deluxe: Hotel Nibaana Inn in Shimla, Hotel Wildrose in Manali. Premium: Royal Regency in Shimla, Hotel SVH in Manali. Luxury: Hotel Grand Welcome in Shimla, Ashapuri Village Resort & Spa in Manali. If any property is unavailable on your dates we will tell you what we are substituting before you confirm, not after.
Are room heater charges included?
Not on the Deluxe offer, where they are paid at the hotel. Premium and Luxury include central heating. Shimla is at 2,276 metres and Manali at 2,050, and both are genuinely cold from November — and this trip has four nights in it, three of them in Manali, so the amounts add up more than on a short break. Talk to us and we will compare Deluxe plus four nights of heater charges against the Premium rate for your dates.
Do we go to Rohtang Pass or the Atal Tunnel?
The Atal Tunnel as standard, and on to Sissu in Lahaul. It needs no permit, runs all year and takes you into completely different landscape in ten minutes. Rohtang Pass is optional and costs extra — it runs on a daily vehicle quota needing a permit, closes every Tuesday for maintenance and is only open around May to November, so it depends on both the permit and the weather on the day. Tell us if you want it and we will try; the tunnel is the reliable version of the same day.
Will we see snow?
Nobody can promise snow. January and February are the most reliable months, including in both towns. From December to March you can usually find it at Kufri near Shimla and at Solang Valley or on the Lahaul side of the Atal Tunnel near Manali, even when the towns are clear. From April onwards you are relying on the higher slopes. Talk to us with your dates and we will say honestly what is likely.
What if the Volvo is delayed?
It happens, particularly in the monsoon when landslides hold up coaches more than cars. Timings are set by the bus operator and are outside our control, and costs arising from delays are not covered in the package price — but our Manali office tracks arrivals and your driver will be there whenever the coach gets in. Do not book an early morning flight on your return day; give yourself until mid-morning at least.
Can we bring a child, and is there a charge?
Children below five years are complimentary on all three offers — no package charge, sharing your room with the existing bedding. An extra bed or mattress is chargeable, and Volvo seat policy for infants is set by the bus operator, so tell us the age at booking and we will confirm. Children aged five and over are quoted at the applicable rate.
Is Shimla or Manali better?
They are different, which is the argument for doing both. Shimla is a colonial town on a ridge where The Ridge and Mall Road are closed to traffic, so the best of it is walked — better if you want to stroll, shop and sit in cafes. Manali is a mountain town with Solang, the Atal Tunnel and the high passes behind it — better if you want snow and activity. On this package you get three nights in Manali first and one in Shimla after — Manali has three distinct days in it, Shimla has one very good one.
We are Pack The Bag Tours · Dehradun & Manali · Since 2014
Talk to us about your Shimla Manali trip
You will be speaking to the people who actually run it, including our office in Manali, where you spend three of your four nights. Share your dates and we will confirm the hotels, hold the Volvo seats and send one all-inclusive quote.
Mon–Sat · 10:00 am – 7:00 pm