Himachal Pradesh Classic Circuit 2026: Shimla, Manali, Dharamshala and Kullu Complete Guide
Browse more guides: India travel | Asia destinations Himachal Pradesh Classic Circuit 2026: Shimla, Manali, Dharamshala and Kullu Complete Guide TL;DR I have walked Himachal Pradesh end to end across four separate trips, and I will tell you upfront that this is the easiest Himalayan state for a first-time visitor. The altitudes sit lower than Ladakh or Sikkim, the road network actually works, and English carries you through every hotel desk between Shimla and McLeod Ganj. The classic circuit links five anchors. Shimla is the old British summer capital at 2,205m, with the Mall Road, Christ Church from 1857, and the Kalka-Shimla Toy Train that climbs 96km through 102 tunnels and 988 bridges. Manali at 2,050m gives you Solang Valley, the Hadimba Temple from 1553, and Rohtang Pass at 3,978m, now bypassed year-round by the 9.02km Atal Tunnel that opened in 2020. Dharamshala and McLeod Ganj have hosted the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan government-in-exile since 1959 and 1960, with Norbulin...