Seeing Snow in India This Winter (2026–27): A Himachal Guide for Travellers from Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Singapore and the Gulf

If you are travelling from a warm country to see snow for the first time, Himachal Pradesh is the most practical place in India to do it, and the second half of January and February give the best chance of snow on the ground. Fly into Delhi, then travel up by private car to Manali, where the Solang valley is the main snow area, or to Shimla, with Kufri and Narkanda close by. In December, snow in the towns is not promised: plan a day beyond the Atal Tunnel to Sissu if the road is open, and keep a spare day. Allow six or seven nights from Delhi, pack proper winter layers and waterproof boots, and check your visa early — Sri Lankan, Malaysian and Singaporean nationals can use India’s e-Visa, and it is free for Malaysians until 31 December 2026.

This guide is for travellers from Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Singapore, Bangladesh and the Gulf planning a first snow trip: when to go, where the snow actually is, how to get there, which visa you need, how cold it gets and what a private trip costs. We are a tour operator based in Shimla, and winter is the season outside our office window.

Where in India can you see snow in winter?

Several of India’s mountain states get snow in winter. For a first trip from abroad, Himachal Pradesh is the easiest to combine with a flight into Delhi: its snow areas can be reached by road, its hotels are used to winter guests, and there is more than one base, so a closed road does not end the trip.

Gulmarg in Kashmir is India’s best-known ski resort, but several governments, including the UK’s, advise against all travel to Jammu and Kashmir, so check your own government’s advice before considering it. Auli in Uttarakhand is a smaller ski area a long drive from the nearest airport. This guide concentrates on Himachal, where we are based and where we plan trips every winter.

When is the best time to see snow?

If snow is the reason for the trip, go in the second half of January or in February. December is lovely — cold, clear and festive — but snow in the towns has become less likely than it used to be.

If you can only travel in December, aim for the last ten days, base yourself in Manali and treat snow in town as a bonus: the snow is higher up, at Solang and beyond the tunnel. Our guide to Himachal Pradesh in December 2026 covers the Christmas–New Year dates in detail, and the Himachal winter snow guide explains the snow month by month.

How do you get to Himachal from Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Singapore or the Gulf?

Fly into Delhi. The airports in the hills are small and have only domestic flights, so almost every international trip to Himachal starts at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport.

Airlines and flight times are from published schedules checked on 30 September 2026. Schedules change, so check when you book. From the Gulf, Delhi is served by frequent non-stop flights.

From Delhi, a private car takes you up in stages. Shimla is a long day’s drive. Manali is 12–14 hours, so we break the journey with a night in Shimla or Chandigarh, or use a domestic flight to Chandigarh, from where Manali is a 7–8 hour drive. If your international flight lands late in the evening, stay the first night in Delhi and drive up in daylight. Our guide to a private India tour with a car and driver explains how the car, driver and hotels fit together.

Do you need a visa for India?

Yes, unless you hold an Indian passport or an OCI card. Your visa depends on your passport, not on the country you live in.

Apply only on the Government of India’s own portal, indianvisaonline.gov.in, not through look-alike sites. The e-Tourist visa can be applied for from 120 days to 4 days before arrival, and is issued for 30 days, one year or five years. Our India tourist visa guide covers the process.

How cold is it, and what should you pack?

Colder than most first-time visitors expect. The India Meteorological Department’s long-term averages for Shimla put January at about 9 °C by day and 2 °C at night, and Manali, Solang and Sissu are colder still. In the snow, wind and wet clothes make it feel colder again.

• Layers, not one thick coat: a thermal base layer, a fleece or wool mid-layer, and a windproof, waterproof jacket.
• Waterproof boots with grip: the most common mistake is ordinary trainers on packed ice.
• Gloves, a wool cap and thick socks — and a spare pair of each, because wet gloves stay wet.
• Sunglasses and sunscreen: the sun off fresh snow burns faster than people expect.
• Snow suits: suits and boots can be hired for the day near the snow points. Quality varies, so bring your own gloves and socks.
• A power bank: cold drains phone batteries quickly, and your phone is your camera.
• Regular medication in your hand luggage: if a road closes, a pharmacy can be hours away.

Ask about heating before you look at the view. Many hill hotels are built for summer, and a room with reliable heating all night matters more than a snow-view balcony. In winter a central hotel is also worth more than an extra star: a property forty minutes out of town can be cut off after a snowfall.

A seven-night first-snow itinerary from Delhi

This is the route we plan most often for first-time snow visitors. It keeps every long drive in daylight and gives you three chances of snow — Kufri or Narkanda, Solang, and Sissu if the road is open.

• Day 1 — Delhi: arrive and rest. If you land early, drive to Chandigarh instead.
• Day 2 — Delhi to Shimla: by private car, or fly to Chandigarh and drive up. Evening on the Mall.
• Day 3 — Kufri or Narkanda: the snow nearest Shimla, with the best odds from mid-January. In the evening, the open-air ice rink below the Ridge when it is cold enough (it normally runs from December to February).
• Day 4 — Shimla to Manali: a full day’s drive via Mandi and Kullu. Leave early and arrive before dark.
• Day 5 — Solang valley: your main snow day — sledging, tubing, and a beginner’s ski lesson if you want one.
• Day 6 — Sissu, if the road is open: through the Atal Tunnel to the deep snow of the Chandra valley. If the tunnel road is closed, a second Solang day or Naggar and Old Manali.
• Day 7 — Manali to Chandigarh: a 7–8 hour drive, with a night in Chandigarh.
• Day 8 — Home: a short flight from Chandigarh to Delhi, or the drive, to connect with your international flight.

With five or six nights, choose one base: Manali with Solang and Sissu, or Shimla with Kufri and Narkanda. See our Shimla–Manali itinerary for the classic version of the route.

Is it safe to travel in the snow?

Yes, with a local driver and a plan that respects the weather. The risks are the roads, not the snow itself:

• Roads close after heavy snow. Tourist vehicles are often stopped beyond Solang Nala after fresh snowfall, and only 4×4 vehicles may be allowed through when the road reopens.
• Black ice on shaded bends. Every long drive should finish in daylight.
• The tunnel is not always open. The Atal Tunnel closed for about four days after the snowfall of 23–24 January 2026, and since April 2026 a no-stopping zone has covered its north portal.
• Keep a buffer day. Never plan the drive down from the mountains on the day of your international flight.
• Check the day before. Road status changes overnight; a driver based in the hills knows before you do.

In 2026 the Sissu village council also stopped tourist activities there from 20 January to 28 February. Nothing has been announced for 2027, so ask before you count on them.

What does a private first-snow trip cost?

Our indicative bands for the Himachal part of a December 2026 trip — 4–5 nights with a private car and driver, per person, two sharing — are below. Delhi nights, international flights and the visa are extra, and every quotation is built to your dates.

January and February are quoted to your exact dates. The dates move the price more than anything else: the same trip can cost half as much on 10 December as on 30 December. Our Himachal tour cost page explains the other variables.

Mistakes first-time snow visitors make

• Booking early December for guaranteed snow. Go from the second half of January, or plan December around Solang and Sissu.
• Driving down on the day of the flight home. One overnight snowfall can close the road.
• Trainers instead of waterproof boots. Wet, cold feet end snow days early.
• Choosing a hotel by its snow photograph. Ask how it is reached after a snowfall and whether the rooms are heated all night.
• Treating Sissu as a fixed day. It depends on the tunnel road; plan it as a bonus with an alternative ready.
• Landing late and driving up at night. Spend the first night in Delhi or Chandigarh.

Frequently Asked Questions

Planning Your First Snow Trip?

We plan private winter trips in Himachal from our office in Kasumpti, Shimla, including for guests from Sri Lanka and elsewhere in Asia. Every trip runs from Delhi airport back to Delhi airport with a private car and the same local driver throughout, heated hotels we have checked, a plan B for closed roads and support during the trip. Our Google Business Profile is rated 5.0 from 266 reviews (September 2026).

For a suggested route and an itemised quotation, send us five things:

• your passport country (it decides the visa);
• your travel dates, or the month you can travel;
• the number of travellers, and the ages of any children or older travellers;
• whether snow is a must, or a bonus;
• your preferred hotel style — comfortable, premium or luxury.

We usually reply within one working day. Email help@itinerarydiary.com, use Plan My Trip, or WhatsApp +91 76499 29992. See the routes on our Himachal Pradesh tour packages page.