Kinnaur orchards and the Spiti high desert, Himachal

Ultimate Himachal 13-Day Grand Circuit
every side of Himachal, end to end

The definitive circuit — Shimla, Kinnaur, Spiti, Manali, Dharamshala and Dalhousie, from apple orchards to moonscape monasteries, end to end.

13 Days / 12 Nights Shimla · Kinnaur · Spiti · Manali · Kangra Best for Grand-tour & adventure travellers
4.9 · 263 Google reviews
4+ Years · Local Experts
Handpicked Stays
24×7 Support
Secure Payments · GST
No Hidden Charges
The definitive circuit

Every side of Himachal, end to end

This is the definitive Himachal journey — the classic hill stations, the apple orchards and last villages of Kinnaur, the moonscape monasteries of Spiti, the green valleys of Manali and the Tibetan Kangra, all in one carefully-paced grand circuit.

Thirteen days give the high altitude time to settle safely, with a private vehicle, premium stays and expert routing that follows the season and the roads.

At a glance

Trip quick facts

Duration
13 Days / 12 Nights
Route
Chandigarh · Kinnaur · Spiti · Kangra
Best time
Jun–Sep
Difficulty
Challenging
Ideal for
Grand-tour & adventure travellers
Highest point
Kunzum Pass · 4,590 m
Highlights

What makes this trip special

  • Shimla and the apple country of Kinnaur
  • Chitkul, the last Indian village
  • Tabo, Dhankar, Kaza and the Key monastery
  • Chandratal lake and the Kunzum Pass
  • Manali, McLeodganj and Dalhousie to finish
Day by day

Your day-wise itinerary

A realistic, production-ready plan with drive times, altitudes and seasonal notes — fully customisable to your dates and pace.

Day 1

Chandigarh → Shimla

Route: Chandigarh · Shimla≈115 km · 3.5 hrs
Morning

Pickup and the drive up to Shimla.

Afternoon

The Mall Road and the Ridge.

Evening

A colonial hill stay.

Night stayShimla
MealsDinner
Altitude≈2,200 m
Road & seasonPaved hill road.
Food to tryHill dining
Photo spotsThe Ridge
Good to knowWe acclimatise gradually as we climb over the days.
Day 2

Shimla → Sangla (Kinnaur)

Route: Shimla · Narkanda · Sangla≈220 km · 8 hrs
Morning

Along the Sutlej into Kinnaur through apple country.

Afternoon

Into the Baspa valley to Sangla.

Evening

A riverside Kinnauri stay.

Night staySangla
MealsBreakfast
Altitude≈2,700 m
Road & seasonLong mountain road along the Sutlej.
Food to tryKinnauri food
Photo spotsThe Baspa valley
Good to knowA long, scenic driving day.
Day 3

Sangla → Chitkul → Kalpa

Route: Sangla · Chitkul · Kalpa≈75 km · 5 hrs
Morning

Chitkul, the last Indian village on the old Indo-Tibet road.

Afternoon

Drive to Kalpa, facing Kinner Kailash.

Evening

Sunset on the Kinner Kailash range.

Night stayKalpa
MealsBreakfast
Altitude≈2,960 m
Road & seasonNarrow mountain roads.
Food to tryLocal food
Photo spotsChitkul, Kinner Kailash
OptionalRoghi village & suicide point
Day 4

Kalpa → Tabo

Route: Kalpa · Nako · Tabo≈160 km · 7 hrs
Morning

The high Nako lake and village.

Afternoon

Cross into Spiti to the ancient Tabo monastery.

Evening

A quiet night at Tabo.

Night stayTabo
MealsBreakfast
Altitude≈3,050 m
Road & seasonRough high-altitude road.
Food to trySpitian food
Photo spotsNako lake, Tabo murals
Good to knowReal altitude — we build in acclimatisation, keep pacing gentle and carry oxygen & a first-aid kit.
Day 5

Tabo → Kaza (via Dhankar)

Route: Tabo · Dhankar · Kaza≈50 km · 3–4 hrs
Morning

The cliff-top Dhankar monastery and lake.

Afternoon

Drive to Kaza, the heart of Spiti.

Evening

Rest at altitude.

Night stayKaza
MealsBreakfast
Altitude≈3,650 m
Road & seasonWinding roads.
Food to tryLocal food
Photo spotsDhankar monastery
Good to knowRest and hydrate at Kaza.
Day 6

Kaza — Key, Kibber, Hikkim, Langza

Route: Kaza · Key · Kibber · Hikkim · Langza≈60 km · local day
Morning

The Key monastery and hilltop Kibber.

Afternoon

Hikkim, Komic and Langza’s fossils.

Evening

Back to Kaza.

Night stayKaza
MealsBreakfast
Altitudeup to 4,500 m
Road & seasonNarrow mountain roads.
Food to tryLocal food
Photo spotsKey monastery, Langza Buddha
OptionalPost a letter from Hikkim
Day 7

Kaza → Chandratal

Route: Kaza · Losar · Kunzum · Chandratal≈100 km · 5–6 hrs
Morning

Along the Spiti river to Losar.

Afternoon

Over the Kunzum Pass (4,590 m) to Chandratal.

Evening

A lakeside camp under the stars.

Night stayChandratal — camp
MealsB, D
Altitude≈4,300 m
Road & seasonRough high-altitude road.
Food to tryCamp meals
Photo spotsChandratal, the Milky Way
Good to knowReal altitude — we build in acclimatisation, keep pacing gentle and carry oxygen & a first-aid kit.
Day 8

Chandratal → Manali

Route: Chandratal · Atal Tunnel · Manali≈130 km · 6–7 hrs
Morning

Sunrise over the moon lake.

Afternoon

Down the Chandra valley and through the Atal Tunnel.

Evening

Back to green Manali.

Night stayManali
MealsBreakfast
Altitudedescending
Road & seasonRough road then the tunnel.
Food to tryRiver trout
Photo spotsThe Chandra valley
Good to knowA welcome return to lower altitude.
Day 9

Manali

Route: Manali · Solang≈30 km · local day
Morning

Solang Valley and the snow slopes.

Afternoon

Hadimba temple and Old Manali.

Evening

A restful evening.

Night stayManali
MealsBreakfast
Altitude≈2,050 m
Road & seasonPaved.
Food to tryCafe fare
Photo spotsSolang, Hadimba
OptionalParagliding / rafting
Day 10

Manali → Dharamshala

Route: Manali · Mandi · Dharamshala≈250 km · 7–8 hrs
Morning

Down the Beas via Mandi.

Afternoon

Into the Kangra valley to McLeodganj.

Evening

The Tibetan quarter.

Night stayMcLeodganj
MealsBreakfast
Altitude≈1,800 m
Road & seasonA long hill-and-valley drive.
Food to tryTibetan food
Photo spotsDhauladhar range
Good to knowA long travel day.
Day 11

Dharamshala & McLeodganj

Route: McLeodganj · Bhagsu≈12 km + walks · local day
Morning

The Dalai Lama temple and Namgyal monastery.

Afternoon

Bhagsu waterfall and the Triund base.

Evening

Cafes above the valley.

Night stayMcLeodganj
MealsBreakfast
Altitudeup to 2,800 m if Triund
Road & seasonShort drives and walks.
Food to tryCafe fare
Photo spotsThe temple, Dhauladhar
OptionalTriund day-trek
Day 12

Dharamshala → Dalhousie & Khajjiar

Route: Dharamshala · Khajjiar · Dalhousie≈120 km · 5 hrs
Morning

The drive into the Chamba hills.

Afternoon

The Khajjiar meadow and colonial Dalhousie.

Evening

A final hill evening.

Night stayDalhousie
MealsBreakfast
Altitude≈2,000 m
Road & seasonWinding hill roads.
Food to tryLocal fare
Photo spotsKhajjiar meadow
Day 13

Dalhousie → Gaggal (departure)

Route: Dalhousie · Kangra · Gaggal≈120 km · 4 hrs
Morning

A relaxed breakfast and departure.

Afternoon

The drive down via Kangra.

Evening

Drop at Gaggal (Dharamshala) airport.

Night stay
MealsBreakfast
Altitudedescending
Road & seasonHill road then valley road.
Food to try
Photo spotsKangra fort
Good to knowCan also end at Pathankot or Amritsar.
Choose your style

Package variants

Every itinerary above is available in the comfort level that suits you.

Budget

Clean 3★ stays & homestays, smart pacing.

Deluxe

Boutique 4★ hotels with the best views.

Premium

Premium resorts, private guides & experiences.

Luxury

Iconic retreats & bespoke touches throughout.

Family / Honeymoon

Tuned for couples or families — rooms, pace & extras.

Transparent, always

What’s included

✓ Inclusions

  • Handpicked stays with breakfast
  • Private, chauffeur-driven AC car for the hills
  • All transfers and inter-place drives
  • Local guides at the main sights
  • A dedicated tour manager & 24×7 support
  • All applicable taxes and a GST invoice

✗ Exclusions

  • Flights / train to the start point (we can arrange)
  • Lunches & dinners unless specified
  • Monument / activity entry fees (added on request)
  • Personal expenses, tips & shopping
  • Travel insurance (recommended)
  • Anything not listed under inclusions
Answers

Ultimate Himachal 13-Day Grand Circuit FAQs

The best window is Jun–Sep. We tailor the season to your dates and advise on snow, monsoon and pass-closure timing so your trip runs smoothly.

We begin from Chandigarh and handle every transfer and internal drive in a private chauffeur-driven car. Tell us your arrival flight or train and we plan around it.

This route is designed as a well-paced 13 Days / 12 Nights journey. We can shorten or extend it, add rest days, or combine it with a nearby region — it is fully customisable.

Yes — the pace, stays and activities are tuned for grand-tour & adventure travellers. Difficulty is rated Challenging, and we adjust everything to your comfort.

Handpicked stays with daily breakfast (dinner on request). Choose your tier — Standard, Deluxe, Premium or Luxury — and we match the stays and inclusions to it, always with a GST invoice.

Every journey is private and customised, so we quote per person after learning your dates, group size and hotel tier — with no hidden charges and a proper GST invoice.

Keep exploring

Other Himachal itineraries

Let’s design your Himachal journey

Tell us your dates and how you love to travel. Your personal designer will send a tailored itinerary and quote within one working day — no obligation, no hidden charges.

CallWhatsAppEnquire