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Seasonal · Himachal Pradesh
Manali Snowfall Time: When It Really Snows, and Where to Find It
Search "Manali snowfall time" and you get a confident month. The last four winters say otherwise: the high passes get snow from October, Manali town anywhere from mid-November to late January. Here is what actually happened, where to go for snow, the road rules that stop you, and what it costs.
Photo: Bleezebub, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Text added by Trip Under.
Short answer
The high points above Manali (Rohtang, Atal Tunnel, Sissu) usually get their first snow in October. Manali town is far less predictable: in the last four winters its first snow came anywhere from mid-November to late January. If you want snow you can count on, go between late December and February, and plan to see it at Solang Valley or the Atal Tunnel, not in town.
Manali is a town at about 2,000 metres. Snow that falls on the passes above it often turns to rain by the time it reaches the Mall Road. That is why one person says "it snowed in Manali" in October and another arrives in January to bare roofs. Both are right. What matters is where you stand and how far the roads let you go.
The dates below come from dated reports in The Tribune, Business Today, DD News and Outlook, and from district orders where we could find them. Where a figure comes from a travel blog or a booking site instead of an official source, we say so. Weather is never a promise: treat every month here as odds, not a booking date.
When it snowed, the last four winters
First snow of each season, separated into the high points above Manali and the town itself:
| Winter | High points (Rohtang, Atal Tunnel, Sissu) | Manali town | What happened |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022–23 | Keylong about 30 cm, Koksar over 60 cm (mid-Nov) | About 14 Nov, washed off by rain; over 30 cm in mid-Jan | Tourist vehicles allowed only up to Solang Nullah |
| 2023–24 | Snow at both tunnel portals as late as 30 Mar | Mild snow only around 31 Jan, after a two-month dry spell | About 300 tourists rescued near the tunnel's south portal |
| 2024–25 | Heavy snow 23 and 27 Dec | Late December | Over 5,000 tourists evacuated at Solang Nala; traffic stopped at Nehru Kund |
| 2025–26 | Rohtang and Kunzum about 5 Oct | About 23–24 Jan, "first after nearly three months" | Jams up to 8 km, hotels near full, 685 roads blocked statewide |
| 2026–27 | Atal Tunnel north portal and Keylong, 15 Oct | Not yet (25 Oct) | — |
Photo: Roninshaikh, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The pattern: snow up high every October or November, but in town it can arrive in November or not until the end of January. Late December to February is when snow was on the ground in every one of the last four winters, at least from Solang upwards.
Where you will actually find snow
- Solang Valley. The usual place tourists see snow. When the roads above are closed after heavy snowfall, police often let traffic go only as far as Solang Nala or Nehru Kund.
- Atal Tunnel, south portal. 25 km from Manali at about 3,000 metres. The 9.02 km tunnel runs through to the north portal at Teling near Sissu (government figures, PIB).
- Sissu and Lahaul. Snow from autumn, but in winter the district has often allowed only four-wheel-drive tourist vehicles, during set daytime hours, because of black ice (2021 and 2023 orders reported by The Tribune). Check the current order before you go.
- Rohtang Pass. Permits are issued on rohtangpermits.hp.gov.in, run by the Kullu district office. The pass usually closes to vehicles around mid-November and has reopened in mid-May (15 May 2026). The fee has been reported as ₹500 plus a ₹50 congestion charge; travel blogs add that no permits are issued on Tuesdays. In deep winter, Rohtang is not an option.
Photo: 9161Ankur, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
After heavy snow, police routinely stop tourist vehicles at Nehru Kund or Solang Nala, sometimes for days. In December 2024 more than 5,000 tourists had to be evacuated around Solang. Keep a spare day, and do not book a non-refundable trip beyond Solang for a fixed date.
Getting to Manali
| How | Route | Time | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overnight Volvo bus | Delhi → Manali, about 393 km | 11–13 h | About ₹900–1,200 (booking sites) |
| Bus from Chandigarh | Chandigarh → Manali | 8–12 h | About ₹430–1,700 (booking sites) |
| Flight + road | To Bhuntar (Kullu–Manali airport), 52 km from Manali | 1–2 h by road | Fares vary; winter flights can cancel |
What a snow trip costs
There is no official rate card for most of what tourists pay for in Manali. These are the figures we could find, with where each comes from:
| Item | Price | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Old Manali hostel bed | From about ₹330–700 a night | Hostel listings (Outlook Traveller); winter rates rise around Christmas |
| Taxi, Manali → Solang (return, per vehicle) | About ₹2,000 | Operator quote, not an official tariff |
| Taxi, Manali → Atal Tunnel or Sissu (per vehicle) | About ₹3,000 | Operator quote, not an official tariff |
| Rohtang permit (summer only) | ₹500 + ₹50 | Reported by The Tribune |
| Short ski session with kit at Solang | ₹300–1,000 | District Tourism Officer, quoted in Deccan Herald |
| 7-day elementary ski course (ABVIMAS, Solang) | ₹7,200 | Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Mountaineering |
A simple four-day trip from Delhi on a shoestring, then, is two overnight Volvos (about ₹2,000–2,400), three nights in a hostel (about ₹1,000–2,100) and one shared taxi day to Solang, plus food. Snow suits and boots are rented at Solang; there is no official rate list, so agree the price before you put them on.
Quieter places for snow near Manali
- Sethan, 12 km above Manali in the Hampta valley: igloo stays run from late December to early March. Snow is common, but even its own operators say it is not guaranteed.
- Narkanda and Kufri, above Shimla: reliably cold (Narkanda −3.8°C and Kufri −2.2°C on 24 February 2024). Snow regularly blocks NH-5 here, which is the point and the problem.
- Jalori Pass, above Jibhi. Snow closes the pass road from about mid-December to early March; in one winter buses stopped for 36 days. Stay in Tirthan Valley or Jibhi below it and walk up to the snow line.
- Chitkul is a poor winter pick on a budget: the road usually closes from about mid-December to March and most hotels shut.
For snow destinations in December across India with full costs, see our cheapest snowfall places list.
Safety in snow season
- Watch the IMD colour codes. The Shimla Meteorological Centre issues them for Himachal: yellow means be aware, orange be prepared, red take action. An orange alert was out the day 300 tourists were stuck at the Atal Tunnel in January 2024.
- Avalanche bulletins come from DGRE (DRDO) on a 1 to 5 scale; at 3 travel is unsafe, at 4 movement is suspended.
- Black ice is the usual reason roads above Solang close, even on clear days. Vehicles beyond Solang have at times been allowed only with four-wheel drive or anti-skid chains.
- It is cold. Manali has dropped to about −1°C on January nights; Keylong, over the tunnel, to about −12°C.
Frequently asked questions
Does it snow in Manali in November?
Sometimes, but not reliably. In 2022 Manali town had its first snow around 14 November, but it was washed away by rain. In 2023 and 2025 there was no snow in town until late January. Rohtang, the Atal Tunnel and Sissu usually have snow from October or November.
What is the best time to see snowfall in Manali?
Late December to February. In each of the last four winters there was snow on the ground at Solang and above in that window. Snow in the town itself is less certain.
Is the Atal Tunnel open in winter?
Usually yes, but with conditions. In past winters the authorities have allowed only four-wheel-drive tourist vehicles, during daytime hours, and have closed the road beyond Solang for days after heavy snow. Check the current Kullu and Lahaul-Spiti orders before you go.
Can I go to Rohtang Pass in December?
No. Rohtang usually closes to vehicles around mid-November and reopens in mid-May. Permits are only issued when it is open, on rohtangpermits.hp.gov.in.
Will I see snow in Manali in December?
Likely at Solang or the Atal Tunnel in the second half of December, less likely in the town. In 2024 heavy snow fell around 23 and 27 December; in 2025 the town waited until late January.
Sources and how we priced this
- The Tribune: Manali first snowfall (15 Nov 2022); Shimla and Manali snowfall (14 Jan 2023); upper Shimla first snowfall and Atal Tunnel rescue (31 Jan 2024); Manali snow (25 Feb 2024); fresh snow near Atal Tunnel (31 Mar 2024); 5,000 tourists at Solang Nala (28 Dec 2024); Rohtang and Kunzum first snow (6 Oct 2025); Rohtang closed beyond Gulaba (30 Nov 2023); Lahaul 4WD orders (Jan 2021, Jan 2023).
- DD News, vehicles stuck after heavy snowfall in Manali (24 Dec 2024). Business Today, Himachal first snowfall after nearly three months (25 Jan 2026). Outlook, fresh snowfall in Himachal (15 Oct 2026).
- Rohtang permits: rohtangpermits.hp.gov.in (Kullu district, accessed 25 Oct 2026). Atal Tunnel length and portals: PIB release, 3 Oct 2020.
- ABVIMAS ski course fees: abvimas.org (2026–27 page). Avalanche bulletins: DGRE, DRDO (Nov 2025, Apr 2026).
- Bus fares: booking sites (2026). Hostel prices: Outlook Traveller listings. Taxi prices: operator quotes, not official tariffs. Some closure dates also cross-checked with the dated road log on discoverkullumanali.in (a local blog).
Keep reading
Want snow without the Manali jam?
Tirthan Valley and Jibhi sit below the Jalori pass, three hours south of Manali, with village homestays and every rupee shown.
See Tirthan Valley costs →Costs come from Trip Under's place data and our cost model (see methodology). They are indicative ballparks for budget travel and move with season and demand. Check live bus, train and room prices before you book. Trip Under is reader-planned, not an agency, and takes no commission on any booking.