Himachal Tourism Sees Surge Despite No Snow in Shimla, Manali

December 26, 2025

Shimla: Tourists from across the country are flocking to Himachal Pradesh’s tourist destinations in the hope of seeing snow. Most of the state’s tourist destinations have not yet experienced snowfall. Currently, snow can only be seen at Rohtang Pass and Shinkula Pass in the Lahaul-Spiti district.

There is no snow at any famous tourist destination including Shimla, Manali, Kufri, Narkanda, Dharamshala, Dalhousie, Kasauli.

Over 250,000 tourists arrived in Shimla in a week.

Between December 18th and 24th, more than 54,000 tourist vehicles entered Shimla city alone. These vehicles carried over 250,000 tourists to tourist destinations such as Shimla, Kufri, Narkanda, Fagu, Shilaru, Mashobra, and Naldehra.

Manali also received nearly 100,000 tourists in a week.

Meanwhile, 9,527 Volvo buses and small tourist vehicles entered the city. According to estimates, nearly 100,000 tourists arrived in Manali before Christmas. This number is expected to increase further during the weekend and New Year’s Eve.

How and Where Tourists Can See Snow?

Rohtang Pass is approximately 51 kilometers from Manali. Its elevation is approximately 13,050 feet above sea level. Access to the pass is possible by taxi or private vehicle, but requires permission from the government and clear weather. Most tourists depart Manali in the morning and return by evening.

Shinkula Pass, 130 km from Manali, connects Lahaul to the Zanskar Valley and is also covered in snow. Located approximately 130 km from Manali and at an altitude of 16,500 feet, the pass is only accessible to 4×4 vehicles, as the black ice makes it very slippery. This area is considered ideal for adventure tourists.

Snowfall is expected in the higher elevations today.

Light snowfall is expected in some high altitude areas today. The weather will remain clear after this. Light snowfall is again expected in the higher elevations on December 30th and 31st. Despite the absence of snow, the temperature remains 2 to 4 degrees above normal, making the weather pleasant for tourists.

Tourists making advance bookings:

Hotelier Anoop Thakur, former president of the Manali Hotel Association, said that most tourists are making advance bookings online. Bookings for New Year’s Day began eight to ten days in advance. He added that if there had been snow, the number of tourists would have been even higher.