Delhi to Manali Distance by Road, Route & Travel Time Guide

The Delhi to Manali road trip is one of the most popular drives in North India - but it is not as straightforward as it looks on a map. The distance is around 540–570 km and the journey takes 12 to 14 hours on a good day. That number shifts depending on traffic, weather and what the hills decide to do.

The road does not stay the same for long. You leave Delhi on a wide expressway, cruise past Chandigarh and then the landscape pulls itself upright. By the time you reach Kiratpur Sahib, the plains are behind you and the driving requires your full attention. The last 250 km - through narrow gorges above the Beas, past Pandoh Dam, through the slow crawl between Mandi and Kullu - is a different journey entirely from the first half.

This guide covers the best route, realistic travel times, where to stop, road conditions and what to do once you get there.

Manali sits in the Kullu district of Himachal Pradesh at around 2,050 metres above sea level. The Beas river runs through it. Rohtang Pass, at 3,978 metres, looms above it to the north. Solang Valley spreads out to the northwest and on a clear morning the snow-covered peaks it opens toward are hard to look away from.

The town has two distinct sides. Old Manali, across the bridge over the Manalsu stream, is quieter - apple orchards, small guesthouses, narrow lanes where you can walk in the evening without negotiating traffic. The main bazaar near the bus stand is noisier and more commercial. Both have their uses, depending on what kind of trip you are after.

Summers are short and crowded. The shoulder seasons - the first half of May and late September - give you what summer promises but rarely delivers: clear roads, manageable crowds and weather that does not need to be managed. Winters bring snow to the town itself, which is scenic but limits where you can go.

Best experience: Visit in early May or late September for fewer crowds, better roads and the most forgiving driving conditions.

The distance between Delhi and Manali is approximately 540 to 570 km. There are two routes worth knowing.

Route 1: Via NH-44 and Chandigarh (Recommended)
Delhi → Ambala → Chandigarh → Kiratpur Sahib → Bilaspur → Mandi → Kullu → Manali
This is the route most drivers use. Delhi to Chandigarh on NH-44 is a four-lane expressway - fast, well-maintained and largely stress-free. After Chandigarh, you pick up NH-21 through Kiratpur Sahib. The road narrows past Bilaspur, follows the Sutlej for a stretch and then runs alongside the Beas from Mandi all the way to Manali. Total distance: approximately 545 km.

Route 2: Via Chandigarh and Ropar
Some drivers enter the hills via Ropar (Rupnagar) instead of Kiratpur Sahib. The distance difference is negligible - 10 to 15 km either way. The Kiratpur route tends to offer more consistent road quality, especially after monsoon when the Ropar stretch can be unpredictable.

Road Conditions to Know
Delhi to Chandigarh is expressway standard - no concerns. Chandigarh to Bilaspur is good, though it narrows in places. From Mandi to Kullu, the road follows the Beas river and slows considerably - single-lane sections, tourist traffic on weekends and occasional landslide debris during monsoon. An SUV handles these sections more comfortably than a small hatchback, particularly from Mandi onwards.

Important: The last 200–250 km is where most delays happen. Build this into your timing, especially on weekends.

The Delhi to Manali distance by car takes 12 to 14 hours on a normal day. Here is what that looks like in practice:

March – June
Roads clear, Rohtang opens around May. Trade-off is traffic - Manali gets busy, especially on weekends.

July – August
Monsoon. Landslides possible on the Chandigarh–Manali highway. Avoid night driving. Check road status before departing.

September – November
The quieter window. Monsoon clears by September; hills look their best after rains. Temperatures drop from October onward.

December – February
Snow in town. Rohtang closed. Some sections need chains or snow tyres. Check HP traffic police advisories before you leave.

Before You Leave: Essential Tips:

• Start from Delhi before 5 AM to clear the city and reach the hills before afternoon traffic

• Refuel at Chandigarh or Bilaspur - stations get sparse deeper into the hills

• Carry sufficient cash; digital payments are unreliable in many hill sections

• Download offline maps - mobile data drops out between Mandi and Kullu

• Avoid night driving on mountain roads - blind curves and local bus traffic are a serious combination

• Drive slowly from Kiratpur onwards; there is no rushing mountain roads safely

• Check HP Traffic Police updates during monsoon or winter before you depart

Stops Worth Making on the Way
The highway to Manali has places worth pausing at, not just passing through.

Chandigarh
If you leave Delhi before 5 AM, you reach Chandigarh mid-morning with time to spare. The Rock Garden is worth an hour - Nek Chand built it over decades using broken ceramics, electrical waste and discarded materials. It is completely original and unlike anything else on this route or most others.

Kiratpur Sahib
A Sikh pilgrimage site and a natural rest stop on the drive. The Gurudwara here is calm and langar is always available. Many regular travellers on this route stop here without fail, every single time.

Bilaspur and Gobind Sagar
The old town of Bilaspur now lies submerged under the Gobind Sagar reservoir, created by the Bhakra Dam. The reservoir spreads wide and still from the highway. There is something quietly striking about driving past a lake that covers a town that used to exist.

Sundernagar
A small town just before Mandi. The Suketi Fossil Park nearby has life-size models of prehistoric animals placed in an outdoor geological setting - odd and worth a brief stop if you are travelling with children.

Mandi
Often called the "Varanasi of the Hills," Mandi has over 80 old stone temples clustered along the Beas. The town centre is compact and walkable. If you are breaking the drive overnight, this is the logical place to do it.

Pandoh Dam
Just after Mandi, the road hugs the Pandoh reservoir as it cuts through a steep gorge. The water runs a deep green-blue far below the road - the kind of view you see for two minutes and remember for weeks. One of the better stops on the entire route.

Kullu
The Kullu Valley opens up here and the driving gets easier. The Raghunath Temple is worth a brief visit. In October, the valley sits heavy with apple harvest and orchards line both sides of the road.

By Train
There is no direct train to Manali. The closest broad-gauge railhead is Chandigarh, roughly 260 km from Manali. For Delhi to Manali distance by train, the practical approach is an overnight train from Delhi to Chandigarh or Ambala, then a morning cab to Manali.

Joginder Nagar has a narrow-gauge railway line, but it is slow and not practical for most travellers. Chandigarh remains the most convenient rail entry point for this route.

By Flight
The nearest airport is Bhuntar Airport (Kullu-Manali Airport), about 50 km from Manali. The Delhi to Manali distance by flight takes roughly 1 hour. The problem is Bhuntar's reliability - it is a small mountain airport and cancellations due to fog or low cloud are frequent, particularly from November to February.

Chandigarh Airport is a more dependable option. Flights from Delhi are frequent and the drive from Chandigarh to Manali takes 5 to 6 hours. The new Delhi to Manali distance by air (direct, point to point) is about 470 km.

Delhi to Manali by Urbania
The Delhi to Manali distance by Urbania covers the same road - around 545 to 570 km - but the vehicle makes a real difference for groups. An Urbania fits 9 to 13 people comfortably and has considerably more luggage space than two or three sedans combined. It also handles the mountain sections from Mandi onwards better than a standard hatchback.

For families or group trips, booking a single Urbania eliminates the coordination problem of multiple vehicles and works out cheaper per person in most cases.

DAY 1- Delhi → Mandi
Depart before 5 AM to clear Delhi before rush hour. Stop at Chandigarh's Rock Garden mid-morning if you have an hour. Break for langar at Kiratpur Sahib. Reach Mandi by evening and explore the riverside temples before dinner. Overnight in Mandi.

DAY 2- Mandi → Manali + Arrival Exploration
Leave after a slow morning - the remaining 110 km will take 3 to 4 hours. Stop at Pandoh Dam for 15 minutes; the gorge view is worth it. Reach Manali by noon. Walk the cedar forest around Hadimba Devi Temple in the afternoon. Evening on Mall Road.

DAY 3- Solang Valley & Rohtang Pass
Start early - Rohtang permits are time-restricted and traffic builds fast. At 3,978 metres, the pass offers snow for most of the year and unobstructed views of the surrounding Himalayan range. Afternoon in Solang Valley for paragliding (summer) or skiing (winter).

DAY 4- Old Manali & Naggar Castle
Cross the Manalsu bridge into Old Manali in the morning - quieter lanes, apple orchards, a different pace. After lunch, drive 22 km south to Naggar Castle, the 15th-century seat of the Kullu kingdom. The views over the valley from there are among the best on this stretch of the Beas. End with sulphur hot springs at Vashisht village, 3 km from Manali.

DAY 5- Return to Delhi
Depart by 5 AM for a clean run. Reverse the route through Kullu, Mandi and the expressway to Delhi. If you took the Kiratpur route up, consider the Ropar route back - the scenery differs enough to be worth it.

Solang Valley - 14 km from Manali, Solang is where most of the outdoor activities happen. Skiing in winter, paragliding and zorbing in summer. The views of the surrounding peaks are excellent from here at any time of year.

Rohtang Pass - 51 km from Manali at 3,978 metres. Snow is present for most of the year here. It opens from around May and closes by November depending on snowfall. A permit is required and can be booked online through the Himachal Pradesh government portal. The drive up is one of the better high-altitude roads in North India.

Hadimba Devi Temple - Built in 1553, this wooden pagoda-style temple sits inside a deodar cedar forest right in Manali town. The architecture is distinctly Himachali. Spend 30 minutes here, walk the forest path and watch how quickly it gets quiet once you move away from the main road.

Old Manali - Cross the Manalsu bridge and the town changes completely. Quieter lanes, guesthouses among apple trees and a noticeably slower pace. Good for a morning walk or an evening without the main bazaar noise.

Naggar Castle - 22 km south of Manali, Naggar was the old capital of the Kullu kingdom. The 15th-century castle now operates as a heritage hotel and museum. The views over the Kullu Valley from here are among the best on this stretch of the Beas.

Vashisht Hot Springs - 3 km from Manali, Vashisht village has natural sulphur hot springs. Public and private bathing options are available. After a long drive and some altitude, this is genuinely worth stopping for.

Beas Kund Trek - A two-day trek to the glacial lake that is the source of the Beas river. Not technically difficult - manageable for reasonably fit beginners with a local guide. The trail goes through meadows and moraines above Solang Valley.

Spiti Valley - Via Rohtang Pass and Kunzum Pass, Spiti is a cold desert at high altitude - monasteries on cliff sides, empty valleys, minimal vegetation. Manali to Kaza is around 200 km but takes a full day. Best done June to September in a 4x4 with an experienced driver. One of the most demanding drives in India.

Manali– Leh Highway - One of the well-known high-altitude routes anywhere. Crosses five passes including Baralacha La and Rohtang. Manali to Leh is about 490 km and typically takes two days. Open from June to October.

Kasol and Kheerganga - 70 km south of Manali in the Parvati Valley. Kasol is a small river village popular with backpackers. The Kheerganga trek from here - 12 km each way - leads to hot springs in the mountains. A good add-on to a Manali trip, especially if you have a few extra days.

Dharamshala and McLeod Ganj - About 230 km from Manali. McLeod Ganj has a distinct Tibetan character - the seat of the Tibetan government in exile, with monasteries, Tibetan restaurants and a different atmosphere from most Himachal hill towns. Worth the detour if you have time.

The Delhi to Manali route is not one where a poorly maintained vehicle or an unfamiliar driver is a minor inconvenience. Mountain roads, narrow stretches, variable weather and limited roadside help past Mandi - these are practical concerns.

Raj Travels provides well-serviced sedans, SUVs and Urbania vehicles for exactly this kind of journey. Drivers know the route across seasons - the Pandoh Dam stretch in monsoon, the Rohtang access road in early season, the Mandi to Kullu traffic patterns in peak summer. Pricing is transparent and fixed upfront. Support is available round the clock, which matters when something comes up at an inconvenient point on the road.

• A Fleet That Actually Matches the Route – Well-maintained sedans, SUVs, Tempoo Traveller and Urbania vehicles suited for mountain travel

• Drivers Who Know This Road – Experienced drivers familiar with Delhi–Manali terrain, weather and traffic conditions

• Transparent Pricing - No hidden Charges – Fixed upfront pricing with no hidden charges

• Flexible Pickup and Drop Options – Convenient travel planning as per your schedule

• 24/7 Support When It Counts – Assistance available anytime during your journey

• Best Option for Groups – Comfortable and spacious vehicles ideal for group travel

The distance between Delhi to Manali - around 545 to 570 km by road - is long enough to respect and short enough to cover in a day with an early start. The drive itself earns its reputation: the expressway gets you out of the plains quickly and from Kiratpur onwards, the road through the hills is worth the time you spend on it.

Plan the stops. Check road conditions before you leave, especially in monsoon or winter. Give Manali at least three proper days - one day is not enough to do anything justice. And if you can, drive back via a different route or season. This road changes completely depending on when you are on it.