Manali 3 Nights / 4 Days Group Tour
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₹12,000 ₹15,000 per person
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The short answer
Manali town (2,050 m) gets its first snow around late December and holds intermittent snow through February. Solang Valley (2,560 m) holds snow from late December to mid-March. Sissu and the Lahaul side of the Atal Tunnel (3,100 m) hold snow from December into April. Rohtang Pass (3,978 m) is snowbound and closed from roughly November to May. Altitude, not the calendar, decides whether you see snow.
Snow is an altitude question, not a date question
The single most common mistake we see is people booking a Manali trip for a date and assuming snow comes with it. It does not. What determines snow is how high you are willing to drive. On the same January morning, Manali town can be wet and grey while Sissu, an hour and a half away through the tunnel, is under a foot of fresh powder.
The altitude ladder
Manali town sits at 2,050 m. Old Manali and Vashisht are barely higher. Solang Valley is 2,560 m. The Atal Tunnel portals are around 3,060–3,100 m, and Sissu on the far side is 3,100 m. Rohtang Pass is 3,978 m. Every 500 m of climb buys you roughly a month of extra snow at each end of the season.
What changed after the Atal Tunnel
Before October 2020, if you wanted deep winter snow you needed Rohtang, and Rohtang shuts for the winter. That made January snow a gamble. The 9.02 km Atal Tunnel changed the arithmetic: it goes under the closed pass and delivers you to 3,100 m in Lahaul in ten minutes, year round. Winter snow trips from Manali are now built around the tunnel, and Rohtang has become a summer attraction.
Month by month
November: first dustings above 3,000 m; Rohtang closes. December: snow arrives at Solang mid-to-late month; town snow possible near New Year. January: the deepest month; snow at all altitudes above 2,000 m; road clearing delays are common. February: nearly as reliable as January with better weather windows and lower crowds. March: town snow gone, Solang holding, Sissu still good. April: Solang mostly clear, Sissu patchy, Rohtang still shut. May: Rohtang typically reopens; snow walls line the pass road.
How to check before you travel
Ignore generic weather widgets — they report Manali town, which is the least snowy point on your itinerary. Check the Manali–Leh highway and Atal Tunnel status for road clearing, and ask a local operator what the ground actually looks like at Solang and Sissu that week. We answer that question on WhatsApp for free, including when the answer is that you should shift your dates.
The snow line, by altitude
Manali townMall Road, Old Manali
2,050 m
Solang ValleySki slope, ropeway
2,560 m
Atal Tunnel portalNorth side, Lahaul
3,060 m
SissuThrough the tunnel
3,100 m
Rohtang PassClosed Nov–May
3,978 m
Bars show how reliably each altitude holds snow across a full winter. Months shaded below are when the upper rungs are dependable.
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
| Topic | When Does It Snow in Manali? The 2026 Snow Calendar |
|---|---|
| Reading time | 6 minutes |
| Written from | Manali, Himachal Pradesh |
| Last updated | 2026-07-26 |
| Applies to | 2026 season |
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Packages this guide applies to
Manali Couple Package 2N/3D from Delhi
Couples with a short window who want privacy, not a bus full of strangers
₹26,000 ₹35,000 per couple
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Kullu Manali Kasol Tour Package 3N/4D
Groups who want the Parvati valley added to the standard Manali circuit
₹12,000 ₹16,000 per person
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Shimla Manali Tour Package 4N/5D
Families who want two hill stations in one holiday
₹11,999 ₹14,000 per person
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Questions people actually ask
Is there snow in Manali in December?
Usually at Solang Valley from around the third week of December, and reliably at Sissu through the Atal Tunnel. Snow in Manali town itself in early December is possible but not something to plan a trip around.
Can I see snow in Manali in April or May?
Yes, but you have to go higher. In April the Sissu side still holds snow. In May, Rohtang Pass usually reopens with snow walls cut through the road, which is the classic late-season snow experience.
Where is snow guaranteed near Manali in winter?
Nothing is guaranteed, but Sissu, on the Lahaul side of the Atal Tunnel at 3,100 m, is the most reliable accessible snow between December and March.
Straight to a person in Manali
Still deciding on dates?
Send your number. We'll tell you what the valley actually looks like in the week you're considering.
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