Snow within a day's drive of Delhi is a matter of height, not distance, and the places where it is usual in winter are the high ones: Mussoorie at 290 km, Dhanaulti above it at 315 km, Shimla at 350 km with Kufri and Narkanda higher up the same road, Chopta at 450 km, Auli at 520 km and Manali at 530 km. Those are the distances our own pages publish. None of them can promise snow on a given date; December to February is when it usually lies, the higher the place the more reliably, and the honest way to plan is to pick a high place, watch the forecast in the week before, and go with a driver who carries chains. A sedan bills ₹11/km on a 300 km per day minimum; the hill pages recommend an SUV or Innova for the climbs. The Delhi to Shimla cab and the Delhi to Manali cab are the two most people book.
Snowfall places near Delhi, by distance
| Place | Distance from Delhi | Drive time | Road | Tolls, car | Snow, in a usual winter |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mussoorie | 290 km | 6 to 7 hrs | NH-334 via Meerut and Dehradun; 35 km of hill road at the end | ₹215, 2 plazas | December to February, some years more than others |
| Dhanaulti | 315 km | 8 to 9 hrs | NH-7 to Rishikesh, then Narendranagar and Chamba | At actuals | Higher than Mussoorie, so snow lies longer in the deodar forest |
| Shimla | 350 km | 7 to 8 hrs | NH-44 and NH-5 via Karnal, Ambala, Pinjore and Solan | ₹390, 3 plazas | December for snow on our pages; Kufri above the town more often than the Mall |
| Narkanda | 60 km beyond Shimla | About 2 hrs from Shimla | The Rampur road out of Shimla; Hatu Peak above it | At actuals | Snow at Narkanda is common in winter, by our Shimla to Manali travel-by-car page |
| Chopta | 450 km | 12 to 13 hrs | NH-7 through Rishikesh, Devprayag and Rudraprayag, then the climb via Ukhimath | At actuals | A high meadow at about 2,700 m; the Tungnath trek above it is a snow walk in winter |
| Auli | 520 km to Joshimath | 13 to 14 hrs | NH-7 up the Ganga and the Alaknanda to Joshimath; the ropeway or a short hill road to Auli | At actuals | The ski slopes; the most reliable snow on the list |
| Manali | 530 km | 12 to 13 hrs | NH-44 and NH-21 via Chandigarh, Bilaspur and Mandi | ₹455, 4 plazas | The town most winters; Solang and the Atal Tunnel side more reliably; Rohtang closed |
Distances and times are the ones our distance and one-way pages publish; tolls are from the toll pages where one exists, and at actuals where none does. The snow column is what a usual winter brings, not a forecast.
Which snowfall place is nearest to Delhi?
Mussoorie, at 290 km and six to seven hours on NH-334 through Meerut and Dehradun, with the last 35 km the hill road up from Dehradun. Our Dehradun to Mussoorie distance page gives December to February for snow, and the town sits above the fog line of the plains, so a winter morning's climb comes out of the murk into sunshine whether or not there is snow on the ground. When there is, the shaded bends ice over and the police may hold cars at the bottom until the road is cleared; a later start and a patient driver are the winter rules. Dhanaulti, about 25 km beyond Mussoorie on the Chamba road and higher, at about 2,300 metres by our one-way page, keeps its snow longer in the deodar forest and is the better bet when Mussoorie has only a dusting.
Shimla, Kufri and Narkanda: the Himachal side
Shimla is 350 km and seven to eight hours on NH-44 and NH-5 through Karnal, Ambala, Pinjore and Solan, with three toll plazas on the way that take ₹390 from a car. Our pages give December for snow and March to June for the escape from the heat, and the practical rule is that the snow is more reliable the higher you go: Kufri, above the town, has it more often than the Mall Road, and Narkanda, 60 km further along the Rampur road by our Shimla to Manali travel-by-car page, has it as a matter of course, with Hatu Peak above it. A Shimla winter trip that wants snow is usually a Shimla base with a day's run to Kufri or Narkanda with the same driver; the best time to visit Shimla page goes through the months.
Manali, Solang and the Atal Tunnel
Manali is the long one: 530 km and twelve to thirteen hours through Chandigarh, Bilaspur, Mandi and Kullu, with four plazas totalling ₹455 and no tolls after Bilaspur. It is also the surest snow for a town of its size, and the surest snow play, because Solang Valley above the town and the Lahaul side of the Atal Tunnel at Sissu carry snow when the town itself is clear. Rohtang is closed by snow from December to April in a normal year, so a winter Manali trip is Solang and the tunnel, not the pass. Our Manali pages recommend an SUV or Innova for the hill road, and in winter the drivers prefer it without argument; the best time to visit Manali page covers the months.
Auli and Chopta: the Garhwal high ground
These are the two for people who want snow rather than a snowy town. Auli is the ski destination: our one-way page puts Delhi to Joshimath, the road-head, at about 520 km and thirteen to fourteen hours on NH-7 up the Ganga and the Alaknanda through Rishikesh, Devprayag and the confluences, and the slopes at around 2,900 metres are reached from Joshimath by the ropeway or a short hill road, which is separate from the taxi. It is a long drive best split with a night at Rishikesh or Srinagar in Garhwal. Chopta is the meadow at about 2,700 metres on the way to Tungnath, 450 km and twelve to thirteen hours on the same NH-7 as far as Rudraprayag and then the climb through the forest via Ukhimath; the car goes to Chopta, and Tungnath and Chandrashila above it are a walk, in winter a snow walk. Neither corridor has a toll page, so tolls are at actuals, and both want a very early start or a halt on the way.
What a winter cab costs, and how to plan it
The rate card does not change for the season: ₹11/km for a sedan, ₹15 for an Ertiga or SUV, ₹18 for an Innova Crysta and ₹23 for a 12-seater Tempo Traveller, on a 300 km per day minimum, with tolls, parking and any hill charges at actuals. Mussoorie at 290 km bills the minimum, ₹3,300 for a sedan one-way; Shimla at 350 km is ₹3,850; Manali at 530 km is ₹5,830 and Auli at 520 km is ₹5,720. A weekend with the car staying bills the greater of twice the one-way fare or the days at the minimum, and on the long corridors it is the distance that counts.
- Pick the height, not the name. Kufri over the Mall, Dhanaulti over Mussoorie, Solang over Manali town: the higher place has the snow when the lower one has the slush.
- Watch the week before. Snow is usual in these months, not guaranteed on a date; the forecast the week before decides which of the list to book.
- Book an SUV or Innova. Every hill page on this site says so, and in winter the drivers carry chains and expect to use them above the snow line.
- Leave later, not earlier. The plains fog in December and January and the shaded bends ice in the early morning; a start that reaches the hill road at midday is the winter start.
- Hold a spare day. A fresh fall can close a road for a morning; the trips that go wrong in winter are the ones with a flight to catch.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the nearest place to Delhi to see snow?
Mussoorie, at 290 km and six to seven hours, with Dhanaulti above it at 315 km keeping its snow longer. Snow is usual there from December to February but not guaranteed on a date.
Where is snow most reliable within a day of Delhi?
Auli, the ski slopes above Joshimath at 520 km, and the high ground around Manali, Solang and the Atal Tunnel side, at 530 km; both are long drives best split with a night on the way.
Is Rohtang open for snow in winter?
No; it is closed by snow from December to April in a normal year. Solang Valley and the Atal Tunnel to Sissu are the winter snow runs from Manali.
Read next: Winter Snow Destinations in North India: Travel Guide 2026
