Love to Plan...Happy to Share
Summary - You can self plan your trip, at the best price and the luxury you can afford. Enjoy the trip without any dependency.
Time of travel - March end.
Clothing - good jackets and sweaters, if possible thermals will help you enjoy the weather.
Prerequisite - Book your hotel (most website have last minute), flight and taxi (preferably one where the driver is also a guide)
Details -
DAY 1 - Bangalore-Chandigarh-Shimla (Highlight - Mall road)
Take an early morning flight to reach chandigarh. Have breakfast on the way and move towards Shimla. Have lunch and take some rest at the hotel. Enjoy your time around the mall road - Jakhu, Ridge.
DAY 2- Shimla-Kufri-Shimla (Highlight - Himalayan ranges)
If you have an additional day to spend in Shimla and want to explore the surroundings. Travel to Kufri, take a horse ride to the top of the peak and see the Himalayan ranges or important points with binoculars. Travel back to Shimla, go for another walk on mall road for some shopping.
DAY 3- Shimla - Kulu- Manali (Enjoy the surroundings)
It will be long day of travel, if you are interested on the way you can try river rafting, enter Kulu for visiting key market areas.
DAY 4- Manali - Dhobi - Gulaba (Highlight - Paragliding)
Travel to Dhobi earlier in the day. Enjoy Mountain to Land paragliding in the midst of the Himalayan ranges watching the snow covered mountains with experienced and licensed paragliders. Gulaba route to Rotang La is closed. we can park the car and enjoy playing in the snow. On the way back visit Vashisth temple. Take bath in hot water springs.
DAY 5- Manali-Sissu(Atal Tunnel)- Manali (Highlight - Atal Tunnel & snow capped mountains)
Travel to Sissu, enjoy the 9KM tunnel built through the snow capped mountains. Enjoy a cup of tea and maggi. Play in the snow. Enjoy the drive through snow capped mountains. Play in the snow and also snow games.
Second half of the day go to Hidimba temple and spend time around the mall. Some hotels play live music during the night. What more can you ask for sitting amidst the snow capped mountains, listening to live music and having your dinner.
DAY 6- Manali - Kasol (Highlight - hot water springs)
On the way, there is vishno devi temple. In Kasol, reach hotel, fresh up. Go to Manikaran temple. Bath in the hot water spring. visit the gurudwara and the shiva temple, where the rice gets cooked in the hot springs. Most hotels have live music enjoy the rest of the evening and night at the hotel.
DAY 7- Kasol - Chandigarh (Highlight- Chandigarh city plan)
Leave early, have breakfast and lunch on the way, it is a long day of travel. You will enjoy the city of chandigarh, the way it is beautifully planned. Visit a market area, enjoy great food, great ambience and some shopping.
DAY 8- Chandigarh airport to your destination
Try to book your flight in the evening so that you can see the gurudwara, rock garden, sukhna lake, mansa devi temple and take your flight back to your destination.
Hope this helps. Leave your feedback and comments so that I can plan better and share.
Tip - Be nice to drivers, hospitality workers, they will ensure that you get the best of their place.
Risks - You might have to change plans a bit at times, swap some places etc because of one or two long travel days and sometimes traffic jams due to accidents but you can still cover and complete all the best things you can do.