How to reach Narkanda — distances and drive times
How to reach Narkanda by road from Shimla, Solan, Kullu, Mandi and Chandigarh, with measured distances and drive times and the nearest airport.
ArticleVerified 2026-10-23
Narkanda in winter — snow, skiing and the Hatu road
Narkanda in winter: snow from November to March at 2,708 m, the government ski courses at the ABVIMAS centre, the Hatu road after snow, and the Shimla drive.
Why Narkanda in winter
Narkanda sits at 2,708 m on an open ridge of fir forest, two hours beyond Shimla on the road to Rampur. That height is the whole point in winter. The town's own article describes it under snow from November to March and calls it a ski resort. Shimla, lower down the same road, gets most of its snow in a few weeks of January and February and loses it fast. If you want snow underfoot on a short trip from Delhi or Chandigarh, this ridge holds it longer than the towns below.
Photos: Aggkanika (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Ashish Gupta from Noida, India (CC BY 2.0) · Wittystef (CC BY-SA 4.0) — via Wikimedia Commons, resized.
It is also a small place. There is one main road, a handful of hotels and guesthouses, the slopes around the town and Hatu Peak above it. Come for the snow and the quiet, not for a resort.
When the snow is there
Wikipedia gives November to March as the snow months, with days of 7 to 8 °C and nights that can fall to −5 or −10 °C. No monthly weather table is published for Narkanda, so the best guide to the deep-snow weeks is the record of Shimla below it, where January and February carry most of the year's snow. Late December can be white or bare; late January and early February are the safer bet. After a fresh fall the town is at its best for two or three days.
Skiing at Narkanda
The state's mountaineering institute, the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Mountaineering and Allied Sports (ABVIMAS), has had a centre at Narkanda since 1987. Its own page lists the courses as trekking, rock climbing and skiing, and puts the centre at 8,885 ft. It does not publish course dates or fees there, so contact the centre before planning a trip around a course; how much snow has fallen decides whether the season's courses run at all.
Away from the courses, the open slopes around the town are where people walk, sledge and try skis in a good winter. We have no verified price for hire or lessons, so ask on the day and agree the price before you start.
Hatu Peak and the lake in snow
Hatu Peak, at 3,400 m, is about 18 min above the town by road in clear weather, with the wooden Hatu Mata Temple on top and the widest view of the snow range from anywhere near Shimla. After a heavy fall the road up may stay closed until it is cleared; ask in Narkanda that morning, and if it is shut walk only as far as is safe. Tani Jubbar Lake, about 21 min away, is lower and easier, and its forest is quiet in winter.
Getting there in winter
From Shimla it is about 59 km and 113 min by road through Kufri; from Chandigarh about 169 km; from Delhi about 426 km, which free-flow routing puts at six hours and the real drive at more. Buses run up the Rampur road from Shimla. After snow the road above Shimla is cleared before it reopens, so a morning start can become an afternoon one. Carry warm layers in the car, and do not drive the ridge after dark in winter. The how to reach Narkanda guide has the full routes.
Plans that use the snow
The three-day Shimla snow plan ends with a day and a night here; the one-day Narkanda plan covers Hatu and the lake when the road is open. For the rest of the year see the best time to visit Narkanda and things to do in Narkanda.
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Questions people ask
When does it snow in Narkanda?
The town's own article puts it under snow from November to March, with days of 7 to 8 °C and nights that can fall to −5 or −10 °C. Deep cover is likeliest in January and February, the snowiest months at Shimla below it. At 2,708 m it holds snow longer than Kufri.
Can you learn skiing in Narkanda?
Yes. The state's Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Mountaineering and Allied Sports has run a centre at Narkanda since 1987, and its courses include skiing. It does not publish dates on that page, so ask the centre about the season's course before you plan around it.
Is the road to Hatu Peak open in winter?
Not always. Hatu Peak is 3,400 m, about 18 min above the town by road in clear weather, and after a heavy fall the road up can stay closed until it is cleared. Ask in Narkanda that morning; if it is shut, the open slopes around the town are the snow day instead.
How far is Narkanda from Shimla?
About 59 km and 113 min by road on the Rampur road, through Kufri, on our measured routing in clear conditions. After snow the same drive is slower, so leave in daylight and plan to sleep in Narkanda rather than drive back after dark on frozen bends.