Hill Stations Near Delhi by Road: 20 Drives, Nearest First

The nearest hill stations are a five- to six-hour drive from Delhi, and the Delhi–Dehradun Expressway, fully open since April 2026, has made Mussoorie the quickest of them. These are 20 hill stations you can drive to from Delhi, nearest first, with the distance, the route, the best months and the chance of snow for each. Distances are from central Delhi; from our Mahipalpur office near the airport, add 10–30 km. Where we've written a full road-trip guide, the name links to it.

Quick picks

• Nearest: Mussoorie, Lansdowne and Morni Hills, all 255–285 km away.
• Best chance of snow: Narkanda, Dhanaulti and Kanatal, Manali's Solang Valley and Auli, from mid-December to February.
• Easiest drive: Mussoorie on the expressway, or Kasauli and Shimla up NH44 through Ambala and Kalka.
• Quietest: Landour, Lansdowne, Chakrata and Mukteshwar.
• For families: Nainital and Bhimtal for the lakes, Mussoorie for Mall Road and Kempty Falls, and Shimla for the Ridge.

Within 300 km: 5 to 7 hours

• Mussoorie: 255–270 km and 4.5–6 hours on the Delhi–Dehradun Expressway, then the 35 km climb from Dehradun. Mall Road, Gun Hill and Kempty Falls at about 2,000 m. March to June and September to November; a few spells of snow in some winters.
• Landour: 15–20 minutes above Mussoorie. A quiet cantonment of old churches, the Char Dukan cafes and the home of Ruskin Bond, and it gets about twice as much snow as Mussoorie.
• Lansdowne: 250–275 km and 6–7 hours via Meerut, Bijnor and Kotdwar, ending on a narrow 40 km climb. Home of the Garhwal Rifles, with pine forests and quiet walks at about 1,700 m. March to June and September to November; snow is rare.
• Morni Hills: 260–285 km and 5–6 hours via Ambala and Panchkula. Haryana's hill station, with the Tikkar Taal lakes and a small fort museum at about 1,200 m. October to March; no snow. The last stretch is unlit, so arrive before dark.
• Dhanaulti: 280–295 km and 5–6.5 hours, 24 km beyond Mussoorie on the Chamba road. Deodar forest and eco parks at 2,286 m, and one of the likelier places near Delhi to see snow in January and February.
• Kasauli: 287–300 km and 5.5–7 hours via Zirakpur, Kalka and Parwanoo. Christ Church, colonial lanes and views over the plains at about 1,800 m. March to June and September to November; snow only now and then in January.
• Kanatal: about 300 km and 5.5–7 hours, past Dhanaulti on the road to Chamba. Camping and the Surkanda Devi temple at about 2,400 m, with heavy snow in January and February that can close the road.

300 to 420 km: 7 to 10 hours

• Nainital: 300–320 km and 7–8 hours via Moradabad, Rudrapur and Haldwani, ending on about 35 km of hill road. Naini Lake, the Naina Devi temple and the Mall. April to mid-June and October; snow in some Decembers and Januaries.
• Bhimtal: 300–320 km, 21 km up from Kathgodam. A larger, quieter lake at 1,370 m with an island aquarium, and a good base when Nainital is crowded.
• Chakrata: 295–340 km and 6–8 hours via Dehradun or Paonta, Vikasnagar and Kalsi, then 60 km of winding road. Tiger Falls, Deoban and the Budher meadows at 2,118 m, with snow on the high points from December to February. It's an army cantonment open only to Indian nationals; fill up at Vikasnagar or Kalsi.
• Mukteshwar: about 345 km and 7.5–9 hours via Haldwani, Bhowali and Ramgarh. The Chauli ki Jali cliffs and views of Nanda Devi at 2,171 m. Light snow in some winters.
• Shimla: 345–370 km and 7–8 hours via Ambala, Kalka and Solan. The Ridge, Jakhu temple and the UNESCO-listed Kalka–Shimla railway at about 2,200 m. March to June and September to November; snow most often in January.
• Ranikhet: 350–360 km and 8–9 hours via Haldwani, Bhowali and Khairna. Chaubatia's orchards, a golf course at Upat and the Kumaon Regiment museum at 1,869 m.
• Chail: 355–385 km and 7–8.5 hours via Kandaghat, or 30 km from Shimla by way of Kufri. Chail Palace and one of the world's highest cricket grounds at about 2,250 m. The roads are single-lane, so don't drive them at night.
• Kufri: about 12 km beyond Shimla on NH5. Mahasu Peak and the Himalayan Nature Park. It used to be Shimla's snow spot, but it has had little snow in recent winters.
• Narkanda: 410–420 km and 9–10 hours, about 60 km beyond Shimla at 2,708 m. Skiing, Hatu Peak and the Kotgarh apple orchards, and the most reliable snow near Shimla, from about December to March.

For a long weekend: 9 hours or more

• Dharamshala and McLeod Ganj: about 480–500 km and 9–11 hours via Ropar, Una and Kangra. The Dalai Lama's temple, Bhagsunag and the Triund trek, with snow in upper McLeod Ganj from December to February. Avoid July and August, the wettest months.
• Manali: 515–550 km and 11–14 hours via Kiratpur, Mandi and Kullu. Old Manali, Solang Valley and the Atal Tunnel, with snow from December to early March.
• Dalhousie: 560–575 km and 10–12 hours via Ludhiana, Jalandhar and Pathankot. Colonial churches across five hills, with the meadow of Khajjiar 17 km away; snow on 20–30 days a year.
• Auli: 500–520 km and 12–16 hours via Haridwar, Rishikesh, Rudraprayag and Joshimath, so break the drive overnight. India's best-known ski slopes at about 2,800 m, with snow from December to March. The Joshimath–Auli ropeway has been shut since 2023, so you drive the last 13–16 km.

Where to see snow near Delhi

Snow in the hills near Delhi has become harder to predict, and the best weeks change from year to year. Mid-December to February is the window; January is usually the best bet.

• Most winters: Narkanda, Manali and Solang Valley, Auli, Dhanaulti and Kanatal, Chakrata's Deoban, Dalhousie and Khajjiar, and upper McLeod Ganj.
• Some winters: Shimla, Landour and Mussoorie, Nainital, Mukteshwar, Kasauli and Chail.
• Rarely or never: Lansdowne, Bhimtal and Morni Hills. Kufri has had little snow in recent winters.

Fresh snow often shuts roads for a day or two. After heavy snow, police near Manali stop ordinary cars at Nehru Kund or Solang and let only 4x4s with chains go on; NH5 has been closed at Narkanda; and the roads to Dhanaulti, Kanatal, Chail and Khajjiar get blocked too. Check the local police and news updates on the morning you drive, and if the road ahead is closed, park and take a local taxi for the last stretch.

Driving in the hills

• Leave Delhi by 6 am, so that you reach the hill roads in daylight. Avoid driving them after dark.
• Fill up before the climb, at Dehradun, Kalka, Haldwani, Kotdwar or Vikasnagar; fuel stations thin out higher up.
• Use a low gear on the way down instead of riding the brakes, and give way to traffic coming uphill on narrow stretches.
• Sound the horn on blind bends and don't overtake on curves.
• In snow or on frost, drive slowly, leave a long gap and avoid braking hard.
• Mussoorie, Nainital and Shimla jam up on Saturday mornings and holidays, and police divert traffic and restrict parking. Go on a weekday if you can, and park outside the centre.
• Carry warm layers, water, snacks and motion-sickness tablets. Mobile signal drops on some stretches, such as the last climb to Morni and the road to Chakrata, so download offline maps.

Which car to take

• Hatchback or sedan: fine on paved roads to Mussoorie, Nainital, Kasauli and Shimla in good weather, and the cheapest on fuel. The Swift and Baleno are popular.
• Compact SUV: more ground clearance for Lansdowne's last climb, Chakrata and winter trips. See our SUVs on rent, such as the Brezza and Creta.
• 7-seater: for families and groups, with room for luggage. See our 7-seater cars, such as the Ertiga.
• Automatic: easier in stop-start hill traffic and town jams. See our automatic cars.

Renting a car for the hills

• Unlimited kilometres and an All-India permit on every car; you pay the tolls and any state entry taxes.
• Trips over 48 hours get 10% off and over 5 days 20%, so a hill trip costs less per day the longer you stay. See our prices.
• Collect the car at our Mahipalpur office near IGI Airport, or have it delivered anywhere in Delhi NCR.
• You need a driving licence held for at least a year, a government ID and a ₹5,000 refundable deposit. What renting involves.

Looking beyond the hills? See our weekend getaways from Delhi, all our cars or outstation trips from Delhi.