How to reach Kufri from Manali – 2023 Updated

Surrounded by Deodar trees, Kufri is a beautiful weekend destination near Shimla.  In this blog, we will share complete knowledge of how to reach Kufri from Manali through different modes.  

Where is Kufri located?

Kufri is a small town situated on Hindustan Tibet road National Highway -22 just 15 Km away from Queen of Hills – “Shimla”.

Name of the Place	Kufri ( कुफरी  )
State	Himachal Pradesh
District	Shimla
Elevation of Place	2600 m, 8500 feet
Accessibility	By road
Best time to visit	Round the year, For Snow Mid-Dec to Mid -Feb
Distance from Manali	Around 245 Km

How to reach Kufri from Manali

Reaching Kufri, you need to reach either Shimla or Narkanda , which is connected by road and accessible throughout the year except during heavy snowfall or during heavy rainfall. The distance between Manali and Kufri via Narkanda is  around 245 Km.  There are different modes by which one can reach Kufri.

How to reach Kufri from Manali by Road

There are 2 options to reach Kufri by road.

OPTION – 1 Manali to Kufri Via Jalori Pass (Shortest one – closed in Winters) 

 You can refer to the below table to plan your journey to Narkanda via Jalori Pass.

Sr. No.	Location	Distance (Km)	Elevation (ft)	Elevation (m)	Time  (Hr)
1	Manali	0	6400	1950	00:00
2	Kullu	40	5200	1575	01:00
3	Aut	70	3900	1200	01:45
4	Jalori Pass	115	8700	2650	03:45
5	Anni	145	4100	1250	05:00
6	Narkanda	200	8900	2700	06:45
7	Theog	230	7500	2300	07:45
8	Kufri	245	7500	2300	08:15

OPTION – 2 Manali to Kufri Via Mandi Shimla 

Sr. No.	Location	Distance (Km)	Elevation (ft)	Elevation (m)	Time  (Hr)
1	Manali	0	6400	1950	00:00
2	Kullu	40	5200	1575	01:00
3	Aut	70	3900	1200	01:45
4	Mandi	115	2600	800	03:00
5	Sunder Nagar	140	3000	900	03:30
6	Shimla	260	7200	2200	06:50
7	Kufri	276	8500	2600	07:35

How to reach Kufri from Manali on a Bus 

There is no direct bus from Manali to Kufri, the best option is that you need to take a bus to Shimla  and then Shimla  to Kufri. There are many buses from Manali to Shimla.

SR. No.	SERVICE NO.	MANALI	SHIMLA ISBT TUTIKANDI	DURATION	DEPOT	TYPE	ORIGIN	DESTINATION	ONLINE BOOKING
1	711	6:00 AM	3:30 PM	9:30 Hrs	KULLU	HIMMANI DELUXE 2X2 OLD	MANALI	SHIMLA ISBT TUTIKANDI	YES
2	717	7:03 AM	4:15 PM	9:12 Hrs	SHIMLA LOCAL	ORDINARY	MANALI	SHIMLA ISBT TUTIKANDI	YES
3	812	9:20 AM	7:30 PM	10:10 Hrs	SHIMLA LOCAL	ORDINARY	MANALI	SHIMLA ISBT TUTIKANDI	YES
4	710	6:20 PM	4:30 AM	10:10 Hrs	KULLU	HIMMANI DELUXE 2X2 OLD	MANALI	SHIMLA ISBT TUTIKANDI	YES
5	726	7:20 PM	4:30 AM	9:10 Hrs	KEYLONG	ORDINARY	KEYLONG	SHIMLA ISBT TUTIKANDI	Yes
6	155	9:00 PM	6:10 AM	9:10 Hrs	KULLU	HIMSUTA AC VOLVO / SCANIA 2X2	MANALI	SHIMLA ISBT TUTIKANDI	YES
7	718	9:30 PM	4:23 AM	6:53 Hrs	SHIMLA RURAL	ORDINARY	MANALI	SHIMLA ISBT TUTIKANDI	YES

For reaching Kufri, you can read this blog.

 For online booking of buses on the HRTC website kindly Click here

Note: If you are planning to take an offline HRTC bus, kindly confirm the timings from the HRTC Depot office before finalization. Click here to know the phone numbers. 

 How to reach Kufri from Manali on your own Vehicle 

If you can reach Manali in your own Vehicle then reaching Kufri  is not too much difficult a task but it depends on the choice of the route you are taking 

For Option -1 and Option 2

1. The travel time is around 245 KM or more than that so please make sure you start early in the day so that you reach Kufri in the evening..
2. You don’t require a 4X4 vehicle there as the normal vehicle can reach there.
3. In winter there would be snow at Jalori pass so better take the route via Karsog.

How to reach Kufri from Manali on a bike

Kindly consider the below points before planning a trip to Kufri on a bike.

1. Every bike can reach Kufri but prefer a bike with > 150 cc engine.
2. Make your bike fully serviced. 
3. Ride carefully as the road is considered dangerous road
4. Carry rain covers along with as there might be rain at higher reaches.
5. There are many landslide-prone areas that are treacherous during the rainy season.

How to reach Kufri from Manali on a Taxi

Taxis can easily be hired for  Shimla / Kufri  and there are many options available on online platforms. Following key things to be considered while taxing taxis to Shimla / Kufri.

1. Drivers should be experienced in traveling in these areas.
2. You can add the Spiti circuit during route -3. 
3. Ground clearance of the Vehicle to be good.
4. Negotiate well before finalization.

How to reach Kufri from Manali by Train

Narkanda and Manali are not connected by train.

How to reach Kufri from Manali by air

The airport near Manali is at Buntar which is near Kullu and the airport near Kufri is at Shimla. There is not direct flight from Manali to Shimla.
You can take heli service from Manali to Shimla and the go to Kuri via road.

Summary – “How to reach Kufri from Manali”

Let’s summarize what we have understood in this blog  “How to reach Kufri a from Manali ”

• Narkanda is a wonderful travel destination located in the Kufri district of Himachal Pradesh.
• You can reach Kufri by 2 options from Manali.
• Kufri can be reached throughout the year during option 2 .
• Kufri can be reached by self-driven car, bike, taxi, and by Bus.
• Cheapest way to reach Kufri is by the HRTC bus and many options are available.

We hope you have got a good understanding of “How to reach Kufri from Manali ”. If you want to give suggestions on this blog ” please comment.

FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions: