How to reach Narkanda from Shimla – 2023 Updated

Known for widespread snowfall during winters and year round spectacular views of snow capped Himalayan ranges, Narkanda is a nice tourist destination. Winter sports such as skiings are a famous attraction here.  This blog will share complete knowledge of how to reach Narkanda from Shimla through different modes.

Where is Narkanda located?

Situated on the hilltop,  Narkanda is a small town situated in the Shimla district of Himachal Pradesh. Narkanda is located in the upper Shimla on Hindustan Tibet Road.

It is around 60 Km from Shimla after Kufri.

Name of the Place	Narkanda (नारकंडा )
State	Himachal Pradesh
District	Shimla
Elevation of Place	2700 m, 8900 feet
Accessibility	By road
Best time to visit	Throughout the year
Distance from Shimla	Around 60 Km

How to reach Narkanda from Shimla

Narkanda is connected by road and accessible throughout the year except during heavy snowfall or during heavy rainfall. The distance between Narkanda from Shimla is around 60 Km. There are different modes by which one can reach Narkanda.

How to reach Narkanda from Shimla by Road

There are various options to reach Narkanda by road.

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

Sr. No.	Location	Distance (Km)	Elevation (ft)	Elevation (m)	Time  (Hr)
1	Shimla	0	7200	2200	00:00
2	Kufri	15	8500	2600	00:45
3	Narkanda	60	8900	2700	02:15

How to reach Narkanda from Shimla on a Bus

Himachal Pradesh State Owned Buses are called HRTC buses ( Himachal Road Transport Corporation buses). They are usually green/blue in color.   

There are multiple options to reach Narkanda by bus.

Shimla – Narkanda by Bus 

Below are the bus details you can choose

SR. No.	SERVICE NO.	SHIMLA ISBT TUTIKANDI	NARKANDA	DURATION	DEPOT	TYPE	ORIGIN	DESTINATION	ONLINE BOOKING
1	1510	12:30 AM	3:00 AM	2:30 Hrs	RAMPUR	ORDINARY	CHANDIGARH	RAMPUR	NO
2	333	3:40 AM	6:40 AM	3:00 Hrs	REC PEO	ORDINARY	SHIMLA ISBT TUTIKANDI	POOH VILLAGE	YES
3	1220	5:00 AM	9:30 AM	4:30 Hrs	REC PEO	ORDINARY	HARIDWAR	RECONGPEO	NO
4	93	5:01 AM	8:30 AM	3:29 Hrs	DW TARADEVI	HIMSUTA AC VOLVO / SCANIA 2X2	DELHI ISBT KASHMIRI GATE	RAMPUR	YES
5	538	5:30 AM	7:30 AM	2:00 Hrs	RAMPUR	ORDINARY	DELHI ISBT KASHMIRI GATE	RAMPUR	NO
6	556	5:45 AM	9:15 AM	3:30 Hrs	REC PEO	ORDINARY	DELHI ISBT KASHMIRI GATE	RECONGPEO	NO
7	255	6:56 AM	9:30 AM	2:34 Hrs	REC PEO	ORDINARY	SOLAN	RECONGPEO	NO
8	518	7:15 AM	9:45 AM	2:30 Hrs	REC PEO	ORDINARY	DELHI ISBT KASHMIRI GATE	SANGLA	NO
9	1225	8:25 AM	10:45 AM	2:20 Hrs	RAMPUR	ORDINARY	HARIDWAR	SARAHAN	NO
10	CHD-KLK-KFN	8:30 AM	11:00 AM	2:30 Hrs	REC PEO	ORDINARY	CHANDIGARH	KAFNU	NO
11	1513	9:00 AM	11:30 AM	2:30 Hrs	REC PEO	ORDINARY	CHANDIGARH	RECONGPEO	NO
12	CHD-RPO-2X2	10:30 AM	1:00 PM	2:30 Hrs	REC PEO	HIMMANI DELUXE 2X2 NON AC	CHANDIGARH	RECONGPEO	NO
13	1726	11:30 AM	2:50 PM	3:20 Hrs	RAMPUR	ORDINARY	CHANDIGARH	SARAHAN	NO
14	1618	1:55 PM	4:45 PM	2:50 Hrs	RAMPUR	ORDINARY	AMBALA CANT	RAMPUR	NO
15	191	3:20 PM	6:15 PM	2:55 Hrs	SHIMLA RURAL	ORDINARY	SHIMLA ISBT TUTIKANDI	RAMPUR	YES
16	321	4:40 PM	7:15 PM	2:35 Hrs	RAMPUR	ORDINARY	SHIMLA ISBT TUTIKANDI	RAMPUR	YES
17	273	6:30 PM	8:45 PM	2:15 Hrs	REC PEO	ORDINARY	SHIMLA ISBT TUTIKANDI	RECONGPEO	YES
18	1511	10:20 PM	12:50 AM	2:30 Hrs	REC PEO	HIMMANI DELUXE 2X2 NON AC	CHANDIGARH	RECONGPEO	NO
19	CHD-SML-RPO	10:30 PM	1:00 AM	2:30 Hrs	REC PEO	ORDINARY	CHANDIGARH	RECONGPEO	NO
20	1512	11:30 PM	2:00 AM	2:30 Hrs	RAMPUR	ORDINARY	CHANDIGARH	KALPA	NO

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 Narkanda from Shimla on your own Vehicle

If you can reach Shimla in your own Vehicle then reaching Narkanda is not too difficult a task.

1. The travel time is around 5.15  hrs so please make sure you start early in the day so that you reach Narkanda 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 high snowfall above Shimla to Narkanda 
4. There are limited petrol pumps the way after Rampur.

How to reach Narkanda from Shimla on a bike

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

1. Every bike can reach Narkanda but prefer a bike with > 150 cc engine if you are with a pillion rider. 
2. You will feel the major variation in the temperature while traveling on the bike as there is a gain and drop of altitude. Shimla to Narkanda at a higher altitude than Rampur at a lower altitude.
3. Ride carefully as the road from Rampur to Narkanda is considered a dangerous road so driving should be done carefully.
4. Carry rain covers along with as there might be rain at higher reaches.

5. During winters Bike riding is not advisable as there will be snowfall / black ice on roads and bike riding is extremely dangerous.

How to reach Narkanda from Shimla on a Taxi

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

1. The Driver should be experienced in traveling these areas.
2. Vehicle to be comfortable since travel time would be more than 12 hrs.
3. Ground clearance of the Vehicle to be good.
4. Negotiate well before finalization.

How to reach Narkanda from Shimla by Train

Narkanda is not connected by train. The last station is at Shimla

How to reach Narkanda from Shimla by air

Since Narkanda is located inland in the Himalayas, there is no airport nearby. The Last airport is at Shimla.

Summary – “How to reach Narkanda from Shimla”

Let’s summarize what we have understood in this blog  “How to reach Narkanda from Delhi ”

• Narkanda is a wonderful travel destination located in the Narkanda district of Himachal Pradesh at around 120 KM from Shimla.
• You can reach Narkanda in one day from Shimla.
• Narkanda can be reached throughout the year but the best time is from April – June and then from September – October.
• Narkanda can be reached by self-driven car, bike, taxi, and by Bus.
• Cheapest way to reach Narkanda is by the HRTC bus and many options are available.

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

FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions: