Snow eludes popular Himachal tourist spots as holiday rush peaks ahead of New Year

PTC Web Desk: Himachal Pradesh continues to attract a steady stream of tourists this winter, even though snowfall has been scarce so far. Visitors arriving during the New Year holiday period are largely hoping to experience snow, but currently it has been confined to a few high-altitude passes in the Lahaul-Spiti region.

So far, snowfall has been observed only at Rohtang Pass and Shinkula Pass, while prominent hill destinations such as Shimla, Manali, Kufri, Narkanda, Dharamshala, Dalhousie and Kasauli remain without any snow cover. Despite this, tourist movement has risen noticeably over the past week.

Traffic data indicates that Shimla saw a sharp increase in tourist arrivals between December 18 and 24. During this period, over 54,000 tourist vehicles entered the city, carrying more than 2.5 lakh visitors to surrounding spots including Kufri, Mashobra, Fagu, Shilaroo, Narkanda and Naldehra.

Manali also experienced heavy tourist inflow ahead of Christmas. Nearly one lakh visitors reached the town through approximately 9,500 Volvo buses and other tourist vehicles. Officials expect footfall to climb further as New Year celebrations approach.

Snow-covered terrain is currently accessible at Rohtang Pass, located about 51 km from Manali at an altitude of 13,050 feet. Visitors can travel to the pass in private vehicles or taxis, subject to weather conditions and official clearance, and most trips are completed within a single day.

Shinkula Pass, situated around 130 km from Manali, links Lahaul with the Zanskar Valley and stands at an elevation of about 16,500 feet. Due to icy road conditions, access is restricted to four-wheel-drive vehicles, making it suitable mainly for adventure seekers.

Weather experts have predicted light snowfall in some higher-altitude regions today, followed by clear skies. Another mild snowfall spell is expected in the upper reaches on December 30 and 31. Meanwhile, temperatures across major tourist areas remain 2 to 4 degrees above normal, providing comfortable conditions for travellers.