Best months with a dog
March to June, September to October
Worth avoiding
January and February
heavy snow and road closures
What to know before you go
Cold suits Huskies, Saint Bernards and other thick-coated breeds that suffer in Indian cities. The drive is long and mountainous, so break it over two days. Snow is fun in short bursts, though paws crack in the cold and salt or grit on roads irritates them.
Getting there
Manali is roughly 12 hours by road from Delhi. Driving yourself is almost always the easiest way to travel with a dog, because you control the stops, the temperature and the pace, and your dog is never handled by a stranger. At this distance, splitting the drive across two days with an overnight stop is considerably kinder than pushing through in one go, particularly for senior dogs and flat faced breeds.
Whatever the distance, stop every two hours or so for water and a short walk, never leave your dog in a parked car even briefly, and travel on a light stomach to reduce car sickness.
Where to stay with a dog in Manali
Always confirm before booking. Pet policies in India change often and are usually left to the individual owner or franchisee, so a property that welcomed dogs last season may not this one. Treat everything below as a starting point, call to confirm for your dog's size, and get the pet permission added to your booking confirmation in writing.
We are still collecting properties for Manali. In the meantime, the questions below are what actually get you a reliable yes.
Beyond named properties, homestays and villas with their own compound tend to be far easier with a dog than large hotels, because there are fewer common areas and fewer other guests to negotiate.
Ask these five questions when you call
- Do you allow dogs, and is there a size or weight limit?
- Is there a pet charge, and is it per night or per stay?
- Can the dog be left in the room unattended at any point?
- Are dogs allowed in the restaurant, garden or common areas?
- Can you add the pet permission to my booking confirmation email?
Nearby, if you want to extend the trip
One last practical thing. Hotel rooms and unfamiliar places disrupt toilet routines, and a dog who will not go in a strange place holds it far longer than is good for them. A familiar surface from home makes a real difference, which is the unglamorous reason we make a portable coir potty.