my next stop

Himachal Pradesh

Kullu

Dussehra town where 200 village gods gather on Dhalpur maidan

CultureHeritageMountains

Best time to visit Kullu

peak shoulder off-season avoid

  • Go: April to May and October to November
  • Shoulder: March, June, September and December, quieter, and the weather is less of a sure thing
  • Skip: July to August

Planning a specific month? AprilMayOctoberNovember

Kullu season by season

Winter December to February Shoulder

December-February is 0-15C with wet grey spells and most people push straight through to Manali, which is why rooms are cheap.

Summer March to May Prime time

April-June is 18-32C and green, the Beas runs hard, and the Manali highway through town is one long queue of tourist cars.

Monsoon June to September Shoulder

July-August is the wrong call: cloudbursts, Beas flooding and NH-3 landslides have cut Kullu off for days in recent years.

Autumn October to November Prime time

October is the reason to come, when 200 palanquin deities converge on Dhalpur for Dussehra; book a room a month ahead.

What Kullu is actually like

Most travellers only change buses here; stay and you get Nati dancing, shawl looms and no backpacker scene at all

Things to do in Kullu

The local places worth your time in and around Kullu, with how far each sits from the centre. Tap a name to open it in Google Maps.

  • Bijli Mahadev

    Temple · 20 km out

    Ridge temple at 2460 m where lightning is said to shatter the lingam; drive to Chansari, then a 3 km climb of about an hour

  • Raghunath Temple

    Temple · 1 km out

    Seat of Kullu's ruling deity at Sultanpur, the image brought from Ayodhya in 1651; open mornings and evenings only

  • Basheshwar Mahadev Temple

    Temple · 15 km out

    Ancient stone shikhara temple at Bajaura on the highway, carved Vishnu, Ganesh and Durga panels outside; ASI site, no ticket

  • Jagannathi Devi Temple

    Temple · 4 km out

    Bhekhli village shrine up a steep 30 minute climb with the whole valley below; go at sunrise, the path is unlit

  • Dhalpur Maidan

    Park · in town

    The ground where the Dussehra rath is pulled each October and village deities camp; an ordinary field the rest of the year

  • Pirdi

    Activity · 6 km out

    Beas rafting start below town, 14 km of grade 2 and 3 down to Jhiri; the river shuts through the monsoon, best April to June

Getting to Kullu

Bhuntar airport 10 km with Delhi flights; HRTC and Volvo buses from Delhi in 12 h, Chandigarh in 8 h

Practical ways in: flightroad

Trip facts

How long to stay
2 days
Budget
Shoestring
How busy
Steady at its peak
Solo travel
Fine solo
Altitude
1230 m
State
Himachal Pradesh
Coordinates
31.9566, 77.1085

Common questions

When is the best time to visit Kullu?

April to May and October to November is peak season in Kullu. March, June, September and December is shoulder season: thinner crowds, a bit more risk in the weather. Avoid July to August. April-June is 18-32C and green, the Beas runs hard, and the Manali highway through town is one long queue of tourist cars.

How many days do you need in Kullu?

2 days is the usual stay. Most travellers only change buses here; stay and you get Nati dancing, shawl looms and no backpacker scene at all.

How do you get to Kullu?

Bhuntar airport 10 km with Delhi flights; HRTC and Volvo buses from Delhi in 12 h, Chandigarh in 8 h. Practical ways in: flight and road.

Is Kullu expensive, and does it get crowded?

Shoestring by Indian travel standards, and it runs steady at the busiest time of year. Fine solo.

Is there a festival in Kullu?

Oct: Kullu Dussehra, seven days (dates shift yearly). Time a trip around it and you see the place at its loudest, but book beds early.

What are the best things to do in Kullu?

Bijli Mahadev, Raghunath Temple, Basheshwar Mahadev Temple, Jagannathi Devi Temple, Dhalpur Maidan and Pirdi. Ridge temple at 2460 m where lightning is said to shatter the lingam; drive to Chansari, then a 3 km climb of about an hour.

Nearby, and where to go next

More places to visit in Himachal Pradesh

All 52 destinations in Himachal Pradesh