📹 1. Viral Tourist Crowd Videos in Shimla & Manali
Multiple videos and clips on social media (Instagram reels, YouTube) show massive crowds of tourists arriving in Shimla and Manali ahead of New Year celebrations — with packed streets, full hotels, heavy traffic and busy tourist spots.
These clips highlight:
- Shimla’s Ridge, Mall Road and surrounding roads crowded with visitors taking photos, walking around and celebrating.
- Long vehicle queues on highways and near key entry points as cars and buses ferry tourists from plains regions (like Delhi-NCR, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh).
- Both Shimla and Manali showing scenes of festive activity and nightlife with tourists braving the cold to enjoy evening walks, local cafes, and viewpoints.
🚗 2. Heavy Traffic & Congestion
News videos show that traffic jams became common around Shimla on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, with roads into the city and around The Ridge experiencing:
- Slow traffic movement due to the high number of vehicles, especially during peak entry times.
- Parking shortages and congestion near popular areas like Mall Road, Ridge Ground, and near hotels.
This mirrors similar scenes in Manali and at Rohtang Pass, where viral footage of long vehicle jams and winding queues circulated online weeks before New Year as people drove toward the hills for their holiday trip.
🏨 3. Hotels Filled & ‘Housefull’ Signs
Reports from news videos and local stories confirm that:
- Hotels and guesthouses in Shimla were almost fully booked during the holiday period, with many reaching 80–90% occupancy.
- Similar situations were reported in Manali, where rooms filled up early, and prices surged as travelers planned stays of several days.
This high occupancy added to the festive rush, with visitors often walking or waiting for taxis because of limited parking and lodging.
❄️ 4. Festive Atmosphere Despite Cold Weather
Despite chilly temperatures in the mountains, tourists were seen celebrating enthusiastically:
- People gathered in open areas wearing winter gear, taking photos and making reels.
- Many are seen awaiting snow or the chance of snowfall, which adds to the typical hill holiday experience — something featured extensively in online clips from Shimla and Manali.
Even though some places (like Manali) didn’t get a white New Year due to lack of fresh snowfall, the expectation of snow and scenic winter weather kept enthusiasm high.
📱 5. Social Media Reaction & Debate
The popularity of these videos sparked online discussion about modern travel culture:
- Some users praised the energy and beauty of New Year crowds in the hills.
- Others criticized the chaotic scenes, questioning whether tourists are more interested in creating reels and viral content than enjoying natural beauty respectfully.
- is reflects a broader conversation happening across platforms about overtourism, social behaviour, and the environmental impact of huge seasonal crowds in hill destinations.
🧭 6. Context: Larger New Year Travel Trend
A national news piece also confirms that tourist spots across India — including Shimla — were swamped with visitors for New Year 2026. Hill stations, especially, were highlighted for heavy footfall and police reassurance patrols to maintain safety and order.