Introduction
As we bid goodbye to the winters, the summers seem to welcome us with loaded ice-creams and exciting travel stories. We are pretty sure; you have started recollecting memories of your exciting journeys last year as you look at your summer-wardrobe. When it comes to wandering around, India consists of a variety of travel destinations that may give you some respite from the scorching heatwaves! Be it sitting by the beachside and enjoying a swim or exploring the mountains, you can find a variety of summer destinations in India. To help you better, we have filtered out seven hill-stations in India that you should visit these summers. So, let’s get started! And yes, don’t forget to take out your cool sunglasses, stylish hats and trendy loafers as you commence your journey!
Nainital
Nainital is located in the Uttarakhand state of India and is situated at a distance of around 325 km (seven-hour drive) from Delhi. You get to see an invigorating view of a wide and bright lake surrounded by the green-mountains, the moment you enter Nainital. Commonly known as the lake city of India, Nainital is also famous for some summer-treks among the travel-community. You must not forget to cover the Tiffin-top trek and the Cheena peak trek which are located within a radius of five kilometres from Nainital. The summit can offer you some of the unseen views of Nanital. Moreover, make sure that your phone never runs out of battery while you are in Nainital. You must be clicking a lot of photos from the moment you reach here!
Shimla
Since colonial times, Shimla is considered one of the best summer destinations in India. The hill-station, established by the Britishers during the colonial era, holds high importance in the history of India itself. In the past few years, Shimla has started gaining the attention of couples and has emerged as a famous honeymoon destination. The hill station is located at a distance of around 342 kilometres from Delhi and it takes around 7-8 hours to reach Shimla from Delhi. What might attract you the most is the view of the glittering city-lights at night here. If you want to add some adventure to your travel, you can plan to take a bike on rent from Chandigarh and going to Shimla. As you ride through the well-metaled Himalayan roads, you take a tour of the beautiful scenery of the northern mountains.
Munsiyari
If you are planning for a long weekend, you must plan to visit Munsiyari. Located in the Pithoragarh district of Uttarakhand, Munsiyari is yet not famous among the travel-community. The place is still unaffected by human interference and you get to see nature in its best form here. The hamlet, Munsiyari, is located at a distance of around 600kilometres from Delhi and can be reached within 12-14 hours. If you plan to go by bus, you must take the bus from Anand Vihar ISBT Delhi to Pithoragarh city. You can easily get shared taxis from Pithoragarh to reach Munsiyari. Don’t forget to cover the ‘Khaliya Top’ trek when you visit Munsiyari. The distance of the Khaliya Top trek from Munsiyari is around 8 km and it takes around 3-4 hours to trek up. You can get the best views of Kumaon and Nepal Himalayas including Panchachuli and Jethi Bahurani peaks as you reach here. Stay and accommodation facilities are easily available at Munsiyari at reasonable prices!
Gulmarg
Located in the Jammu and Kashmir state of India, Gulmarg is considered one of the best summer destinations in India. The place is a perfect vacation spot both during summers and winters. Yet, the best time to visit Gulmarg is between June to September when nature seems to be in its best form. During summers, when the temperature in metro cities soars above 40 degrees, Gulmarg yet remains below 20-degree Celsius. The hospitality of the locals is what attracts you towards this place every time. If you are in Gulmarg, you must visit St. Mary’s Church which is a classic example of the British-architecture. The Church can be easily accessed from Gulmarg itself.
Lohaghat
Lohaghat is a small town and hill station located in the Champawat district of Uttarakhand. The place sits between a dense forest of Cedar trees situated close to the Lohawati river. The place has started gaining the attention of tourists from the past few years seeing the majestic views of the mountains it offers. The distance of Lohaghat from Delhi is around 410 kilometres and is a 10-12hour drive from Delhi. You can easily find direct buses from Anand Vihar ISBT Delhi to Lohaghat if you plan to opt for public transport. Pancheswar Dam, Asia’s highest dam (projected) is also located just 25-30 minutes away from Lohaghat and is a must-visit place. Do not forget to carry your thermals and jackets when you reach here! The temperature can drop to single digits even during summers here!
Manali
Apple orchids, snow-capped Himalayas and a serene river- this is how we describe the beauty of Manali. Located at a distance of around 545 kilometres from Delhi, Manali is a famous hill station located in the Kullu district of India. The place witnesses a heavy footfall of tourists from across the country and is one of the best places to spend your summer vacations! If you are planning for a trip of 3-4 days, Manali can be the right option for you. You must try eating a pahadi-styled Maggie and a butter-chai when you reach here. The organic and local organic meals will let you earn memories of a lifetime. Lodging and accommodation are easily available in Manali, yet, we recommend you to pre-book your stays to avoid the last hour rush!
Chopta
If you have been an avid user of Instagram or other social networking sites, you must have heard of Chopta. The beautiful hill station, Chopta is located in the Rudraprayag district of Uttarakhand. Chopta is also known as the trekking point of Tungnath Mahadev temple, the world’s highest Shiva temple. What makes Chopta one of the best summer destinations in India is the view of Mount Chaukhamba and Nanda Devi that you get from here. You feel yourselves standing above the clouds when you visit Chopta. The place is best suited if you’re planning to spend a night camping or bird-watching. We recommend you to try camping in Chopta as you may get some of the best night-views in the entire country here. What’s more interesting is that the camps are easily available at reasonable prices!
While we enjoy travelling the hill-stations across India, we must travel with responsibility. A large amount of plastic waste goes un-dumped every year and leads to soil pollution in the Himalayan belt. We must not forget to carry a paper bag as we travel to the mountains and should try to bring our plastic waste with us. The mountains need us far more than we need them!
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