Don’t Summer-Up! Go, Explore These Five Places in India


You googled and found what? Disneyland? Paris? Or Venice? Oh dear! You are in India! So forget about Space Mountain or Matterhorn Bobsleds. Don’t think too much about Grand Canal or Rialto Bridge. Are you thinking about The Louvre and Eiffel Tower? Save some money and plan them in another summer. If its not Europe, don’t worry! We have our own country. Let’s take a voyage down there.

1.  Kodaikanal- A land of grassy hills

Kodaikanal, a hill town in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, set in an area of granite cliffs, forested valleys, lakes, waterfalls and grassy hills, cooler than the plains below and is a popular holiday destination. The town centers around star-shaped, man-made Kodaikanal Lake.

How to reach?

A railway line extended from Chennai to Tirunelveli with an intermediate station at Ammaianayakkanur (later renamed Kodai Road) was built in 1875, to provide a gateway to Kodaikanal town and there on to the lake through a foot trek of 18 km from the railhead. The nearest railway stations to the lake presently are the Kodai Road railway Station at 80 km and the Palani Railway station at 64 km distance from the town. Madurai and Coimbatore airports are the closest to the Lake. Kodai Lake is well connected by road with regular bus services operating to Madurai, Palani, Kodaikanal Road, Theni, Dindigul, Tiruchirapalli, Kumili, Erode, Bengaluru and Coimbatore. All are lovely places to visit.

Where to go?

You should go to Berijam, located at the end of Pillar Rocks Road, 21 km from Kodaikanal Lake. From Berijam, you have the Kodaikanal–Munnar Road to Munnar town, about 40 km west and another going to Kavunji village. The old roads are now overgrown with vegetation. These are used for trekking. Who knows, you encounter with a wild bisonelephant or even a leopards sometimes. The Tamil Nadu Forest Department has restricted entry into the Berijam Lake area to between 9.30 a.m. and 3 p.m. for the general public. Entry permits are issued at the Forestry Department Office in Kodaikanal. Only a limited number of visitors are allowed in the park each day. You can go to Bear Shola falls, Kodaikanal solar observatory, Pillar rocks to.

Park season

Being a hill city Kodaikanal has pleasant moderate weather all through the year and you can easily plan a trip whenever you want. Here’s a detailed monthly seasonal break for the region.

Expenses

2 days 1 night: Around Rs/- 5000 (each person) 

2. Himachal Pradesh- A land of charming valleys

Thinking about Parvati Valley and the charming Dharamsala?It might be only five per cent only! The rest of Himachal is waiting. To forget the city heats, go and explore this part of your country.

How to reach?

The Rohtang pass is open from May to November. Manali falls on the same road, National Highway 21, about 51 km from Bhuntar Airport in Himachal Pradesh.Joginder Nagar is the nearest railway station which is about 103 km from Rohtang Pass and 50 km from Manali. It is well connected by Himachal Road Transport Corporation buses that start from Manali and go as far as Leh via Rohtang Pass and then through Keylong. HRTC, Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation and private operators runs both air conditioned and non air conditioned deluxe coaches.

Where to go?

Another important destination is Solang Nala Valley. The valley drives its name from combination of words Solang (Nearby village) and Nullah (water stream). It is a side valley at the top of the Kullu Valley in Himachal Pradesh, known for its summer and winter sport conditions. The most commonly offered sports are parachuting, paragliding, skating and zorbing.The Great Himalayan National Park (GHNP), is one of India‘s national parks, is located in Kullu region in the state of Himachal Pradesh.

Park season

The state can be visited any time of the year. During winter, the months of December to February are ideal for enjoying snowfall, skiing and ice skating. During summer from March to June you can enjoy the scenic beauty of the Himachal Pradesh and is ideal for indulging in paragliding, trekking, camping and rafting. In autumn, Himachal Pradesh looks amazingly beautiful. The days are pleasant and dazzling and the nights are chilly There will be no snowfall, but you can see snow tipped peaks at high altitudes. However Monsoon starts from July to mid September is not the best time to visit as excessive rain can cause landslides.

Expenses

Lot of package tours are offers by tour & travel service providers. You can consult to any of them. Approximately you have to spend around Rs/- 8000 to 10000 for each person.

3. Darjeeling -A hilly links

Darjeeling is one unique mountain station in the country which offers most of the good things that a hilly destination can offer. Set amidst lush green hills, the place is known for wide stretches of tea gardens and views of some of the greatest mountain ranges in the world, including that of Kanchenjunga.

How to reach?

You have so many options to reach Darjeeling. Go to New Jalpaiguri railway station, you are free on your will to opt for several options to reach Darjeeling. Shared cars are available also.

Where to go?

In the month of May, Darjeeling is very beautiful. You can visit places like, Singalila National Park, Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park, Tiger Hill, Observatory Hill, Batasia Loop, Happy Valley Tea Estate, and Joey’s Pub.

Park season

While summer months from April to June are the ideal time to travel to Darjeeling, some travellers including couples also prefer to visit the beautiful town during winter months from October to December.

Expenses

Tour packages are available there too. Consult friends who have been there, they are the best to say about the expenses.

3. Nainital – A city for weekends

(Nainital lake)

Nainital is counted among one of the most sought after weekend getaways by Delhiites. Not only Dilliwales, Kolkatans are also opting for Nainital.

How to reach

There are no direct flights or trains or buses between Kolkata to Nainital. The convenient way to reach from Kolkata to Nainital is to take a flight from Kolkata to Lucknow then take a cab from Lucknow to Nainital. The fastest way to reach Nainital from Kolkata is to reach New Delhi, then take a cab to Nainital. The cheapest way to reach Nainital from Kolkata is to take Bagh Express from Kolkata to Kathgodam then take State Transport Bus from Kathgodam to Nainital. There is no direct train between Kolkata and Nainital. You can take Durgiana Express from Kolkata to Moradabad then take a taxi from Moradabad to Nainital. There is no direct bus between Kolkata and Nainital. To save more money, you can also take a flight from Kolkata to New Delhi, and then take State Transport Bus from New Delhi to Nainital.

Where to go

The place is known for its beautiful Naini Lake, which is set amidst the towering peaks of the Kumaon mountains. On a clear day, travellers are blessed with views of the famous Nanda Devi Massif from the upper reaches of Nainital. You have Sattal, one of the few rare tourist attractions there are also located close to this place.

Park season

Nainital is a year-round destination, but the ideal time to visit is between the months of March to June.

Expenses

2 night, 3 days in a budget package costs around Rs/- 7,000 to 8000.

5. Uttarakhand-A city into the Himalayas

(Kosi River valley Almora Uttarakhand)

Uttarakhand, a state in northern India crossed by the Himalayas, is known for its Hindu pilgrimage sites. Rishikesh, a major center for yoga study, was made famous by the Beatles, who visited there in 1968. The city hosts the evening Ganga Aarti, a spiritual gathering on the sacred Ganges River. The state’s forested Jim Corbett National Park shelters Bengal tigers and other native wildlife.

How to reach

There is no direct communication from Kolkata to Uttarakhand. Either you can go to Dehra Dun by air or go to Chandigarh and take a taxi to reach Dehra dun. Then explore Uttarakhand. There are lots of package tours for Uttarakhand trip. Google them and tighten your backpacks.

Where to go

Jim Corbett National Park, Rajaji National Park, Valley of Flowers National Park,  for tiger safaries, camping. For pilgrims Nainital has Manasa Devi temple, Chandi Devi temple, Laxman Jhula, Ram Jhula, Badrinath temple, Kedarnath temple. Tehri dam is also a very good place to visit. If you search through, you have lot to see. Explore them.

Park season

If you are planning for a trip to Uttarakhand, it is wise to know about the weather and temperature in Uttarakhand. If you want to know the Best time to visit Uttarakhand, check online guides, it will surely help you know the Best season to visit Uttarakhand. Therefore, you can plan your trip accordingly and make the most of your travel plans.

Expenses

Go to the internet and you will find mouth watering packages. They may vary.

About the Author

Hello, my name is Vaishali Sharma, travel writer and tour and travel service provider  by profession . Also lover of world cultures, languages, souls, food, oceans, wild spaces and urban places by nature.  You can call me simply a travel freak and crazy researching about new places that she can explore. I am also writing for Webprofits.in as a freelancer.