Love the Exotic and the Cold? Head to a Top 5 Hill Station in India

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Exotic may be another name for India, but cold weather is typically not what one associates with this country. And yet, India has more than its share of stunning, romantic, and unforgettable destinations that are covered in snow during most of the winter.

These are perfect to visit in summers, and especially if you happen to be someone who can’t stand heat, dust, and pollution a lot.

A ‘hill station’ is simply a town or a hamlet located in the mountains. Elevated from the sea level these places have cooler air and are blessed with natural beauty.

We can credit the British with the idea of developing hill stations in their former colonies, places they could retire to when it got too hot elsewhere in the subcontinent, literally and figuratively.

They set up these hill stations to remind themselves of Old Blighty, and these places have continued to retain some of their colonial charm. They are so unlike typical Indian cities that you can rely on them to give you a refreshingly different take on life in India.

Here’s a list of 5 of the best and the most popular hill stations in India.


1. Shimla


(Image credit: http://hpshimla.nic.in/Glimps/23.jpg)

Located in the northern Indian state of Himachal Pradesh, Shimla is among the most popular tourist destinations in the country.

It attracts traffic all year round, though October-December is the peak time.

Winters in Shimla are cold, with the mercury plunging to -7 degrees Celsius, but summers are pleasant. Unlike most places in India, you don’t even need fans in hill stations, and this one is no exception.

Popular attractions include Christ Church, Jakhoo Temple, Tara Devi Temple, the Ridge of Shimla, and Shimla State Museum.

But the best way to enjoy Shimla is to retire to this wonderful place for a week or so and simply vegetate. Check into any of the numerous decent-to-excellent hotels here and simply take in the breathtaking beauty of the surroundings.

Try local cuisine, go horse riding, admire the colonial architecture and shop on the streets for pashmina shawls and woolens in designs indigenous to this part of the world.

Best time to visit:

You can visit Shimla anytime, but avoid winters if you tend to suffer from arthritic pain. Also, monsoons should not be chosen as the time to travel to most places in India, but particularly so to northern India where floods and landslides are frequent occurrences during the rainy season.

Summers, and the transition period between monsoons and winters are the best months to visit Shimla.


2. Manali


(Image credit: http://www.sightseeinginmanali.com/images/Manali-Skiing.jpg)

Also located in the state of Himachal Pradesh, and only 270 km from Shimla, is the picturesque hill station of Manali.

Typically in India, those who visit Shimla also visit Manali, both due to its proximity as well as its beauty. Manali has a lot to offer to any kind of tourist. Nature lovers can bask in its ethereal beauty, and enjoy its snow peaks and snow flurries. Adventure tourists can go trekking, mountain climbing, para gliding, rafting, skiing or just backpacking through its numerous quaint little villages.

Popular attractions include Solang Valley, Rohtang Pass, Manu temple, Hadimba temple, Kothi, and Naggar.

Best time to visit:

Manali experiences moderately cool summers, so this is a great time to visit the town if you enjoy that kind of weather. Winters are cold, with the mercury often dipping below zero degree Celsius. Avoid in monsoons, however.


3. Darjeeling


(Image credit: http://indiaholidayoptions.com/yahoo_site_admin/assets/images/Enchanting-Darjeeling.133195420_std.jpg)

The home of the iconic tea gardens and the origin of the eponymous Darjeeling tea, this UNESCO World Heritage Site is a stunningly beautiful hill station located in the eastern state of West Bengal.

The six T’s seem to typify this former Gorkha capital – “Tea, Teak, Tourism, Toy Train, Tiger Hill and Trekkers’ paradise.”

In short, there is something in it for everybody. But nature and wildlife lovers will find it heavenly. Popular attractions include Happy Valley tea garden, the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, Tiger Hill, Observatory Hill, Dhirdham Temple, and St. Andrew’s church.

Check out Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park, which is home to some of the rare and endangered species, including the red panda, the Siberian tiger, and the snow leopard.

Best time to visit:

While Darjeeling is beautiful year-round, it’s especially so in the spring. But apart from that, both summers and winters are a great time to visit. Avoid monsoons though, which typically run from July to September.


4. Ooty


(Image credit: http://www.excitingindia.in/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Botanical-Garden-ooty.jpg)

Also known as the queen of hill stations in India, Udhagamandalam, or simply Ooty, is a picturesque little town nestled in the Nilgiri Hills in southern India.

Ooty is a popular location for filmmakers from all over India due to its accessibility and natural beauty. It is also very popular with honeymooners and anyone who wants to escape the humdrum of the city life.

Despite being a popular holiday destination, Ooty is not an expensive place. There are many hotels, restaurants, and lodges that will fit the budget of the economy-minded traveler.

Popular attractions include the Rose Garden, Botanical Gardens, Ooty lake, Wax World, Tribal Museum, and Deer Park.

The Botanical Gardens also organize a flower show every year which attracts around 150,000 tourists from all over the world.

Over the course of two days participants from exhibit their creativity with flowers, potted plants, and various kinds of vegetables and fruits. If flowers are your thing and this kind of celebration of the nature sounds like something you’d love to witness, arrange your holiday to Ooty to coincide with the show, typically held in the month of May.

Best time to visit:

Ooty can be visited any time of the year, except in monsoons. While Ooty is cool and pleasant year-round, winters tend to be slightly chilly and the fog-laced landscape makes for surreal sightseeing.


5. Shillong


(Image credit: http://nielitmeghalaya.nic.in/images/s1.jpg)

Located in the far-eastern state of Meghalaya, Shillong is another stunningly beautiful hill station in India, and a destination that will forever remain etched in your memory because of its enchanting lakes, waterfalls, mountains, and pine forests.

Though Shillong has a long history and a delightful culture, it is most known for its scenic beauty, attracting nature lovers from all over the world. Popular attractions in Shillong include Shillong Peak, Sohpetbneng Peak, Ward’s Lake, Botanical Garden, and Lady Hydari Park.

Best time to visit:

Avoid Shillong, indeed the entire north-east, in the monsoons. Cherapunjee, the wettest place on earth, is only 50-odd km from Shillong, so you can imagine that Shillong itself must get considerable rainfall during monsoons.

Its high altitude and mountainous landscape make for a cool and pleasant atmosphere year-round, so head to Shillong any time of the year, except for the rainy months.

Conclusion

India is blessed with nature’s bounty. There are hundreds of more hill stations in this country. It would all depend on where you are vacationing or how far you are prepared to travel for a piece of heaven on God’s green earth.

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