The Best Places for Winter Holidays in North India
The outside world has from time immemorial been irresistibly attracted to India, the exotic land of history, wilderness, spiritualism and naturalism. Timeless cities, temples, ancient Hindu and Tibetan Buddhist Kingdoms reveal the unrehearsed intimacy. With such natural and cultural diversities up for grabs, your holiday to North India during the winter will excite you footing up the North Indian hospitality, spicy cuisines, marveling handicrafts and celestial hamlets.
Travelling along the belt may include your itinerary the bustling city of New Delhi and centering it the Kumaon and Garhwal of Hills of ambrosial Uttarakhand or the Royal Heritage of Rajasthan and the lofty niche of the Himachal. Here is a comprehensive list of places in North India for a breathtaking winter vacation.
AGRA
Home to one of the seven wonders of the world, the Taj Mahal, which is a marble monument built by Shah Jahan and often dubbed as a ‘symbol of love’, the medieval city of Agra is yet another good pick from the bucket of destinations to visit in North India during the winter. Agra dilates an eminent chapter of the Golden Era of the Mughal Empire. The city hosts several other historical ramparts including the Agra Fort and other monuments and palaces. It is also noted for its traditional culture, architecture, marble crafts, leather products and cuisine. During the winter Agra is packed with tourists from all over the world but the marvelous sight of the Taj Mahal once you get hold of leaves you in a state of solitude… no matter who so ever knocks you from behind. Approximately an hour’s drive from Agra, Fatehpur Sikri, which is famed for its Buland Darwaza, is one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India, and is a must visit place for travellers having an interest in Indian medieval history. Further, the Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary makes for a refreshing getaway from Agra.
MANALI
That’s my favourite pick any time of the year and during the winter when you catch the glimpse of snowfall early in the morning… holding a cup of hot coffee in your hand, your partner being cozy with you at the same time and the stunning views of far-fetched snow capped mountains blazing the intimacy… Ah! Nature here herself showers romanticism. I feel like rolling over the bed once again and pouring some more lovely moments into my winter trip to Manali. “WINK” but now it’s time to grab nature at her best. Manali is one of the popular hill stations in India where tranquility dwells even in the midst of tourist crowd throughout the year. Nature here hosts an amazing alpine forest of Pine and Deodar trees dotted with several fruit orchards and cattle farms. An hour’s drive from Manali to Solang Valley, which during the winter season turns out to be one of the popular ski resorts in India, one can here exploit the nature with several adventure activities like skiing, zorbing and paragliding. Well… the temperature over here throughout the winter remains freezing and hence it is recommended to carry proper woolen garments if you are planning to go for paragliding in Solang.
Manali is also a gateway to several trekking destinations in Himachal Pradesh. During the winter season you can go for some short treks in Manali like the Bhrigu Lake trek and Beas Kund trek. Other popular treks around Manali are the Malana Valley and Chandra Tal trek, but during winter these treks are difficult to access. Rohtang Pass, which is at an altitude of approximately 4,000 meters, is a popular tourist destination in Manali being the highest point on the Manali-Keylong road. Although access to Rohtang Pass during the months of December, January and February becomes impossible due to heavy snowfall, yet some crazy trekkers do make it to the point. Are you one of them? Besides its breathtaking natural beauty, Manali is also notable for housing a rich and indigenous Indo-Tibetan culture. The Nyingamapa Gompa are the popular Buddhist pilgrimage sites that pull in several tourists from all over the world. The quaint ambiance of Vashisht village, which is approximately 3 kilometers away from Manali, is also worth a visit on your winter trip to Manali. The village is far-famed for hosting several hot springs and stone houses with beautiful carvings. Apart from all… the cultural clamour can be witnessed thoroughly when you visit Old Manali. The Hadimba Temple and Manu Maharishi Temple are the notable attractions here. Some other beautiful places to visit around Manali are Katrain which is popular for its apple orchards and trot hatcheries the temple town of Naggar and Manikaran, which is an important Hindu and Sikh pilgrimage site.
SHIMLA
Even though it remains one of the bustling hill stations in India throughout the year, Shimla during the winter season turns out to be a fantasy world. The nature herself boasts off a scenic spectacle with layers of snow bedded over the thick alpine forest AND the panorama from the Ridge of snow capped mountain ranges engulfed in the beauty of the nature is worth a capture. It is the best time, especially in the months of December and January, to go for a forest trail that runs towards the villages of Kamina and Pabo. If you are lucky some bird species can also be sighted. A short trek to Tattapani is also recommended as one of the adventure activities in Shimla during the winter season. Further, if you are looking for some more adventure then just whizz your wheels an hour snaking through the mountains to Kufri, which lies at an altitude of 2,622 meters and is one of the notable skiing destinations in the Indian Himalayan region with varying slopes. Just when you find the temperature dipping and you run out of warm garments, check out some quality woolens, jackets and shawls arraying down the Mall, which is one of the longest stretches of pedestrian shopping in the world. It also has arrays of hops dealing in traditional handicrafts, miniature paintings, jewellery, metalwares, rugs and carpets. Close to the Mall is the Himachal State Museum, which is one of the finest examples of craftsmanship from the colonial era. It exhibits a huge collection of coins, photographs and handicrafts. The Gaiety Heritage Cultural Complex, which is another colonial architecture built in a Gothic Victorian Style; Shimla State Museum that was built in 1974; and George Castle are some of the prominent tourist attractions in Shimla. The temperature might get very freezing during the winter, BUT one must step into the Christ Church that was built by the British in 1857 in the Neo-Gothic style of architecture and is one of the long lasting legacies of the British Raj. On the other hand, the Jakhoo Temple, which is an ancient temple dedicated to Lord Hanuman, is one of the important Hindu pilgrimage sites in Shimla AND one can even get hold of beautiful views of the Shivalik mountains and the nearby town of Sanjuli. Other popular religious sites are Tara Devi Temple and Sankat Mochan. A visit to Naldhera which hosts India’s oldest nine hole golf course and Chail which holds the unique distinction of being the highest cricket pitch in the world… completes your tour to Shimla during the winter season.
RISHIKESH
“The yoga capital of the world”, Rishikesh, solitude of meditation and yoga, solenoid for esthetics, is in the foothills of Himalaya. The religious town, in other words is also far-famed for white-water rafting and gateway to hazardous trekking destinations. Laxman Jhula (hanging bridge) above the River Ganga is one of the major attractions other than temples and ashrams.
MUSSOORIE
With green rifts of the Doon Valley at an altitude of 1,880 m, Mussoorie takes one back to the colonial past through its tralatitious appetizing cuisine and magnificent architectures. With abounding trekker-friendly area, stunning chatoyant natural panorama and glistering lakes, Mussoorie is also dotted with slushing waterfalls and shrubby forest. Kempty falls on the way to New Tehri is the most popular tourist destination. Among the several other tourist spots, Sir George Everest House is often visited by tourists.
NAINITAL
Located in the Kumaon region, Nainital, popularly known as the Lake District in India, is the weekend gateway for nigh domestic tourists and a beguiling sashay for foreign tourists round the year. At a height of 1,938 m, Naini Lake, holding a perpetual Hindu myth, is a summer retreat in the heart of Nainital. A pony ride or a very short trek up to the Naina peak, en route through shrubby forests, at an elevation of 2,615 m, which is the highest point in Nainital, offers a panoramic view of distant snow-clad peaks like Nanda Devi, Trishul and Nanda Kot. These peaks can also be clear-sighted from Snow View Point. Orienting towards a quest for more natural virtue Nainital is bonded with hermit destinations like Mukteshwar, offering an unhindered view of majestic Himalayan range; Bhimtal Lake, which is larger than Naini Lake; Sat Tal, a cluster of seven small interconnected lakes in the mystic oak forest; Khurpa Tal, a trowel lake; Naukuchia Tal, a nine-cornered lake; Kilbury, a weekend picnic spot popular for its flora and fauna and Pangot, a thick forest of oak, bamboo and deodar.
DELHI
The capital city of India, New Delhi, with the fusion of age old history and varied cultural diorama, is one of the bustling tourist destinations in North India during the winter season. The city with its quaint charm that is said to be dating back to the Pandava era is one of the significant historical cities in India. The city is home to several ancient monuments, forts and churches that delineate the chapters of Indian history. Amongst them the Purana Quilla, Qutub Minar, Jantar Mantar, Red Fort, Jama Masjid and Humayun’s Tomb holds special tourists’ interest. The ruins of Tughlaquabad Fort, Lotus Temple and Lodhi Garden and its monuments are some other heritage attractions in New Delhi. The India Gate, which is close to the Parliament and Rashtrapati Bhavan, is yet another popular tourist attractions that stands as a memorial to all the Indian soldiers who lost their lives during the Indian Freedom Movement, Indo-Pak Wars and Sino-Indo Wars. Rajghat, which is yet another memorial, holds a national significance and attracts tourists from all over the world.
Being in the city you can’t escape from the quaint charm of Chandni Chowk and the colonial ambiance of Connaught Place. Chandni Chowk is one of the oldest and congested areas of the city that is noted for its multiple arrays of shops dealing in jewellery, antiques, garments and street food, ‘Parathe Wali Gali’ is a must visit place when you are in Chandni Chowk. On the other hand Connaught Place, which acts as a bridge between Old Delhi and New Delhi, is a popular hangout in the city with numerous multi-cuisine restaurants, pubs, shopping arcades and hotels.
The Akshardham Temple, which is the largest Hindu Temple in the world, exhibits a detailed picture of Indian culture and religion… thus making it another prominent tourist attraction in New Delhi. Don’t miss out the light and sound show. If you are travelling to New Delhi at the time of Republic Day then you must catch a glimpse of the parade in front of the Red Fort. Shopaholics have a whole lot of options. S.N. Market, Lajpat Nagar, Janpath, Sadar Bazar and Palika Bazar are some of the notable shopping areas in the city where arrays of shops from garments to handicrafts and antiques to electronic goods can be found.
JAIPUR
The only planned city of its time, Jaipur the capital city of royal Rajasthan still beats in its fairy tale palaces and rugged fortresses perched on hills. Today it is a blend of tradition and modernity but the colour pink is still associated with hospitality in Jaipur. Being of historical importance, the city is one of the most popular tourist destinations in North India during the winter. It is a city where a traveller can participate in a lot of activities like heritage tour, shopping traditional items and jewelleries. The City Palace, Hawa Mahal, Jantar Mantar, Lake Palace and Amber Fort are the major heritage sites in Jaipur. In the outskirts… the Nahargarh Fort and Jaigarh Fort are the two notable heritage sites. On the other hand, the city hosts several Hindu and Jain temples; of them the Birla Mandir, Narayan Temple, Galtaji, Choolgiri Temple, and Govind Devji Temple are the notable ones. Ram Niwas Bagh, Dolls Museum, B.M. Birla Planetarium and Ghat Ki Guni are some other tourist spots in Jaipur. Well, don’t miss out the light and sound show at Kesar Kyari in Amber Fort. It is held every evening.
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