Top 10 Best Winter Vacation Destinations in India

Top 10 Best Winter Vacation Destinations in India

Winter has a special meaning for people like us, staying close to the tropical zone. In other countries, the expression "a warm feeling" is used to describe a feeling of love and happiness. This is mainly because the language has sprung from a place where winter has been very disgusting for people who have lived it for most of the year. Summer or heat is something they enjoy and care about.

For tropical beings like us, however, it's quite the opposite, so even during the winters we can be seen as desiring more than a cold, icy atmosphere. So put your seatbelts for a virtual tour to almost certainly, here are the top ten winter holiday destinations in India.

10. Munsiyari

Located in Uttarakhand, Munsiyari is the legend for the magnificent panoramic views it offers to its travelers who include the view of peaks like Panch Chuli, Nandakot and Trisul. To make things better, the views can be enjoyed while relaxing in Madkot's hot springs, filled with natural minerals that rejuvenate every active cell in your body. 

9. Jim Corbett National Park

What makes Jim Corbett a favorite of travelers, especially during the winters, is the fact that it is a national park at the foot of the Shivaliks. It, in turn, serves as one of the most scenic and best routes for a road trip. Imagine entering the mountains from the plains, this also inside a forest. Expect however, because this place offers some of the best frames for astrophotography lovers, during a new moon night. Things get more interesting with the presence of the magnanimous Indian tiger. If you want your soul to be pierced with terror by the green eyes of this fantastic beast, where would you go to find them? The local tourism company as well as development and forest protection authorities also offer safaris on the backs of elephants for tourists.

8. Dharamshala and McLeodGanj

Famous for sheltering the Tibetan government in exile, Dharamshala, over the years, has turned into a mini Tibet. The first thing that attracts attention when entering this mountain hamlet is the fact that it is lined up with a variety of shops selling Buddhist trinkets, amalgamated with those of the Himachal culture. For the people of Delhi, this place is a little paradise, because they can consume all the momos they want too, of a better quality than they've ever had, even if the sale was considered a trade in the capital. In addition, being able to visit the highest cricket ground in the world could certainly be a mark of the bucket list of almost 0 billion cricket fans in the country. Like his counterparts in the Parvati Valley, McLeod Ganj stinks of psychedelia and spiritualism in every little picturesque corner. It is certainly not a family place and certainly a place to visit with your friends. However, it is a pleasure to walk the 1.5 km stretch of Kora circuit, draped with prayer flags all around, and it's an attraction for people on their phone screens and social networks.

7. Munnar

If your favorite color is green, go to Munnar, it's definitely a synonym. Part of the Western Ghats, it can be called one of its crown jewels. Being a mountain resort, Munnar offers its visitors all the cold during the winters. Add to that the fact that it is full of bodies of water that offer spectacular views of rare migratory birds, as well as a variety of water sports, and you have the perfect setting in the south for a wonderful winter getaway. In addition, the Tourism Development Corporation allows different types of boats to also bring tourists to the water, with the option of staying in a houseboat during the night on the beautiful backwaters. The place also takes you to the past with accommodations in the tree houses of the Dream Catcher Plantation Resort.

6. Shillong

Known as the rock capital of the mountain, with a growing hip-hop scene, Shillong is definitely the music for travelers' ears. Having a good share of Catholics, the city is quite the scene at Christmas with lights and Christmas trees outside the many churches. In addition, music festivals like the NH7 Weekender, during the last weekend of October, see crowds pour into this otherwise pleasant hamlet. 

5. Sandakphu

Sandakphu is the culmination of West Bengal, at an altitude of 3,636 meters above sea level. During the winters, the arrival to Sandakphu turns into a four-day trek due to the snow settling on the road, making the trip by the otherwise preferred SUV an unsustainable option. If white is your favorite color, do not think anymore and head to this "out of the wall" experience at the exit of Game of Thrones without the fear of being converted into a soldier in the army of the dead.

What makes the landscapes comparable to this is the fact that the entire landscape is covered with a blanket of whiteness quite similar to the description given by the famous poet Khushwant Singh in his poem, "The Portrait of a Lady". The landscape is completed by a vast ocean of white clouds that can be seen under our feet at the edge of a cliff. Do not intervene, out of curiosity, because that surely sucks you into a void. The Kanchendzonga Massif (3rd highest mountain in the world and the highest in India) is clearly visible from Sandakphu on a clear day. 

4. Dalhousie and Khajjiar

Dalhousie is an example of a city whose architecture is influenced by many cultures. Its architectural palate consists of different shades of cultures such as the Mughals and the British who created the famous Rang Mahal and European Catholics with the Church of St. Francis. In addition, this city offers its tourists a variety of places to visit, at a distance of 20 odd kilometers. One of the famous places is the Satdhara Falls on the Panchpula Road which is renowned for its apparent healing abilities in its magical waters. For hikers, the place offers a short 5-kilometer ride to the lush meadows of Ganji Pahari.

Khajjiar, more precisely, is called the "Mini Switzerland of India". It is undeniable that it is aptly named because the view is very similar to that seen on a postcard. What makes Khajjiar even more exciting during the winters is that the slopes are covered with snow a few inches thick, which is perfect for skiing on skis. Khajjiar also has a beautiful lake on which we can see boats offering walks to tourists. The tracks, in addition, double to be perfect for adventure activities and sports such as zorbing and paragliding.

3. Goa

Essentially, the party and the psychedelic capital of the country, Goa is essentially a real version of "The Hangover". Over the years, electronic music festivals like the Sunburn, which takes place each year in December, attract a large number of people, such as David Guetta, Major Lazer, Daft Punk and Steve Aoki. Name a few. The programming changes every year, but be assured of the popularity of the artists that happen here.

For those who prefer to get away from the crowds, the southern parts offer peaceful hamlets across desolate beaches that travelers must search for themselves because they are literally surrounded by dozens of them. The wonderful kitchens, with touches of Portuguese origin, are appreciated by travelers from around the world, with one of the cheapest alcoholic rates in the country, since Goa is a Union territory. Beach huts offer the same thing with other accommodation facilities, which are quite reasonable in some cases. Nautical adventure sports such as paragliding, snorkeling, scuba diving and water jet are just some of the other popular activities for tourists.

2. Havelock Island

Moving away from the continent, island groups in India escape the banality of everyday life. The white sands with crystal clear waters of islands such as Havelock, in the Andamans and Nicobars, are a real heartbeat for travel enthusiasts, making this place the bioluminescent phytoplankton, without the jargon that shines algae on the beach after nightfall. better appreciated during a new moon night. If you want to experience your own life of Pi, head to this fulfilling masterpiece. McLeod Ganj, as mentioned, is one of the best places for astrophotography, but what probably makes Havelock the second best place (position being reserved for Hanle, Leh) place in India at stargaze is the night view in which the luminous phytoplankton melts in the waters.

The heavens form their own complex art with a gazillion, if not a number, the stars being visible to the naked eye in a moonless night sky and a lot of wind. The icing on the frosting is the fact that water, essentially, reflects the complex art of the creator and so, along with the planktons, creates one of the most surreal sites that life can offer to an individual. Put on your headphones, put your phone in airplane mode, activate Pink Floyd's album Endless River and fly away in the vastness and depth of the atmosphere. The island group is also one of the best places to go diving and enjoy water sports.

1. Kashmir

Famous not only because of the endless conquest between two countries but also for the unreal beauty it offers, Kashmir is considered the most beautiful of all places in the Indian subcontinent. The valley, along with that of Ladakh, is one of the most picturesque places on the subcontinent with sights and activities such as the helicopter at Amarnath, skiing on the slopes of Gulmarg and Sonmarg by cable car, immersion in the soul the overwhelming beauty of sites such as Pahalgam, do a shikhara tour under the golden sky or red rose of the captivating Dal Lake, and last but certainly not the least and perhaps the most rewarding of all, the milky way of your digital SLR's lenses of magical paradises such as Pangong Lake and the Hanle Space Observatory (the only Indian Astronomical Observatory) equipped with a 50 cm high-end photometric telescope in association with the Macdonell Center Washington University, St Louis, United States.

Maybe Kashmir is rightly the most wanted land on Earth. It is said that Pehalgam's name literally means "pehala gaon", which means "first village" in English. Folklores, stories, experiences, memories and all the beautiful things that accompany traveling to the places mentioned are things that are probably the most unique of all over the world. It is strongly advised to travel companions of India and the world to yield to the desire of the soul and to come to "the incredible" thing, it is "India", especially, for an impossible winter walk to live at the same time, everywhere else.